RE: So many jobs want CURRENT security clearances

[<Jeanne -dot- Keuma -at- ch2m -dot- com>]

<GENE KIM-ENG WROTE> BTW, while I'm on the subject of paranoia, have you
looked into what holding a clearance actually entails?  During the time
I was cleared, just 
about everybody I knew ended up getting interviewed by some federal 
agency at least once, and it puts a hell of a damper on your social life

when anybody you date more than a couple of times ends up getting a 
knock on the door from the FBI or the NSA.  I wouldn't go there again 
if my only interest was in getting a job, you need to really believe in
the 
work you're doing.
<END QUOTE>

Right!  Just to be able to work on a single Federal project for my
employer, last year I had to fill out 14 pages documenting the last 7
years of my life--which took several hours, and calling people to see if
they remember me and would give me a good reference!  Good grief!
Social security number, jobs, reasons for leaving, supervisors, friends,
family, homes/apartments, neighbors, loans, bank account numbers!!!
Although I respect the government's need for security and believe in
anti-terrorism and force-protection procedures (of course, to a degree),
I did feel it was a violation of my privacy.  What I'M wondering is who
gets to see all that information, how do I know I can trust THEM (or the
janitorial crew who can rummage through recycling bins for copies or who
can copy what they want from someone's In Tray) not to use all that
information to steal my identity--or everything left in my bank account?

On the other hand, it does remind us that it's a small world and it
behooves us to treat everyone with neighborly respect... ;-)

Jeanne K. Tsutsui Keuma