Having a security clearance is one of the most valuable things you can bring to the table. Thousands of employers are in need of cleared candidates to support government programs. Qualified candidates will find there are many benefits from having security clearance so it’s best not to let your active clearance expire.

security clearance

An active clearance is a hot commodity but one that many people don’t maintain. With the growing intelligence community and increase in defense spending, there is a huge demand for employees who work on classified programs. For employees who are non-cleared, it can take anywhere from six months up to two years for receive a new clearance, which is far too long for many organizations with specific contracts.

Here are some of the benefits an active security clearance can have:

  • Security clearance candidates are more desirable for many positions
  • Many DOD contractors prefer former military with clearances
  • Since you have a clearance, employers usually take the money they would have spent on a clearance and increase the salary offered
  • If you’re cleared, you can avoid background investigations

There are periodic investigations for those who are cleared: 15 years for a “confidential” clearance, every 10 years for “secret,” and every 5 years for “top secret.” If a clearance is deactivated, it can be fairly easy to reinstate if it’s in the first 2 years. After that, it is increasingly difficult to regain clearance.

One of the easiest ways to keep your clearance is to work with companies or government agencies with cleared positions. Companies seeking cleared employees often pay an increased salary of 5-20%. There are thousands of companies looking for cleared employees, so don’t let your active security clearance go to waste! It might just be your ticket to your dream job.

 

For more information on Security Clearances check out our series where our experts cover the in’s and outs of obtaining and working with security clearances.