Hi
Is it typical to go over SF86 over the phone? Thanks
Sometimes. Phone interviews are permitted on certain case types.
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The good news, Subject interviews are only allowed on cases with minor or no issues.
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Do you mean reviewed for completeness or had a talk with a BI?
To go over it over the phone with a BI.
Do you mean Phone subject interviews?
They didn’t say, it was a call to schedule a phone interview to go over sf86. It’s for top secret
I think you’re mistaken about the clearance level unless this is a second interview after your initial interview. Just a hunch. Subject interviews are being done by phone on certain case types.
I am 100% sure about the clearance type. I visited one of the agencies prior to submitting my sf86 electronically. I did some exams (skills), and had an interview the second day for testing my knowledge (skill related). I received a verbal CJO on the same day and a paper one two days after. Within the same week I submitted my SF86.
What is your timeline so far?
Unless you have already had one subject interview, and this is a part 2 to your first subject interview, I have never seen a subject interview done for that case type. However things do seem to change day by day, so if there are any other individuals who have seen a TS subject interview done by phone, please chime in.
@northstar My initial subject interview was in person, but like 2 weeks later, I was called to clear up a minor date discrepancy. That was all done over the phone.
This was part of my processing. Someone called to review the SF-86 - asked additional questions, asked me if there was anything else I thought might come up during the investigation. This was before the medical/poly, before the BG investigation began. But it was not a BG investigator I spoke with, it was someone involved with the processing, who worked directly for the agency.
I have to CJO.
Agency1:
Applied: January 19
In person interview for testing: February 19 got a verbal offer on the spot.
SF86 : FEB 19
Scheduled an interview over the phone this month to go over my sf86.
Agency 2:
1/30 Submitted application online
2/8 Phone Interview
3/14 Interview in the East Coast
3/23 Resume and Transcript Requested
3/28 CJO
4/10 SF86 Sent
4/28 Additional Info Requested
6/12 Met with BI Investigator. Listed contacts and not listed ones too were contacted.
I’ve had a number of clients in the U.S. who have been interviewed (ESI) by an OPM investigator by telephone. I’ve also had a couple of clients who were interviewed by an OPM investigator by secure video teleconference. The phone interviews don’t seem to be limited to cases with only minor derogatory information. Although the video teleconference ESIs don’t bother me that much, I’m concerned about how the investigator identifies himself/herself over the phone (e.g. display badge & credentials). I’m also concern with how the investigators can be certain that he/she is talking to the Subject of the investigation.
Thank you Mr. Henderson. Can you kindly share how a candidate can verify the credential then? Also, do you think it would be wise to refuse to do this over the phone? Can this impact my application negatively? I appreciate your insight.
There is a process for identification - it is not very good and I have had several Subject’s decline to do their TESI by telephone (it is their option). Though I have had a few willing to do the ID process (normally they call NBIB for my identification info) and I have to report how I was able to identify the Subject in my ROI (usually PII and one piece of information on the SCA that is not common knowledge).
I can see the VTC interviews staying around - I don;t know about the telephone TESIs - unless they start to allow facetime or similar technology to be used.
From an investigator’s point of view how do you read body language when you’re doing a telephone interview? Back when we were doing SBIs (19 years ago) at DIS/DSS and the only Subject Interviews (SI) for SBIs were triggered by known or developed issues, I can’t even imagine doing a telephone SI. When I left OPM in 2007 telephone SIs were strictly forbidden. I can accept the need to do VTC SIs when the Subject is located outside the U.S., but allowing telephone SIs just because you’re backlogged is compromising too much quality for the sake of timeliness. Unfortunately OPM has reduced its investigators to “fact verifiers” and “lead runners.”
Verifying PII on an SCA is hardly difficult when 21 million e-QIP files were stolen a few years ago (probably by the Chinese). If they did it then, who knows what they’re doing now. How many people know an investigator’s name and badge number?
WH, I never said I was really happy about the telephone interview. There are alot of issues. I am an agent, so I am able to chose the cases I am comfortable attempting by telephone. The cases I attempted were minor alcohol or financial issues where the Subject was in a remote area. .
The push for speeding up the process beyond control is coming from industry and politicians.
Between my military career and this career, I’ve been doing this for several decades… I truly understand how differently people respond when you are looking them in the eye. Many of us still investigate, the Federal side still allows time to work the issues. When I was working the contractor side, the meet ACDs or be fired mentality was becoming too common among managers.