Do all security clearances require an interview?

For a secret clearance in a national security position, the investigation requires agents to interview people who have lived or worked with the applicant at some point in the past seven years, or sometimes farther back.

Is there always an interview for security clearance?

Not every security cleared position will require a face-to-face interview. Some lower-level clearances, such as Security Check (SC) or Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) roles, will often only require a written questionnaire and a background check. For higher level clearances, an interview is a must.

Why am I being interviewed for a secret clearance?

A security clearance interview helps employers determine whether your experience, training and education match the job's requirements and whether you're eligible for special security clearance.

What is a security clearance interview?

The purpose of the interview is for the investigator to assess whether you will be able to handle having access to sensitive classified information. The questions can be in-depth and deeply probing. If you are seeking Top Secret clearance, you are likely to be interviewed.

How long does a security clearance interview take?

The security clearance interview itself tends to last approximately one to two hours, although the duration varies depending on the difficulty of the case. Usually, just one investigator is assigned for the personal interview, but in some cases there can be two investigators.

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Who gets interviewed for security clearance?

For a secret clearance in a national security position, the investigation requires agents to interview people who have lived or worked with the applicant at some point in the past seven years, or sometimes farther back.

What do they ask you in a clearance interview?

How to pass a security clearance interview?

What disqualifies you from a security clearance?

You were dishonorably discharged from the military. You are currently involved in illegal drug use. You have been judged as mentally incompetent or mentally incapacitated by a mental health professional. You have had a clearance revoked for security reasons.

Do they tell you why you fail security clearance?

Presidential Executive Order 12968 requires that denied applicants be provided with a written explanation of their denial and a chance to request a review.

Can you tell friends you have a security clearance?

The fact that you have a security clearance is not classified, so there's no reason you can't tell someone you have a security clearance. In fact, the State Department and other government agencies advise applicants who have a clearance to include this information on their resumes.

Does a TS SCI require a polygraph?

Polygraph tests accompany some Top Secret or TS/SCI clearances; however, they are not required to obtain either type of clearance and are not part of the clearance background investigation.

Is it hard to pass a security clearance?

Those who have gone through the security clearance process understand the significant headaches involved in both the initial background investigation as well as periodic reinvestigations. Obtaining a security clearance is no easy task, and not everyone who applies will be granted access.

Can family members affect security clearance?

Hardly. Previous questions have included if a spouse being listed on the sex offender registry for a decade-old arrest or if a jail stint would affect the applicant's security clearance. Those issues would likely only be an issue of the applicant was involved in some way.

Does security clearance check your phone?

For what it's worth, security clearance background investigators also don't bug phones or conduct surveillance on applicants, so you can rest a little easier knowing your every move isn't necessarily being watched.

What are red flags for security clearance?

For example, an inability or unwillingness to satisfy debts is a red flag. Financial problems that are related to gambling, alcoholism, or drug abuse also are security concerns.

What percentage of security clearances are denied?

myth #1: Many security clearances are denied.

Peregrine noted the rate of security clearance denials is incredibly low. Less than 1% of security clearances investigations result in denial. Individuals may not be eligible for an interim clearance, and they may have significant issues that need to be mitigated.

How far back does a security clearance go?

Security Clearance Adjudicative Process

The clearance process for Secret level access uses an investigation called the National Agency Check with Law and Credit that goes back five years, while the clearance process for Top Secret uses a Single Scope Background Investigation that goes back ten years.

What happens during secret clearance interview?

Investigators will seek data about you from federal databases, including those run by the military, FBI and IRS. Your credit is checked. Investigators contact local law enforcement agencies where you lived and worked during the last five years. Investigators corroborate your date and place of birth.

What do they ask on a security clearance polygraph?

Questions asked might concern drug and alcohol use, sexual misconduct, mental health, family relationships, compulsive or addictive behavior and more. A Lifestyle Polygraph can also attempt to look for issues in a person's private life for which he or she might be susceptible to blackmail or coercion.

What happens after an interview for security clearance?

Once you complete the the questionnaire, the document is sent to the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) DCSA is responsible for verifying the information and performing the actual background investigation. The level of investigation depends upon the level of access to be granted.

Is it easier to get a job with a security clearance?

Having a security clearance is similar to having a special certification or degree on your résumé. It makes you more marketable, helping you stand out from other candidates and increasing your job prospects. An active or current clearance may also increase your earning potential.

What happens if you fail a polygraph for a security clearance?

The Consequence of Inconclusive Results

So, by “failing” a polygraph or producing “inconclusive results” you might not get the job or the clearance you're applying for – but you also won't lose any clearance you already have or jeopardize your future prospects of obtaining clearances that don't require a polygraph.

What are the 5 levels of security clearance?

Will I fail a polygraph if you are nervous?

Anxiety isn't an automatic disqualifier from passing a polygraph. While it may affect your results, anxiety and depression shouldn't keep you from pursuing positions that require passing a polygraph.