[El Gato]

How long do you think that will last? If you live in the DC area and you don’t have a security clearance, forget about it, your toast. It is time to move on

Indeed it is. What is the problem with getting a security clearance? Some mistake in your past? Those can be forgiven if not too serious. We had a guy in our department, that had gotten caught smoking dope when he was in the Army in Vietnam. (and I don't mean just MJ). He not only beat the dope, he managed to get first a standard clearance, and then a compartmented one. Unfortunately for him, I think he moved over from the defense side of the house, to the IT side. Well, he "knew" that Clintonsizing was coming to the defense side, it had already started in fact, and that the defense group would probably be sold, (it was) I just don't think he saw the freight train coming when he got out of the frying pan and jumped into the fire (to mix a metaphor rather badly. :) )

[LibertarianInExile]

What about bad credit from being unemployed for a year? It's amazing how credit makes a difference in your ability to get a job--if you have lousy credit, generally it's because you NEED a job.

[FoxPro]

No, I don’t think John the Baptist could get a security clearance in DC now. It has nothing to do with "Some mistake in your past". If you don’t work for a company that can get you a security clearance, you cant get one. And if you don’t have a security clearance, no firm that issues security clearances will hire you. Its almost a perfect "catch 22".