Security Clearance Careers Podcast

Lindy Kyzer and Sean Bigley of ClearanceJobs spitball about the truth and lies when it comes to the polygraph process. One of the realities of the polygraph is that even experts agree it's dubious at actually checking for lies. What it is good at is getting people to have a spiritual epiphany and suddenly start sharing details they hadn't before. That's one reason why maybe the security clearance polygraph should go the way of Scientology's eMeters, and the experts should agree, they're really only used for 'spiritual purposes.'

Mika Cross is a workplace expert known for her work in areas like government workforce innovation, flexible work environments, employee engagement, and talent management. She has held senior roles across federal agencies, including the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Department of Labor. Mika often speaks about future of work trends, public sector workforce reforms, and ways to make workplaces more inclusive and high-performing.She's also active in consulting and thought leadership spaces, especially around how government and private sectors can better adapt to changing workforce needs.Mika joins the podcast to talk about the current landscape and why federal work still matters.

Security clearance holders - they're just like us! Working in national security holds individuals to a higher standard, but it doesn't mean their perfect. Legal run ins cause clearance holders a lot of anxiety, but the only thing worse than getting caught on the familiar side of a pair of handcuffs is trying to hide that arrest or police incident from your security officer. Self reporting requirements apply to misdemeanors and criminal incidents.

As thousands of service members prepare to leave the military each year, one of their greatest challenges isn’t found on the battlefield—it’s navigating the transition to civilian life. The move from a structured military environment to a more fluid civilian job market can be jarring, but with early preparation and the right tools, veterans can position themselves for long-term success.Jesse Sieff joins the Security Clearance Careers Podcast to talk about his time leading up to enlisting, time in the military, obstacles during the transition, what he does today, and advice for those interested in the military or those getting out.

Ryan Carpenter and Nandita Balakrishnan of the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), a nonpartisan nonprofit working to advance U.S. national competitiveness in the age of artificial intelligence, join us on this episode of ClearedCast.Ryan and Nandita share how SCSP is shaping the future through two powerful initiatives: the AI + Expo, a three-day event in Washington, D.C., bringing together government, industry, and academia to collaborate on AI's impact across sectors—and a brand-new, free Coursera course titled AI and National Security, built to educate and empower mid-career national security professionals.They discuss how national security now intersects with economic and technological domains, why adaptability is essential, and how SCSP creates accessible pathways for students, mid-career professionals, and policy leaders to reskill, upskill, and lead.Whether you’re a policymaker, student, or professional in a skiff wondering where to begin—this episode has something for you.🧠 Learn more and register for the AI + Expo: https://expo.scsp.ai/ 🎓 Enroll in the free Coursera course: AI and National Security https://www.coursera.org/learn/ai-national-security

If you are like most people, your work life will not follow a straight line. The average person changes careers five to seven times during their working life. I’ve pivoted a few times myself. I went from marketing in college, to social work, to admin, to recruiter and now back to marketing. Each of these major shifts led me to a better place and resulted in a dynamic career I couldn’t possibly have envisioned or planned.So, today we cover all things pivoting and figure out if it’s actually a wise thing to do - Owen Pycha, Strategic Talent Acquisition MetroStar joins the podcast to talk about his career pivots. From Wegmans, to tech, to sales, to recruiting, Owen shares his insights on what made his career pivots as smooth as possible. 

On this episode of the Security Clearance Careers podcast Sean Bigley and Lindy Kyzer discuss the finer points of why security clearance holders should report security concerns. With updated security clearance reporting requirements mandating reporting on not just yourself, but questionable actions by coworkers, it's worth understanding what a security risk is - and what it isn't.

In recent months, significant federal workforce reductions have been implemented through initiatives led by the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk. These cutbacks have profoundly affected federal employment opportunities, particularly impacting veterans, minority groups, public health services, and have have broader economic implications​.That’s why clearancejobs created FedWork.net.Today's podcast discusses ClearanceJobs, clearances, & FedWork.net – the newest resource for federal careers.Introduction to security clearances and why they matterHow ClearanceJobs and FedWork.net help professionals in cleared careersTips for navigating job opportunities in federal and defense sectorsCommon clearance challenges and how to overcome them

If you haven't been on the job search for awhile, you may be surprised to see folks comparing today's job search to the dating journey. Sean Bigley and Lindy Kyzer discuss why maybe it's not great to think about your next employer as the great love of your life, but it may be a good thing for employers to take notions of gamification and online content mapping to make the job search process a little more consumer-friendly.