I recently graduated and am looking to get into Network Administration. The problem I'm coming up against is that alot of jobs being posted in my area are asking for people with current security clearence that can be upgraded. I've never had security clearence and obviously never had a job that required it. I don't illusion that they just give it to any ole joe but what's the process? Who should I be talking to to see if I can even get it?

As long as your credit is good and no criminal record your fine! I lost mine at Lockheed Martin though due to hospital bills 
P.S make sure you keep on student loans etc. that can cost you too!
Mary

It a catch 22.  The company/agency that hires you will submit you for a clearance if you need one.  The problem is they are only looking for people with a clearance already.  The other option is to join the military and they will put you in for a clearance.

-Porkchop

Quote from: Porkchop on April 08, 2011, 12:55:55 PM
It a catch 22.  The company/agency that hires you will submit you for a clearance if you need one.  The problem is they are only looking for people with a clearance already.  The other option is to join the military and they will put you in for a clearance.

-Porkchop

Yeah what he said. You have to be working on something that needs it to get it. Nobody wants to hire somebody without because depending on the level of clearance it can be a while before you can actually work on what you're hired to do. I think it's relatively painless to get a secret. They of course get more intrusive the higher level you go.

I haven't figured out how to get one without working on something that needs one yet, but they're worth good money when you do get one.

Quote from: PachmanP on April 08, 2011, 05:25:26 PM

Quote from: Porkchop on April 08, 2011, 12:55:55 PM
It a catch 22.  The company/agency that hires you will submit you for a clearance if you need one.  The problem is they are only looking for people with a clearance already.  The other option is to join the military and they will put you in for a clearance.

-Porkchop

Yeah what he said. You have to be working on something that needs it to get it. Nobody wants to hire somebody without because depending on the level of clearance it can be a while before you can actually work on what you're hired to do. I think it's relatively painless to get a secret. They of course get more intrusive the higher level you go.

I haven't figured out how to get one without working on something that needs one yet, but they're worth good money when you do get one.

my grandfather used to have what was called a q clearance, i had one briefly as well. ( working security at a plant near here. i let it lapse, cause i had no need for it anymore

Join the military you'll get a secret clearance relatively easy, TS isn't too hard it just takes time. Top Secret Compartmentalized bend over and get out the lube you are going to get a rectal examination. A friend of mine had an aunt from Italy, dual citizenship. She visited Russia when he was like 3 years old, he was asked about his aunt's trip to Russia and his relationship with his aunt, who he barely knew over something she did 40 years ago.

learn gooder english

job will come

Clearances are issued by many different departments of the federal government.  DoD and DoJ tend to be the most common.
A DoD clearance will require that you be under contract (enlistment or just a regular job contract) before they will even begin to process a clearance.   The process starts with an SF86, basically just a form to compile your personal data, references, etc.  Secret clearance just requires a basic SSBI and I've seen them approved in ~2-3 months from initialization (if enlisted, this occurs at BCT reception).  I'd imagine the process takes longer for a civilian clearance.  TS and TS/SCI (Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmentalized Information)require the standard SSBI as well as a wide spectrum interview process.  Literally, they will interview your teachers from middle school.  Standard clearance length is 7 years, but it's not unheard of to see longer or shorter.  There tend to be ways around minor and even some major credit issues and most minor criminal issues are no problem (I know of a TS/SCI granted to a recent bankruptcy with 3 reckless driving convictions)  The last lag time I saw for TS and TS/SCI was north of 12 months.  There are ways to expedite it, but if one of those methods were available to you, you wouldn't be asking for advice on this forum.

As a note: I suspect that Mary had her clearance pulled at the request of LM, they get a bit paranoid over their tech.