Solicited for a job - Q Clearance

[softwaredeveloper]

I was recently solicited for a job opening at ORNL as a senior software developer by someone (unknown by me) who actually works there (UT-Batelle) and found my resume online.  I am very qualified for the position, but do not believe I will be able to obtain the clearance as stated in the position detail requirements:

"Successful candidate must be able to obtain a Q clearance."

1. In 1998, I was convicted of a federal felony for Bank Fraud.  Actually I stole $5k while working as a teller; turned myself in, never went to jail but spent 4 years on supervised probation.  I was 22 yrs old.
2. Same year (my life was a mess), discharged from the Army National Guard for failing a urinalysis (marijuana) with a General Dischatrge Under Honorable Conditions (in between an Honorable and Dishonorable).
3. No legal trouble since then (other than a few speeding tickets); returned to college and completed my B.S. Computer Science in 2002.
4. Recently divorced (2 yrs ago) - no children
5. Too much credit card debt ($28k) (not all my fault - from divorce).  Credit scores range from 629-675 among the three bureaus.
6. Been in my industry now for 10 years currently employed by a major large construction corporation making $100k+.
7. Spent 4 years working on a DoD contract for PACOM and the Pentagon (clearance was never required for software developers as it was the data contained within the applications that was secret - not the applications themselves).
8. No illegal drug use in nearly 5 years now

What I'm wondering is whether or not I should even bother to apply for this position.  I feel that my life has completely changed since my conviction and things are fine except for my debt load but have been paying it down for over a year now (more than 30% unsecured has been paid in the last 10 months).

"Successful candidate must be able to obtain a Q clearance." -- seems to indicate "please don't apply for this position if you're not sure you can get the clearance".

Thoughts anyone?

I'm pretty sure I already know the answer to this question, but I hate seeing opportunities in my life locked out to me because of what I did when I was 22.  Lots of growing up between then and 35.

Thanks for your time.

[softwaredeveloper]

By the way ...

I am familiar with the general guidelines and common wisdom (i.e. tell the truth, disclose everything) - I was just wondering if anyone had a "feel" for my situation and if I should even bother applying for the job.  I assume that if I apply, am hired, then have clearance denied, I will more than likely be terminated.  Or do you think ORNL would run an interim as a condition of employment?

[DrRem]

this link may help with some of your questions

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/theorderlyroom/l/blsecmenu.htm

[Already Gone]

The General discharge is not a problem.

The felony could be, but it was a non-violent offense, you are not still under any obligation, you disclose it openly, you are rehabilitated.  Could be that you can get past that - might take a little work.

The debt isn't a big deal.  There are people who have more than that - even bankruptcy - who get clearances.  You don't owe any "sharks" or gambling debts, do you?  For a divorced guy with a $100k+ income, $28k is not a red flag, though you should pay it off as quickly as possible just for your own financial well-being.

The biggest problem I see is #8.  You claim that you were discharged from the Army ELEVEN years ago for marijuana use - yet you continued to use illegal drugs for another six years.
Sure, you will pass the urinalysis now.  And you haven't been arrested for possession, or sale of drugs.  You also have not lost a job or been denied a security clearance (other than the Army) due to the use of drugs.  That's all good, but there are people who know you who will be called to give an endorsement of your character.  You have no control over who these people will be.  Some of them may say "oh, he's a pot head from way back."  The only way past that would be if you went to rehab and got clean and sober that way (which is strongly indicated by the way you present the fact that you stopped using drugs over 5 years ago - am I reading that right?)

My point is, if you are as clean as you say you are, you had better mean it.  In commercial nuclear, they pretty much cut off the inquiry at five years for most things.  Felonies or drug related offenses are the exception.  I don't know about the DOE.  The fact is that a lot of commercial nukeworkers had to switch to DOE jobs because they are banned from commercial due to drug use.  However, they work in jobs that don't require a Q.  It's a sort of irony.  The initial investigation for a Q will go back to your 18th birthday.

Most people on this site will tell you that I have the most forgiving and optimistic outlook where this topic is concerned.  I truly believe that people can and do amend their lives and deserve a chance to redeem themselves professionally and personally for their transgressions.

BUT.  Although you echo my sentiment that a 35 year-old man should not be held accountable for the misdeeds of his youth, I'm not entirely sure you get it.  After all - by your own admission - some of your transgressions were NOT those of a 22 year-old; they are the sins of a 30 year old.  In the grand scheme of things, they are no so remote in time.  Did that "lots of growing up"  occur in the last five years?  Could have, I suppose.  It would have to have.  Just remember that it is a major "cop-out" to claim no responsibility for the sins of your youth simply because time has elapsed since you committed them.  Unless you have made deliberate changes to your life and become a more mature person, you probably don't have a chance at a Q clearance as well you shouldn't.

But, I hope you mean what you say.  Maybe you could call the recruiter and actually ask them if you should bother to apply.  Maybe they can tell you the actual answer instead of the speculation you will get here.  How much do you stand to lose by applying for the job if they turn you down?  Not much, I'm guessing.  One thing is certain --  you definitely won't get the clearance or the job if you don't try.  If you feel it is impolite to waste their time by applying, don't worry, they'll get over it.

Good luck.

[Khak-Hater]

I work at all three DOE sites in Oak Ridge.  I don't know if you'll get your DOE Q clearance.  Having been through it, I'm not sure what the process is to award them.  Having been through both the NRC and DOE clearance processes, I can tell you that there are very few similarities between them [if any]. 

I know that, for a DOE clearance, they do pretty thorough background checks.  So, what you divulge needs to be in line with the people that they talk with who know you.  They'll interview your references, then ask them for references, then ask them for references.  They're looking for inconsistencies [which are their primary concern, I think].  As far as how they decide who gets one and who doesn't, I think that it might involve three monkeys in a room with a Magic 8-Ball.  I can tell you, that I' don't know anyone personally who was turned down for a clearance, just people who took very long times to get them [which can exceed the employee's lifetime in some cases].  This time to clearance award, also seems to be a totally random process based upon whose desk your paperwork gets lost.  Some people get them in six months, some people in three years, and I know some who have been waiting for over ten years.  I had a couple of employees who worked for me for years and left for other jobs without their clearances ever coming through. 

In my own case, my job had the same requirement to be able to obtain a Q clearance.  So, when I hired on I filled out my application.  Within three months, I received my L Clearance.  Within the next three months, I had a dozen people from my past contact me that they'd been interviewed.  A year later, I was called in for an interview to go over some questions that some reviewer had identified.  A year and a half after that ( over three years total), I got my Q clearance. 

The point to all of this is that, provided you explain to the hiring manager and HR all of the stuff that you told us [and will divulge on your clearance application], then whether or not you actually ever get your clearance is a random process of indeterminate timespan [they understand this].  If the employer is willing to hire someone who doesn't yet have a clearance, then that means that they have plenty of uncleared work for you to do while you wait for it to come through [which could take forever].  In the mean time your work history will speak for itself.  If you do good work and they like you, then, even if you're eventually rejected [after three to ten years], they'll probably either:  (a) change your job position requisition to not require a clearance; OR  (b) bring you back as an uncleared subcontractor making twice as much money.

Therefore, I say divulge everything, and if they still hire you, then don't worry about when or whether you ever get the clearance.  Focus on doing good work and getting along with everyone.  About the time that you stop caring whether you ever get the clearance, they'll give it to you, whether you want it or not.

Good luck,

mgm