Technical author leading resistance to background checks

[Ned Bedinger]

Chris Borokowski wrote:
>

  is there a third party we can get to
> vouch for us instead of going through a series of checks each time we
> encounter a security-related agency?


As one who has sought in vain to land tech writing gigs that required 
security clearance, I can report that a tech writer who WANTS a security 
clearance had best obtain it in the military.

The cost of investigating one's background for the purpose of obtaining 
clearance is prohibitively high (I've never seen a placement agency that 
would pay for it), and gov't agencies that want a cleared tech writer 
always shop around for one who already meets the clearance requirement.

At one point, I tried to pay to get a clearance, since having no 
clearance was a career impediment for me in my special area of work at 
the time. All I found was high walls. I found no one in the public 
sector who was willing or able to investigate me and and put me into an 
official pipeline for clearance,even if I paid for it!

Shoulda joined the submariners, they get investigated.  But noooo, I had 
to join the Peace Corps, which represents a sort of insecurity 
clearance, which is just right for some tech writing situations, but 
really not nearly enough good ones.

Ned Bedinger
doc at edwordsmith.com