What to expect in a clearance interview?

You can expect to be asked difficult, highly personal questions about any aspect of your life. For instance, topics that may be covered in a security clerance interview include sexual history and preferences, drug and alcohol use and watching pornography.

What do they ask you in a clearance interview?

How do I pass a security clearance interview?

How do I prepare for a secret clearance interview?

What disqualifies you from getting a clearance?

How to Prepare for Security Clearance Interview | Federal Background Check | Get a Federal Job

What are red flags for security clearance?

A criminal arrest, financial bankruptcy, unreported foreign travel, drug abuse, mishandling of classified information, serious mental health disease, etc., could result in removal from access, if the government knew.

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.

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.

Do they interview friends for secret clearance?

An investigator may show up to your current employers office. Not sure about your neighbors. I was interviewed by an investigator because I was listed as an associate or friend of a Soldier obtaining a Top Secret Clearance. So friends may be interviewed.

Does everyone get interviewed for a security clearance?

The answer – no, not standard protocol. But it's also not out of the ordinary. A number of things can trigger an interview as a part of a Secret clearance investigation.

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.

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.

What does a security clearance check look at?

The security clearance process typically includes a FBI reference check of former employers, coworkers, friends, neighbors, landlords, and schools along with a review of credit, tax, and police records.

Is it easier to get a job with a 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 are the 4 steps for a security clearance?

Although the security clearance process involves a number of stages, the key steps to obtaining and maintaining a security clearance are pre-investigation, investigation, adjudication, and reinvestigation.

How often are secret clearances denied?

myth #1: Many security clearances are denied.

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.

Does a secret clearance contact current employer?

It is a requirement of a background investigation that your current employer be contacted. We must verify your employment data and make other inquiries concerning your background. If you are a Federal employee, it may be that your current employer needs you to have an investigation for the work you do.

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.

What questions do they ask at a security interview?

What are the 5 levels of security clearance?

How many people get denied a security clearance?

“Probably 5 to 10 percent of the people who go through the process experience some degree of issues,” Bigley estimated.

Does security clearance check IRS?

Section 26 of the SF-86 application for federal security clearances specifically asks applicants if they have failed to file federal, state or other taxes in the past seven years.

What can hurt security clearance?

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.

Do security clearances check Internet history?

Emails, Internet Histories & Other Virtual Assets

Although security clearance background checks can be intensely thorough, the government can't view your emails, Internet browsing history, hard drive data, and other virtual assets without a subpoena or warrant.