One of my clients is a very experienced Executive Assistant. She showed me a job posting from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory near San Francisco that she applied. She was well qualified for the basic role and job duties.
However, it stated a requirement for a security clearance three separate times.
- Job Title: “Executive Assistant for WPD Director (Active Clearance Required)”
- “Security Clearance: Active DOE Q clearance (or active Top Secret clearance)” was stated in another part of the job posting.
- “This position requires an active Department of Energy (DOE) Q-level clearance or active “Top Secret Clearance” issued by another U.S. government agency at the time of hire.”
I often encourage people to apply for jobs that might be a stretch. But this is a good example of a requirement that you either have the clearance, or you don’t.
I told her there would not be a workaround, so she needed to find other opportunities.
So the question becomes: Is it really “required,” or just part of a wish list?
If you have any challenges finding a job that is suitable for you to apply for, let’s talk. I am a career coach, and you can schedule a call with me; there is no charge for a consultation.