Loss of Jurisdiction - AKA The death of my cleared IT career. Would like some advice, please.

8 Comments

1. Jackie RukaJuly 1,2024 at 6:15PM UTC

   So sorry you are experiencing this situation. I would suggest you find a mentor who has experienced government roles and form a way or strategy to fix the situation and recognize your conduct in an objective manner. It may not be doom and gloom however, find ways to remedy the issue with support and help outside of your company. If it’s a legal issue, find a good attorney.

2. AnonymousJuly 3,2024 at 3:49PM UTC

   OP here - Thank you, I’ll run through my close contacts and see what they say. I don’t think it will become a legal issue. There are many clearance attorneys that attempt to push the government via FOIA. Unless I somehow fail to nab a job in a short time (if needed when/if the time comes), I won’t bleed out my wallet just yet.

3. AnonymousJuly 1,2024 at 10:14PM UTC

   If you are in way over your head get a job in IT that is more in line with your skills. People who get fired get hired. Look at Ziprecruiter, tons of IT Remote jobs. Maybe management is not your fortè and that’s ok. When bad things happen change takes place. Find a better and more fertile job environment.

4. AnonymousJuly 3,2024 at 3:39PM UTC

   OP here - thanks for the suggestion. I initially wrote off Ziprecruiter because gov contracting-wise, the average pay was never in the same ballpark as places like Dice or some on Indeed but I’ll try again, especially since remote job listings in the area are dwindling.

5. AnonymousJuly 3,2024 at 8:40PM UTC

   Hi OP - get connected to an IT recruiter. I'm not sure what state/city you're in, but surely there are healthcare companies like Aetna, BCBS, Cardinal Health (and they are hiring hundreds). Look at your alma mater if you went to college and look at their job posting website. Many universities use Handshake. Dig in deep to other resources outside of the usual sites like Dice, Computerjobs, Monster, etc. LinkedIn is a fantastic resource and one where you can video tape yourself and share with those seeking you. It's a ton of work believe me, I know, but as a former technical recruiter, and prior to AI, we literally scanned thousands of resumes. Only resumes where the skills we sought that were actually within your job duties were considered. Not just a list of skills so consider making sure your resume is updated, and in a very simple format, tons of resources are out there for you to review. I make it a habit personally to keep my resume updated at least once a year when it's review time. It allows me to reflect on my year, and add quantitative values that reflect my work. Indeed I found is awful. Ghosting is real. Look at your city and search for IT recruitment firms. Then read the reviews too. They would be your employer. I hired many that went contract to hire, perm.

6. AnonymousJuly 2,2024 at 2:34PM UTC

   Sounds like it's time for your partner to step way up to help provide for your family in the event you are let go and must start over.

7. AnonymousJuly 3,2024 at 2:44PM UTC

   OP here — my husband does work. While I do earn substantially more, he is doing his part. I fully intend to continue to have a job whether it be in IT or otherwise.

8. AnonymousJuly 3,2024 at 3:25PM UTC

   OP here — I made several small mistakes that added up. Mistakes that could have been avoided had there been proper direction/current updated, documentation instead of the he-said-she-said nonsense that I had to deal with. I also had to deal with a lot of daily harassment which made asking for help or questions, extremely difficult. It is no excuse but a large contributing factor — it’s very common in my field, I’ve gotten better at handling it but it still makes trusting people very difficult. I admit I should have been more careful and assertive and I did claim responsibility because I did in fact make those mistakes and they were my fault despite the circumstances. I told my previous company as much when they listed reasons for firing. Research is only useful for generalized, easy questions. Every classified work environment is different — many have exact ways/policies in which things MUST be done…and what passed in a previous environment can get IT security to lose their minds at a different place/environment. Especially the higher up you go in classification. I was trying to focus on if the worst outcome does happen. I am continuing to push myself in my current role and even asked to take on more responsibility yesterday, when an opportunity presented itself. I’ve discussed my situation at length with my FSO, even begging him at times to plead on my behalf (only FSOs can call DCSA to make inquiries at least for contractors). The ball is in DCSAs court. I’ve formally requested my clearance records and have been told to expect a response from DCSA at some point to make a statement on the incident. Glacial speed as usual. I was told by the FSO that the only thing we can do — clearance wise — is sit back and wait for DCSA to do their thing. That’s why I’m preparing for the event of my supervisor losing patience and me losing the job as a result. She’s made it clear she’s unhappy and not willing to wait the years it will take — again, understandably so, this process is notoriously very difficult.