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Your 10 Most Downloaded Podcast Episodes in 2024

As 2024 nears the finish line, it’s time to reflect on the soundtrack of our professional journeys! For those of you who love a good recap or wrap, we’ve curated a lineup of our most popular podcast episodes that stole the show this year. Join us as we revisit the top 10 Security Cleared Jobs: Who’s Hiring & How episodes that had listeners buzzing with invaluable job search intel.

10. WHS FSD: Facilities Management for the Pentagon

“Our positions are on a 60-day time-to-hire timeframe,” explains Kim Crawford, Chief of Staff of the Facilities Services Directorate (FSD) of the Washington Headquarters Services. “Basically cradle to grave, from the time the job goes on the streets to the time that they bring that person through the door for onboarding, is a 60-day period. So that’s our target. That’s our focus. Sometimes it depends on if that clearance paperwork is taking some time with regard to adjudication. That could extend the process. But typically, we want to target a 60-day hiring model.”

9. BlackSky: Technology, Analytics, People

“Job searching is hard,” admits Hannah Nyberg, People and Culture Manager at BlackSky. “It’s stressful, impactful, and it’s either being done while someone’s working a full-time job, perhaps, or when they really need to find a job. Your interview interactions are foreshadowing of how you’re going to be treated as an employee. How is the company going to operate? How are they going to value you? You’re interviewing the company as much as they’re interviewing you. So it can be very telling.”

8. Mistakes to Avoid in Your Military Transition

“Networking starts today,” emphasizes our host, Rachel Bozeman. “No, it actually started yesterday, right? No matter how long it is before you plan to separate, make sure that you’re thinking with the end in mind and really getting out there – networking, building those connections, all of those different pieces. How do you build that network, you might be asking? Well, go to those professional conferences, go to meetings, go to places where the folks that are doing that type of work — or are in that profession — are going to exist. And dare I say, get out on social media.”

7. Security Clearance Issues When You’re in the Military

“In the military, if you lose your security clearance, you lose your career,” says Tony Kuhn, Managing Partner at Tully Rinckey PLLC. “Is this something that you want to self-report? If it’s too late, and they’ve already presented you with the information, if you disclose more information in an attempt to mitigate the concerns, is it going to cost you your military career? Whereas a civilian might just walk away from their security clearance and say, I really don’t want to go through this, I don’t need this clearance, and if I give them more details it’s going to implicate me in more crimes and I’m going to go to jail. So I’m just gonna go get a different job.”

6. How to Use Artificial Intelligence for Your Cleared Job Search

“It is still recommended that you tailor your resume for every single role you apply for,” shares special guest, Ashley Owens. “If you’re applying for 30, that’s a lot of time. You can revise your resume yourself for all 30 roles. But why would you need to do that when you can simply use a tool like this? Do your due diligence, go back, read through, revise, and send off. You’re still doing the same thing that you would — tailoring your resume — you’re simply using a reliable tool to do it instead.”

5. Astrion: 300+ Cleared Engineering and Cyber Opportunities

“If you don’t see an opportunity available right now, please, please keep networking and keep looking at the career site, because most of our hiring partners are able to forecast what their needs are in advance,” urges Ashley Owens, formerly of Astrion. “I find myself talking with candidates at hiring events, and sometimes I have to tell them, I don’t know that this is the right role for you. But I know that there’s a role coming down the pike in the next three weeks that I think you would be absolutely perfect for.”

4. RTI Consulting: Treating People Right

“A lot of companies say we take care of our people, and that’s something that you can’t quantify till you come on board,” explains Claudia Trail, Talent Acquisition Manager at RTI Consulting. “But just my own personal experiences in watching the owners treating employees – they walk the walk and talk the talk. They truly do put people first. You’re not a number at RTI, and you’re not a butt in a seat. Some companies just hire people to get them in there and get the revenue. We want the right people in the right positions, because if they don’t succeed, we don’t succeed. It’s a team. I can’t ask people to come join our team if I don’t believe in our team.”

3. V2X: A Focus on Soft Skills and Diversity

“For those that don’t quite make the cut, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re not going to be a fit for a future role,” says Chad Clary, Senior Program Manager at V2X. “So, I do tell people that if you don’t get hired, always ask the person who interviewed you for constructive feedback. A lot of us are scared to do that. We don’t want to hear what we do wrong, because we just don’t like to hear it. But that’s going to stunt your growth. If you know what you did wrong in an interview, or what gaps you need filled, hearing that information is going to make you a better person. And make you a better-qualified candidate for the next time you’re up.”

2. Negotiate Your Salary and Benefits

“Be ready to have this compensation conversation up front,” warns our host, Kathleen Smith. “You may receive a call from a recruiter tomorrow, before you’ve even applied for a job. Have you given any thought to what your compensation requirements are? You need to do this on the front end of your job search process and determine what’s important for you. And if you have a family, what’s important for you and your family, so you’re not caught off guard. Ask if the contract that you’re being hired for has an escalation clause allowing for salary increases, and whether those raises are based on program profitability or company profitability.”

1. Raytheon, an RTX Company: Salary Transparency, Interview Feedback and Confidence

“If we’re reaching out to set up an interview with you, remember you were chosen,” says Mike Barnum, Talent Acquisition Leader at Raytheon. “Whatever your application said, whatever conversation you had with a recruiter, we chose to take our time to speak with you too. So be confident that the manager wants to fill their position, they hope you’re that person. Do what you can to show that you can be that person. You want to be confident that you deserve to be in the room.”

Check out our full catalog of episodes on ClearedJobs.Net and be sure to follow our show on Apple, Spotify, or other podcast directories!