Security Clearance Careers Podcast

AI is taking over every industry - but what about security. How could artificial intelligence be used in the security clearance process? Sean Bigley and Lindy Kyzer of ClearanceJobs discuss the use of AI in the job search and application process, and how AI is already being discussed as a force multiplier to improve personnel vetting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Much about the clearance process resembles the Pirate’s Code: “more what you’d call guidelines than actual rules.” For this reason, we maintain  ClearanceJobsBlog.com  – a forum where clearance seekers can ask the cleared community for advice on their specific security concerns. Ask CJ is a weekly series we write that explores questions posed on the  ClearanceJobs Blog forum, emails...

While it’s easier to see women at work across national security, the overall numbers still point toward a community that struggles to both attract and advance women in critical national security roles. #NatSecGirlSquad is a professional development community dedicated to supporting women in the national security space.  #NatSecGirlSquad  and Unicorn Strategies founder Maggie Feldman Pilt...

With competition for the best talent, the government has to look at all aspects of the hiring process and how it can make improvements to both attract and onboard the best. The security clearance process is one aspect of that. A recent report by RAND and commissioned by the Performance Accountability Council studies the security clearance process and how candidate experience best practices could a...

The cleared job market will remain challenging into 2024. ClearanceJobs Founder and President Evan Lesser shares more about the state of the security clearance hiring market, and what recruiters and employers can do to get ahead in their hiring efforts. Community and connection will be key, along with a shift on recruiting metrics. Making a hire can no longer be the primary goal, but savvy employe...

Today we’re joined by Steve Winterfeld who is the advisory CISO at Akamai Technologies, a cloud computing company. Steve helps Akamai CISO’s solve their most pressing issues and provide insights on security capability roadmaps. In addition to providing thought leadership as the cybersecurity industry transitions to DevOps and combats online attacks, Akamai produced a report: The State of Segmentat...

Today we’re continuing the four-part series highlighting the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.  This episode focuses on the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies, commonly referred to as NICCS. Antonio Scurlock is the Deputy Chief Learning Officer and oversees the online platform.   Visit NICCS: https://niccs.cisa.gov/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.c...

A common fear for security clearance applicants is what to do if a reference paints a bad picture during a background investigation interview. Many applicants fear the ex, the neighbor, or the old coworker who may have an ax to grind and seek to take down the security clearance applicant in the process. The reality is background investigators are pros at spotting someone who just has a beef, and w...

Many employees are experiencing burnout, especially with the denormalization of the 9 to 5 workday. Thanks to cell phones and computer access, employees now take work home with them too. Trevor Bogan, Regional Director at Top Employers Institute joins the Security Clearance Careers Podcast and provides valuable insights regarding burnout and how employees can counteract it. Burnout is a term used...

CISA's Veterans Program Manager Keith Cassant spoke with ClearanceJobs about his military transition and how CISA helped him reinvent himself. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Legislation gets pushed almost every year advocating for a change in federal drug policies. In addition, many congressional members have also pushed to open up career opportunities in federal government for marijuana users. Clearance holders should read the fine print and know that even if some of the policies change around federal employment, that may not mean security clearance holders can parta...

The Military Officer Association of America (MOAA) is the nation's largest and most influential association of military officers. It is an independent, nonprofit, politically nonpartisan organization. They are a great partner of ClearanceJobs in acting as a resource for our military community.   MOAA's Senior Director, Career Transition and Member Services, Col. Brian D. Anderson, USAF (Ret),...

Ana Montes spied on behalf of communist Cuba for 17 years. A new book by former FBI agent Peter Lapp discusses how Montes was able to carry out as a dangerous insider for nearly two decades, and his own career journey with the FBI. In our interview, we discuss how the book outlines loyalties “from both sides of the equation,” and what took one person down a path to protecting and defending America...

For this episode of the Security Clearance Careers Podcast, we discuss a pretty common topic amongst government work: continuing resolutions. Operations for federal agencies are funded annually, but when appropriation bills are not passed by the start of the October 1 FY start, Congress uses a continuing resolution to temporarily fund the government for the short-term. Continuing resolutions are i...

Middle-aged adults are binge-drinking and using weed at record levels according to the New York Times, in a recent study. What is the catalyst here? Are people just burned out and over it? If people are hitting the bottle and turning to marijuana as a means to escape life, or if being stuck at home during COVID led people to start exploring other recreational hobbies, all of these trends can affec...

The newest jobs report reveals veteran unemployment rate was 2.9% last month, down from 3.6% in September. November is Military Families Month, so for this episode of the Security Clearance Careers Podcast we discuss recruiting, hiring, and workplace issues for veterans – everything from upskilling and reskilling, to how some interviewers overlook valuable assets and experiences veterans bring to...

Are you in tune with the 13 adjudicative guidelines? Your national security job and your eligibility for maintaining a security clearance depends on them. Lindy Kyzer and Sean Bigley discuss the education and guidance that is critical for providing information to applicants and maintaining the cleared workforce. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the inaugural episode of a four-part podcast series with the Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency, ClearanceJobs speaks with Sandy Radesky. The Associate Director of Vulnerability Management at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) delves into the world of cybersecurity and the vital role CISA plays in safeguarding the nation's critical infrastructure. Hosted o...

It’s Military Families Month so for this episode of the Security Clearance Careers podcast we discuss a portion of our audience within the defense community: reservists. The term “military” refers to the military community, defined as the individuals serving as active duty, reserve, guard, veterans, or military spouses. Military friendly employers have a commitment, effort, and success in creating...

Lindy Kyzer and Sean Bigley discuss ageism in the security clearance process. This is a real issue for people, particularly for drug cases in the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA), in that they should have known better. Is there gray hair discrimination in the Pentagon? Tune in to this episode to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are joined by Teresa Shea, who has served more than 35 years in intelligence and defense within the public and private sectors. She served as executive vice president of technology and director of cyber reboot at In-Q-Tel, and prior to that had a distinguished 32 career with the National Security Agency ending as the director of signals intelligence. So she's currently the president of Op...

Will doing personal business on the government clock cause a security clearance issue? Sean Bigley, legal correspondent and Lindy Kyzer, ClearanceJobs.com, discuss the squishy separation between work and professional that can sometimes arise. Is the government tracking your time card, and can time card fraud affect your security clearance? On the other side, private contractors may also find thems...

A few members of the ClearanceJobs content team chat about five tips to get a response from a company or a recruiter while you're job seeking. This topic is important because as we've been attending a ton of career events and engaging with candidates, we've noticed that job seekers aren't necessarily familiar with all of the features the ClearanceJobs platform has to offer. We think it's time for...

Be wary of the CMMC certification experts and gurus online and in your inboxes. They may be able to do gap assessments and prepare you, but no one knows hard requirements just yet. The  Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) framework seeks to help assess defense contractors’ compliance with cybersecurity requirements to protect contract data and controlled unclassified inform...

On this episode of ClearedCast, John Bersentes and Marc Menninger with AstrumU and Retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel Chris Starling join us in conversation on what's needed to close the cyber talent gap. In honor of Cybersecurity Career Week, these three experts dive into the programs available for transitioning service members, veterans and civilians alike. For more information, visit the links b...