I’ve heard that Keypoint is in the process of hiring 2,300 investigators in the next few months and they are no longer hiring experienced investigators. They want the new investigators (drones) to beat to their drum at $17.50/hour. This will obviously have a very negative impact on their contractor workforce who has been pulling the heavy load for the last 2 1/2 years when Keypoint assumed a lot of USIS workload. Keypoint just continues to make one bad decision after another. They cannot get out of their own way. I predict that for every four investigators they hire, three of them resign before six months of working there. They might retain 500 investigators of the 2,300 that they anticipate hiring and it will have a reverse neagative affect and impact on their contractor workforce. Because contractors will have little to no work because the work will go to their F/T’ers, contractors will deflect and start working for CSRA/ISN or SCIS.
Keypoint is a schlock outfit and anyone who’s joined them after all of the negative Glassdoor reviews or after all of the comments here on SCJB deserves to be there. They trap all new investigators for a year with the threat of having to repay the cost ($5k?) of training. They even trap contract investigators this way and require them to complete [n] amount of units or pay back Keypoint for training. And just like the job itself, the training focuses on the onerous administrative stuff (99% of the job) rather than investigative stuff.
This private BI industry has become low-paying dead-end job. Pushing a shoddy product for shady companies who treat the grunt investigators with a level of respect a little below a factory worker in China. Any job at any other company in any field would be infinitely better. And for contractor investigators it would be better to pick up a cheaper and less stressful retirement hobby.
The reason Keypoint has to hire new investigators is because with the two new contractors coming on board, they are poaching the experienced FI’s away from Keypoint. Keypoint is not trying to hire experienced FI’s because those folks would have already gone to the 2 new companies to help set up shop. Furthermore, as with any new company trying to grow it’s workforce, the 2 new companies are overpaying FI’s to come aboard and will at some point realize they can’t get what they want and will hire demote or let go these folks. With any of these companies, it depends on what type of field manager/team leader you have that makes the workplace better. I’ve worked with 3 different contractors so know the game well.
KGS is destroying themselves from within because of their poor business decisions. When they start treating their contractors and F/T’ers with respect and professionalism, they will potentially have a company again, however, it may be too late even if they do change course. All they have currently is a factory that creates a drone and within six months to a year, the drone they have created deflects and goes to work for CACI, CSRA/ISN, or Securitas because they realize they are fighting a losing battle due to the unattainable metrics, non stop assignments with no lever or valve to stop work from coming in, failed promises, deceit from management, etc.
Excellent points, Duetooversight. I also feel that KGS is a product of the market demand for private federal contractors who can deliver cheap, high volume, quality (?), completed investigations to OPM/NBIB. OPM clearly can’t produce at the necessary output to keep pace with demand for security clearance requests given the over 500,000 backlog of application requests and a confidential/secret clearances averaging 260 days to complete. Certainly not at the likely exorbitant costs associated with its in house investigative staff. I do believe KGS is forced to engage in any tactics necessary to maintain production levels for their own survival. Is there another solution? What if KGS eased their policies? Production and profits would go down, hiring would be more difficult as new investigator investment costs would weigh heavy on the balance sheet. The NBIB contract awards to CSRA and SCIS have only made it more difficult for KGS to remain competitive with employee attrition and relative loss in production as contractors divide their time among other vendors. Perhaps it’s time to realize that KGS is not the dominant player it once was. That a reduction in workforce and output should be embraced with the hope that it can build a healthy, agile workforce ready to compete in the new marketplace. OK, so how to lean up KGS? How about eliminate useless jobs that currently are nearly automated, like workload assignment personnel. Maybe some field investigator manager positions, they don’t seem to always serve a viable function. Compliance redundancy? Company appears to be pretty top heavy with folks who are managing other folks who are watching other folks watch investigators who are over watched by everyone. That should lean things up a bit…
Does a new OPM background investigator get a security clearance? If yes, what kind? Is this clearance applicable/transferable to other jobs that require clearance? Thank you.
maybe, maybe not. Depends on the company and where you’ll be doing work. Feds get a TS, all the contractor employees/1099’s I’ve ever talked to had no TS but favorable SSBI’s. The investigation is theoretically transferable and upgradable for TS.
It mostly depends on the facility access you will need while completing the job as a contractor. In my area, a Secret is needed to enter a certain facility on a military base. Investigators who routinely get work at that base have received a clearance to that level. A successful SSBI/T5 can be adjudicated to TS if/when needed. It becomes tricky when applying to another employer that requires a clearance in DoD, since our information is in CVS and not JPAS, for the most part. A good FSO will be able to pull over your investigation though.
I’ve read a lot of bad things about KGS recently. I currently have a TS/SCI which company and have recently applied to CSRA and Securitas. Which of these would have the most need for someone who already has a TS/SCI clearance and which pays better? Thanks
All three would have a need for an adjudicated applicant. The base rates as a NBIB contract investigator are pretty much equal between the 3. You may be in a better position to negotiate premiums over base rates even for local work with the new players, ISN (CSRA) and SCIS until they fill out their labor pool with disgruntled former KGS employees. Additionally, due to the desperate position they are in, KGS forces work on their contractors without permission–a practice that has led to even more attrition and a confrontational relationship with field investigators. For hourly workers you would likely do better with anyone but KGS both for pay and to avoid the incessant mistreatment of team members. SCIS has been offering some very high hourly rates to experienced/cleared investigators. All the Glassdoor reviews on KGS are accurate aside from the 5 star ones likely planted by the HR or recruiting team. Good luck to you
Thanks! I applied to both CSRA & Securitas Friday. Have yet to hear from either but hope to soon. I have experience doing PSIs in the military but I am not a BI. In my present duties as a Fed I do pull info, on suspects, etc… for targeting purposes. I like what I’m doing but it’s limited to the MDW and my parents are aging. I read on this board that other opportunities exist if you don’t put all your eggs in one basket (someone mentioned other federal contracts such as State) and figure that it would be worth it to be closer to home and a lower cost of living. If non OPM credentialed but holding a TS/SCI can get me around 40k+ i think the paycheck hit would be worth it.
With no OPM experience, entry level hourly’s are starting at around $17.50/hour, with experience and a clearance that can go as high as the low $20’s/per hour (but must demonstrate a production history to justify this) depending on what market you are in. I have heard of numbers as high as $60K annual. State contract opportunities are challenging to find, and require you to be a registered business (LLC, dba and govt. SAM registered) in order to qualify.
–Skcub
Oh thanks! I do have an LLC, registered in SAMs, D&B, etc… $17 is what Keypoint is paying but I didn’t apply for them due to the boards negative remarks. If I have to get 17-20 I’d rather it be with a more highly rated company. I get monthly VA benefits so I could probably make it work until I got better pay. Thanks for all your insight!
So the fact is that with KeyPoint’s unparalleled hiring blitz, you get to break into the industry with no prior experience, which most others prefer. You can always get the training and experience, then keep it moving elsewhere for more money after gaining experience. This industry is not for everyone either and depends on what you’re looking for. It’s all a profit making industry. It is what it is.
