I hate to resurrect a sleeping thread, but I had my poly in early August, and my point of contact told me yesterday that they would’ve gotten back to me by now if something came up and I needed to come back and retake it. Is that true? Or should I expect another poly a few months from now?
It was inconclusive both times (foreign contacts… I’m a contractor now for US projects overseas so I’m not surprised), they sent it to quality control and for those reading, yes, I had to wear a mask for the entire full scope poly and the one after.
I’m assuming the “actively processing” update I got means it’s being internally reviewed? BI ended in March.
I’ve had one linger 4 months and got called back. Last employment they came to job site, conducted about 20, leaving room for repeat polys that same week. Some got called a week later…very few got called 2 months later. I’m the only guy getting called back that late. Non issue, cleared on next one. They all suck. I’ve learned to not believe a word they tell me. If they say all is good? I expect a call back. All bad? I expect a call back…but sometimes they don’t call back. They love misleading you and are still reading you based on responses.
Just give direct yes no answers only explain when asked. Even then give yes no answers. They will say you paused 3 milliseconds longer…you may have…BP could have risen for whatever reason, pulse sped up, slowed down…all normal physiological experiences. They try to imply it means “there is a something” there. Maybe there is, maybe it was just a fluctuation. On one of mine I just started nutrisystem and my gut noises were comical. Stomach rumbles only, but we have no control over those.
@Amberbunny2 - can I get your interpretation on the following please? I had an unresolved Poly with ‘hits’ on the Foreign National section, my Tester advised the CI & rest of portions were fine. My package has gone to adjudication and the Customer has asked for a virtual meeting to get clarification on something.
With the dangers of assumption well in mind…do you think that the Adjudicator has felt that clarification/more info can mitigate the issue that deemed my Poly as ‘unresolved’? Is this a normal event? I would have thought that if they didn’t like the Poly out-right they would ask for another before going further.
Absolutely normal. I’ve had them call and ask clarification, or for telephone call from subject. Sometimes they want an in person meeting, not a poly. Finally, if it is more troubling, a third poly. Ive been called to clear up stuff on myself as well. Just repeat of questions.
So, if I am understanding correctly, an agency could accept an SF-86, conduct suitability processing (poly/psych/etc), and still not “officially” initiate the clearance process until they submit for an investigation? I just had this happen, where my BI started ~50 weeks after SF-86 submission despite me completing all other suitability processing. Now, I’m thinking the requesting agency may be intentionally manipulating its metrics to hide that it is stretching out the hiring process.
Not cynical. Previous contract they would submit 5 or 6 people for full TS SCI FSP, for a position, hoping to get 1 through process. If two cleared, they hired best of two. Offered whatever available to candidate. When I took over I only submitted folks I “knew” I could get cleared. Approval rates went ftom 40 to 99%. I stopped that practice. But many companies do that due to long lead times. Somewhere over past 2 years, I believe part of the attempt to reform the process, they started with the portion most folks eliminated at. Only those passing those hurdles would get submitted for full BI.
It depends on how you define “initiate.” All that stuff you mention is part of the clearance process. There could be some other tasks they want to look at before kicking off the field work (the investigation) and sometimes that shifts a candidate from the slow track into the very, very slow track or the glacial movement measured on a geologic time scale track.
A couple years back, yes, the government was trying to manage the investigation backlog by “throttling” the release of SF-86s into the queue, but that has stopped (AFAIK) and it does not sound quite like what you are describing.
In addition to all of this, you can “Pass” the poly and still not get the cleared job. Suitability denials don’t count as a clearance denial but its an easy way for the agency/organization to weed out applicants.
Long time lurker, newish poster. Been in processing with IC for several years. Recently contacted to come back in and do poly and all other processing again because it apparently all timed out. I’m happy to do it and see the ball rolling again. I just don’t understand however if they will be asking me about everything already covered in first poly or if the new poly will only cover the time that has since elapsed (I also had to submit a new sf86). I’m also hoping references don’t have to all be contacted again. Have you heard of this before? I want to believe this all actually moving in the right direction.
They lost a lot of senior contract adjudicators about 18 months earlier. Add this to the abysmal speed this process takes…portions of the investigation run out of clock…or calender in this case. So they need get a fresh take. It’s aggravating. Always has been and I suspect will be. I’ve been in the business 30 years and heard each new innovation or program…process…will radically improve business. As Aussie man says "yeah…nahh.
That’s disheartening. I am still looking for to a career with the agency I am processing with but I’ve stop thinking about it and moved on and might start a LEO career this summer instead.
With my luck they will hit me up as soon as the academy starts or finishes.
Yup have to redo poly medical the whole thing. Praying it all ends well and … quickly? I guess the good thing is I wasn’t denied when my file resurfaced?..
Thanks so much for replying! You’re like a celebrity in this strange world.
Do you at least think it’s moving in the right direction? Like they would have denied me if it was clear upon my file resurfacing? Do you see people clear pretty quickly in situations like mine (going on 3 years since initial sf86)? I understand every situation is different - I’m just grasping for things to be hopeful about.
I agree! But the paradox is that this is the job I’ve always worked for and I take it so seriously … but then they say just set it and forget it. You can do that for a time, but it’s always in the back of your mind.
What is the typical time to wait before we contact FSO to check status?
My BI and poly was done in March - same agency processed S level and this is a direct position with them.
