Be honest... someone forgot about me, right?...lol

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.

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@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?

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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.

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@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.

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@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.

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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?

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@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. :man_shrugging:t5:

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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.

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@riazur31, these numbers and timelines are ridiculous.

I can at least say that I’ve had both the poly and psych. That’s something… I guess. But it seems ludicrous to wait this long for a subject interview (6 months since completing the aforementioned steps)… but I’ve been told multiple times, that this time seems appropriate. So, who knows.

I tried calling the number at two separate times today, and it went to voicemail each time. My sign to keep sitting on my hands, lol.

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Where do you see TWO investigations of over 400 days? Your own post says “paperwork submitted December 2018” . . . That only about eight months ago.

On the first investigation . . . What do you mean, “was never completed”? Did you end it? The employer? After how long?

Can you think of anything in your SF86 that would cause such a delay?

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@Batdog123… keep hope a live, man…lol.

@EdFarmerIII, you have any blunt tri state area advice for me?..lol.

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I wasn’t complete in my original answer, so let me clarify: March 2017, I had an offer with the DoD. All paperwork submitted April 2017. This is for a secret. I hear nothing at all for 14 months.

In June 2018, I accept a new job that requires a TS/SCI. I let the old job know I am no longer interested, and ask them to close out the investigation which was still ongoing. TS/SCI paperwork all submitted in July 2018 (apologies for saying December - that was a mistype, I confused it with something else I was typing for work lol), March 2019 was background investigation, and nothing since then.

So with that first secret clearance and the current TS/SCI, I’ve had 2 investigations, no clearances granted, both at around 400+ days. I don’t think I have anything on my SF86 that would cause such a delay other than me living in 4 different states the past years.

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@Trey3 just curious, have they contacted any of your listed (or unlisted) references?

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@Desk… as far as I know, no. The people I listed would’ve reached out to me automatically if they had.

OK . . . First, I don’t think that you should have closed the first investigation. I believe that your new prospective employer should have handled that and part of the first investigation would have been picked up for the TS. Second, 18 months for a Secret and 24 months for TS aren’t unusual. They may be out of the norm but are not far from the average.

This means that you may have stopped your first investigation shortly before reaching the end and you aren’t beyond average in your second investigation.

It’s a tough place to be, I understand completely but it’s the area of the world that we have decided to work in.

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@Trey3 . . . I don’t know what you’re looking for from me . . . You have been posting here for quite a while. I’m pretty much out of advice until something else happens to you!

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@EdFarmerIII, honestly bud… that question was in jest…lol.

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