Uniquely dishonest history - number of years until hope for Public Trust clearance?

Hello all,

My story is strange. I will try and present it in as factual a manner as possible, as I believe that’s how investigators will view it.

Attended college for four years, was one class away from obtaining degree. This final class was the most difficult of my degree, and I put it off for that reason. I waited six months, then a year, then suffered a debilitating bout of depression that prevented me from working for three years. At that point, am seven years out of high school, with no college degree and one class needed to complete it.

Start to become gainfully employed by claiming on resume I graduated college, and employers do not notice lack of college degree when they run background check. Am employed for four years by various corporations, still with no college degree. Laziness and complacency tell me that I will get to it, eventually, but for now just need to work.

Finally, more than a decade later, I find the time, class is completed and the degree is awarded.

Question: will this prevent me from gaining a public trust? No doubt the investigators will find it and ask me about it, and telling them point blank that I knew and lied over and over again seems like a guaranteed denial.

Question 2: how many years should I wait until applying for a job with a public trust background check, that they might actually be willing to grant it? Two years from date of delayedcollege degree completion? Four years?

Thank you for your insight.

Bump. Anyone able to provide insight on this?

I don’t see why your failure to tell the truth in the past would even come up. You tell them your work history, you tell them your date of degree, that’s it. They aren’t going to ask you if you lied about your qualifications for jobs you obtained years ago. Do you have a degree? Yes, ok put the date you got it. End of story. Do you have previous employment? Yes, put down your previous employment. The question you are asking most likely will not come up.

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I agree with Imikelowrey