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Subject:Re: Secret government information From:"Jim Morgan" <Jim -dot- Morgan -at- portalplayer -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 20 Mar 2002 16:09:16 -0800
Bonnie Granat asked: "Does anyone understand this particular government
secret?"
Both a former clearance-holder and hiring official for secured positions
here...
Most of the information provided by other posters is on target to my
experience (though I would quibble on the investigation costs). Another
major user of cleared tech writers in the US is the Department of Energy
and its subcontractors.
It wouldn't hurt to go ahead and apply to jobs listed as "top secret
clearance required." This is a position requirement, not necessarily an
applicant requirement. More often than not, I was unable to find someone
with the qualifications I wanted AND a clearance, and thus had to take
the best candidate and find something for him or her to do until the
clearance came through. But the lower the clearance level, the better
your chances of getting hired in this way, for the reasons others
detailed. The employer will hire a less-qualified candidate if the
person already has a clearance, so long as the minimums are met.
FYI, if you have any skeletons that you want to keep in the closet,
think twice. It is true that people with criminal backgrounds have
gotten clearances, but convictions are public record. The greater worry
to investigators seems to be whether there is something about which you
could be blackmailed because you don't want it to be public knowledge.
HTH,
Jim
Jim Morgan
Technical Communications Mgr.
PortalPlayer, Inc.
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