Several months ago I accepted a conditional job offer with the FBI for a position requiring a TS/SCI clearance. A few days ago the FBI informed me that my case had been favorably adjudicated and I was approved for hire; however, they were not able to offer me a seat in a future training class, so they’re not offering me a job at this time.
If I apply for other positions requiring a security clearance, will employers care that I’ve already gone through the process and been favorably adjudicated? Or will I effectively be starting from scratch? It seems ridiculous that I might have to go through a new SF86, polygraph, and months of waiting, but I recognize that might be how things work.
Also, I’m surprised the Bureau would commit the resources to put me through a background investigation without being sure they could offer me a job at the end of it. Is this standard practice?
Standard practice for a lot of 1811 or 0083 positions, that’s for sure. (I don’t know if you applied for Agent or officer but yes, happens very often). Can’t speak for other positions.
Best answer to your main question: it depends. The Bureau does their own background investigations. Whether or not another agency will accept the results is up to them, though I don’t see why not. As for poly, I’m fairly sure they won’t care for your results with the Bureau; you’ll do the new agency’s.
The problem with FBI investigations is that the only repository for other agencies to verify an investigation was done and clearance granted is through Scattered Castles, and they would not put you in there unless you had an active TS/SCI clearance. So as datesnotrecalled indicated, it depends! My guess is no because you would have had to be indoctrinated (briefed in).
We can compare this situation with how the State Dept handles hiring for Foreign Service Officers. You can get cleared and get your name “on the register” but never actually receive a job offer because other candidates with better scores on the foreign service exam go ahead of you. However I think that process takes about 18 months for your name to expire off the register. Sounds like @sdrawkcab_ssa was informed of the decision right away. So at least one other agency does put people through the clearance process and get them cleared with no guarantee of offering them a job.
Thanks for the replies, guys. For anyone curious, this was for an intel analyst position.
I feel a little bad for the people who wasted their time interviewing my friends and family, calling my old landlords, etc. Based on some of the other posts in here, it seems the clearance process has a lot of room for improvement.
Not sure if you are still active on this post, but out of curiosity, how long did your background investigation take? And do you know if you were a priority hire?
I feel even more sorry for the people who wasted their time going through the whole BI process, only to receive a single-page letter of rejection after months (and today apparently years) of waiting. Yes, the entire process is long due for improvement.
Based upon my experience of many years ago, that is certainly the case. However the situation appears to have only significantly worsened since those days.