Security Clearance Careers Podcast

Jay McKeown is the Director of Talent Acquisition at Red River, a defense contractor that brings together the ideal combination of talent, partners and products to disrupt the status quo in technology and drive success for business and government in ways previously unattainable. Red River serves organizations well beyond traditional technology integration, bringing more than 20 years of experience and mission-critical expertise in security, networking, analytics, collaboration, mobility and cloud solutions. Learn more at redriver.com. THE CHALLENGEIn today’s candidate market post pandemic, we are dealing with back to office mandates and obviously for an industry that requires some travel to a SCIF or customer site. McKeown says, “I think for us and for everybody else, the challenges finding people that are willing to come in the office to some degree in a hybrid capacity… but there are still a ton of candidates out there looking for fully remote positions.”HOW CLEARANCEJOBS HELPSJay has a decade in the US Army and served a decade as a police officer and got into business about seven years ago. “And I have always been reluctant about joining this business world, coming from 2 tactical sides. I was a vice cop in DC working undercover for a decade…and was like what the heck is recruiting?” After starting his career and learning all about the different job boards and from the very beginning of working in the government contracting sector, he became the super user of ClearanceJobs.com. “Coming from that side of the industry and having a board that's dedicated towards clearances and tends to be military and government heavy - it almost feels comfortable. I guess when you're in there, it almost feels like a like a board made for prior service type of people.”For ClearanceJobs, McKeown loves the user friendliness and ease of functionality. “The UI / UX or the front end of ClearanceJobs has an ease of use and feel. You know, when I'm comparing it to the other boards, it is pretty self-explanatory where you can navigate around and buttons and pretty much find what you're looking for. I've noticed with the other boards some of the additional seem to be hidden or hard to find.”Red River’s favorite functionality of the site is being able to build pipelines and tap into the most engaged talent to land a phone call and eventually extend an offer. Their recruiting team understands that the deadline is today when the government says they need a candidate today. “ClearanceJobs has bailed me out.” After using the Boolean or Intellisearch function to find qualified candidates, Red River sorts candidates by who was last active on the site to get a sense of who who's been on the board most recently. By pulling those last ten active candidates that are qualified and calling those individuals, they’ve improved their success rate to receiving call backs to the 90th percentile. “Just for that reason alone justifies your board. Much less all the other cool functionalities and features.”In any industry, but particularly the cleared space, it is important to act quickly and find that talent for national security programs. Is ClearanceJobs a top source for these types of missions? McKeown says, “Yeah, by far you’re our top source for cleared candidates.” 

Transitioning from military service to civilian life can be a challenging journey. However, there exists a vast "sea of goodwill" that can support veterans through this process. This metaphorical sea is made up of organizations, communities, and individuals committed to helping veterans successfully navigate their new path.A couple of podcasts hosts, Keith Cassant and Shawn Welsh, aim to to provide a lifeline to veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses through the sharing of information and resources about veteran support organizations through the VET S.O.S podcast.Don't drown in the sea of transition; grab the VET S.O.S. lifeline and tune in to our podcast that highlights their own transitions and favorite guests they’ve interviewed.

Were you on the nice list this year and found yourself gifted an overseas experience? Foreign travel is one of the basic things that all security clearance holders need to report. Here are considerations to keep in mind if you're considering any travel outside of the U.S.

The Security Clearance Careers Podcast is a valuable resource for individuals interested in or currently working in fields that require security clearances. It focuses on topics related to obtaining, maintaining, and understanding security clearances in various professional settings, particularly within government and defense sectors.The podcast often features interviews with industry experts, providing listeners with insights from seasoned professionals who have first-hand experience in managing security clearances. These guests share their knowledge on navigating the complexities of security-related careers.Tune in to hear about our top five episodes from the last year.

Prior to the Trusted Workforce 2.0 reform effort, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act had been the largest major overhaul of the Intelligence Community including the national security process. Despite the past several decades of trying to reform the process, however, many of the key topics of clearance reform, from reducing clearance processing times to enabling reciprocity, remain goals unattained. Jill Hamilton, senior editor of ClearanceJobs and Lindy Kyzer discuss the four major clearance reform initiatives of IRTPA that remain clearance reform topics of conversation today.

Finding the perfect gift for someone with a security clearance can be a bit challenging. While you want to show thoughtfulness, it's essential to choose something that aligns with their unique lifestyle and professional responsibilities. From practical tools to help with daily tasks, to fun items that acknowledge their important role, there are plenty of options to consider. Keep in mind that you need to understand their work environment, such as working in a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, or traveling constantly for their job; the gift that you choose will need to ‘work’ for them.This episode is the perfect guide for office gift giving.

A change in presidential administrations doesn’t just mean new policies and priorities in government – it also means new political appointees coming in and others moving out. Grant Haver, a former political appointee in the Department of Homeland Security, knows first-hand the experience of transitioning out of federal government, and the sprint of service political appointees take on. He created a resume bank for presidential employees who served with Team 46. He joins the show to talk about what it’s like to serve as a political appointee, why they bring unique skills that can be advantageous across the private sector, and why employers should look to former political appointees for job openings.Like federal employees or service members transitioning, political appointees face specific rules about what jobs they can pursue. Political appointees should heed any advice provided in out-briefings, but take full advantage of career resources like ClearanceJobs.com to help them connect with employers and find government and contract opportunities that match their skillsets.

Marine Corps Logistics Officer Major Jackie Barnum is living her dream—and she’s dedicated to helping others do the same. In this compelling interview, Katie dives into Major Barnum’s journey, from her inspiration to serve after 9/11 to her time at the Naval Academy and her impactful military career.00:00 Intro02:29 9/11 & the Call to Service03:50 The Naval Academy04:42 Major General Angela Salinas & Applying to the Naval Academy06:36 Current Role07:20 The Driving Force Behind National Security Work07:49 Misconceptions About the Military10:00 Memorable Experience from Service & Commissioning 11:50 Direct Impact of Leadership & Mentorship12:48 Marine Corps Challenges & Building Resilience 15:55 Social Media Presence17:20 The Start of Jackie’s Content Was a Morale Boosting Activity for Her Students18:50 Mentors in Service 20:00 Rewarding Moments22:15 How Her Following Led to a Non-Profit (Mentors in Service)24:00 How Mentors in Service Works27:15 Negative Comments & Trolls30:18 Finding Your People32:22 Goals for the FutureMajor Barnum shares how her passion for leadership and mentorship led her to create Mentors in Service, a nonprofit that empowers others to find their purpose and thrive. Learn about her experiences overcoming challenges in the Marine Corps, building resilience, and using social media to inspire and connect with a broader community.www.mentorsinservice.orgDiscover how Major Barnum’s journey is a testament to living your dream while lifting others up along the way.

A member of the Virginia Army National Guard and law enforcement officer has become an emerging social media sensation.The Content Team spoke with Sergeant First Class Tyler Butterworth in a special ClearedCast episode, exploring how he employs humor and viral videos to connect with those who serve.