Security Clearance Careers Podcast

ClearanceJobs recently spoke with Stu Hammer, Senior Director of Consulting Services at Peraton and Jennifer Napper, Vice President and General Manager for the U.S. Army and cyber operations segments at Peraton. Both offered their insight on the general skills needed in today’s job market, what Peraton specifically looks for in candidates and what to expect from the company’s recent merger.

Jennifer Napper: The transaction is complete and all functions are under the Peraton brand. Bringing together these organizations provides highly complementary portfolios of programs, capabilities and customers that will further expand Peraton’s ability to support missions of consequence around the world. Our nation’s security has never been so interconnected, and Peraton is now positioned to operate at this critical nexus, delivering differentiated, proven, and secure technology solutions across a broad set of government customers. To do this means hiring and retaining employees and teams of dedicated, highly technical professionals. Our employees need to understand the customer’s mission completely, lean forward, show initiative, and solve problems through innovation. With a keen understanding of the value of talent, lifelong learning is embraced and encouraged at Peraton.

Stu Hammer: First, cyber operations and cloud capabilities have become mission critical. There is high demand for skilled talent in these areas, and Peraton carefully and actively recruits for this. We especially want candidates with demonstrated knowledge and experience. Certifications in AWS, Microsoft, Splunk, ServiceNow and others make candidates stand out. Second, cyber credentials need to include experience with cyber policy, assessments, threat intelligence, cyber software knowledge and risk management frameworks. Candidates do well when they show a full understanding of the threats and capabilities. That’s what customers need. Third, cloud technology is a field that is constantly changing, so candidates need a firm grasp on service providers. They must be prepared to keep pace as toolsets and other technologies get introduced.

Jennifer Napper: Of course, the pandemic affected hiring plans and last year we could not attend the normal job fairs or hold in-person interviews. But, Peraton still recruited and hired. In the defense sector alone, the company hired more than 470 cleared professionals in 2020. And, that demand shows no signs of slowing down. With or without more in-person interaction, we’ll continue our vigorous recruitment. Also important is that we focus on hiring veterans. There are many candidates who want to continue to serve and use their skills after they’re hung up their uniform. Our recruiters are trained to work with these service members and help them leverage those skills during interviews. Peraton also maintains connections with the military’s transition services that operate pilot programs on cyber or other focused areas. At these critical bases, we deepen our connection to the local communities and professional organizations through event participation. This strengthens our presence among job seekers, and it means our employees are out there making a difference.

Stu Hammer: For candidates joining Peraton, resumes and interviews need to show knowledge, skill and drive. The hiring process is the time to clearly articulate top achievements, results, and outcomes. It’s critical to have the right skills and education, but it’s the excitement and drive for the work that makes candidates stand out. It starts with an engaging resume, followed by phone screens and interviews that present opportunities to highlight analytical, problem-solving and organizational skills. Communications with clients about critical mission support require candidates who can not only work well with others, but also present clearly. Peraton is the best at delivering trusted and highly differentiated national security solutions and cloud technologies for their customers. It’s an important responsibility to bring the most secure technology that protects the nation from security threats. That level of work requires hiring the best and the brightest.