347 business days and 502 calendar days since submission of SF-86… (18 months) and still awaiting to hear word from an investigator for a subject interview.
Psych/Poly completed as well.
(This isn’t a complaining post)
Just looking to shoot the breeze, get input and hear others horror stories.
Is this for an initial investigation for a new job? Any number of things could have happened.
I heard recently of someone who had submitted paperwork for a periodic update, then got an email saying gee, its been over a year and for some reason we never started your PR… you need to submit updated forms.
Have you been able to get in touch with anyone? If this is for a federal job, then I assume you got some kind of conditional job offer and may have the name of a POC in their hiring department.
They probably can’t give you any info on the investigation, but they should be able to confirm that you are still in processing.
I’ve heard of investigations taking a long time but usually there is some contact with an investigator within the first few months.
@sbusquirrel, yes, I have a CJO. I reach out to my recruiter every couple of months or so. I get the typical response: “you’re still actively processing, but because of the privacy act, security does not update me on your progress — only when you’re cleared.”
(Since submission of the SF-86, I’ve gotten two calls from the recruitment office stating as such — that I’m still processing)
I reached out to my Senator last month— we’ll see what progress that yields.
At this point, I’ve run out of ways to ask the recruiter what the hell is going on…I don’t even know if I should continue to call…lol.
@Trey3 I responded to another post where you noted your timeline, but I will add a little bit here too, have you tried asking the info desk, the main number you call if you have a main number to call, to speak with your recruiter’s supervisor? Not sure it will help, but my recruiter would take weeks like 2-3 to return my calls or emails and so I would call the main number because they could pull my file up and see if anything was happening. Once they patched me in to my recruiter’s supervisor. I explained that I know my recruiter is busy but it is difficult to get information or understand the process. And I stated that 2 years is a long time to wait for a job, especially when I am told to live my life like I normally would, but normal is doing research out of the country. Things started to happen after that, but it could have been a coincidence. But through the whole process I also though someone, or many someones, forgot about me and my file.
I was also told that I could delay my first day if needed, if all goes well, but that I would have to start the position within a year or I would have to retake the psyc and poly.
I wonder how long it will take to hear something from your senator.
@archaeochica, I never thought about calling my recruiters’ supervisor as she is very prudent about returning calls or replying to emails — I usually just call — and that is about every couple of months or so.
(Is this for the IC agency in MD?)
At this point, I don’t think I have a choice but to wait and continue to call every two months to keep my name fresh in her mind.
With respect to my Senator, after sending in the release form, I did receive correspondence from the office saying that they will investigate on my behalf. That letter only took about a week.
@Trey3. I’ve seen a lot of your posts, just letting you know you’re not alone. Here’s my timeline:
CJO: May 2018
Subject Int: October 2018
Still no Poly or Psych…
Some references contacted early on but complete lack of progress since late 2018. I get the same “hang in there” type answers too from HR. I really believe the recruiters and organization mean well, but agree that some of these timelines (i.e. yours and mine) are getting rediculous.
Hang in there and continue to keep this thread going.
@Desk, welcome to purgatory…lol.
(MD Agency?)
It appears there is no rhyme or reason to any of this. At least you had your subject interview.
Care to share how that went for you?
Yep that agency. Subject interview went well, so have the reference checks, which is why I’m so surprised that things don’t appear to be moving.
I have heard rumors that some departments get a pool of candidates cleared, or at least in the throws of being cleared, and then hire as needed. As in, waiting for current employees near retirement to actually retire. Or if someone leaves, to fill that void. Just a rumor that I can hold no weight or bearing to, but it would make sense for the large differences in timelines, in my opinion. Granted, there are millions of factors. I know the 2018/2019 fiscal year was a big hiring year for them, and it seems the slowness is widespread.
@Batdog123, I’ve heard the same rumors. In fact, I just asked my wife. She said it’s common practice for even companies in the private sector.
So I guess my only question is… can you be cleared via the Feds (with a clearance) and still NOT be hired? Or is it just slow walked?
Afraid so. Takes so long to get cleared that by the time you clear there may no longer be an opening. In some cases, your clearance will be visible to contractors so you may be able to go that route.
@sbusquirrel, I guess that’s not so bad?
Now, is that only for contracting positions or will I be able to take the clearance to federal jobs? Ie, be more appealing to them?
They might accept the investigation but still want to do their own adjudication… assuming the agency that did you clearance is willing to share.
Of course first you would need to find out that your investigation is complete and has been adjudicated. Not sure how you would get that news other than being contacted to set up a start date. Some agencies use a “hiring pool” concept and you are informed that you are cleared and that the next step is to get an actual job offer. That would be the point at which you knew you were cleared.
@sbusquirrel, ok, now I see. Makes sense I guess… or does it?..lol.
I’ll continue to say: “no rhyme or reason…” for any of this.
It’s crazy to think that a person could be cleared and NOT even know it.
Trey3, assuming you have called the IC Hires Helpline before? Do they automatically transfer you to your assigned recruiter, or are you able to speak with someone else?
@Batdog123, actually, I’ve only called the number once. But it was for something totally unrelated.
My recruiter is surprisingly good with returning emails and calls. I only really call her because I prefer speaking. When I do reach out, it’s usually every couple of months… just to keep my name fresh in her head. But it seems that doesn’t matter cause she can’t/won’t tell me anything… which is understandable I guess?
I was just always under the assumption that your recruiter was supposed to play the advocate role on your behalf to ascertain information. I guess that was my ignorance yet again. 
I’m looking at a similar timeline: Job offer in June 2018, paperwork submitted July 2018, interviewed March 2019, been waiting for a poly ever since. This is for a TS/SCI for a private contractor, so I don’t even know which agency is conducting this - my HR person simply refers to them as “the customer” and tells me I’m still processing. I reached out to my senator and am hoping to get some answers but I’m not hopeful.
Before I got this job offer, I was waiting on a Secret clearance with the DoD since March 2017 that also was never completed. So overall I’ve had two back-to-back investigations that have each gone on for 400+ days each, with no clearance granted in either.
EDIT: change December 2018 to July 2018, this was a mistype.
… no rhyme or reason.