News + Career Advice
Stay current on security-cleared job search tips, trends, and news.
Security Clearance vs. Background Check: Two Different Hiring Hurdles
A security clearance and an employer background check answer different hiring questions. In a security clearance vs. background check comparison, the employer decides whether to hire you using its screening process; the government evaluates eligibility for a national security pos… more
Interim Clearance vs. Final Eligibility: What You Can Do at Each Stage
An interim clearance is temporary eligibility for classified access while full investigative requirements remain unfinished; final eligibility follows a favorable outcome after those requirements are completed. The practical comparison between an interim clearance and full cleara… more
Does Public Trust Require a Drug Test? Separate Vetting From Workplace Screening
A Public Trust designation does not, by itself, tell you whether a job requires a drug test. The SF-85P asks about drug history for vetting; a workplace drug test is a separate screening process. To learn whether your Public Trust position requires testing, check the announcement… more
Public Trust vs. Top Secret: Why They Are Not Rungs on One Ladder
Public Trust and Top Secret answer different questions. Public Trust identifies moderate- or high-risk positions based on potential harm to government service; Top Secret is a classification level for national-security information. Comparing Public Trust with Top Secret as consec… more
How Long Public Trust Lasts: Position Risk, Continuous Vetting, and Employer Changes
Public Trust does not last a universal number of years like a license with an expiration date. It describes a position's risk designation and associated trust requirements. The current federal rule uses continuous vetting for covered employment; an older five-year reinvestigation… more