Hello,
I received a CJO from a three letter IC agency last summer, and then completed the poly and BI this summer. I am of course anxious about being cleared, but I gather that even if I am cleared, there’s a chance the position will no longer be open?
I consider myself a qualified candidate (I have a relevant PhD), but how likely is it that I simply won’t be hired even if I pass clearance?
It would depend on the agency. You may have better luck speaking with your recruiter about the statistics. Keep in mind they really want you or else they wouldnt have given you a CJO, you made it further than most. Certain agencies hire multiple people for the same billet becuase they know the majority of the candidates wont make it through the screening process. Sometimes this is due to them not meeting the security requirements, the suitability, or they self withdraw because the process is taking too long. Once you clear these hurdles it is common for the first one that makes it through the process to get the FJO. There is still a chance this person turns it down so you are still in the running until they accept.
Now the organization has the opportunity to offer you a similiar position or release you from the candidate pool and they will invite you to apply again in 1 year. When you are going through this it is important to get the contact info for the hiring manager and your recruiter. It is easier for them to say they want YOU becasue they know who you are instead of just some candidate ID. Good luck and keep us updated on your progress.
How can we possibly tell you what will happen after your investigation and adjudication ends? As I have often said, these agencies are hard to predict on purpose. You may not end up in the position you applied for. They may not even be considering you for the position that you applied for. They might be looking at something completely different.
You’ve totally misapprehended my question. I am asking if anyone knows what the odds are- how often does this sort of thing happen in general. Is it common, rare, etc.
I would venture a guess…if a company is hiring at the PHD level, slim to none. After all how many relevant PHD candidates are there? If it were for a clerk position, it happens a lot more than people are aware. We often sponsor numerous people and accept what comes out the gate the fastest. We have a 400 person contract so we always have a need in any of the service related positions (housekeeping, grasscutters, escorts, etc). If we hired Phd level people, and they passed our interview and screening, we want you. Bad.
Thank you very much, amberbunny, for your thoughtful response. Much appreciated.
Short answer is it depends. I would advise you to read the tentative/conditional job offer letter. I previously noted that some agencies include language that they may withdraw the tentative based on certain condition(s). In the federal government, you are not guaranteed the job until you are seated. Unless you have rare skillsets and you are the only one who can do it, I would advise you not to put all our eggs in this. Even if this is true, keep applying and keep looking.
This is soooo encouraging. I do am in the PhD boat. But my process has been very long and I am eager to leave academia. I’m really hoping for a fast adjudication at this point.