Give your organisation a head start when you need security cleared talent

We are well equipped to meet the extraordinary talent demands of an industry that needs to be at the forefront of the latest developments in security trends.

If you have ever needed to find candidates with the right skills that are already Developed Vetting (DV) cleared, or have experience of the process, you will know how arduous it can be for all concerned. Whilst there are no shortcuts, there are steps you can take to make everything run smoother.  

Start the process as early as possible

The earlier you begin the sooner the candidate can be cleared and on-site delivering for you. If you can, start gathering the necessary information for the vetting process at interview stage or earlier.

Keep in constant contact

As both parties work towards the common goal of DV clearance it is important to keep the lines of communication open. Most companies will not sign off an offer of employment or issue a start date until the clearance has been granted, which can leave the candidate feeling unsettled during the interim period. It is crucial that the candidate is kept up-to-date with each stage of the vetting process.

Nurture mutual trust

Build a strong trusted relationship with the candidate at this time is imperative as you want to be aware of offers from other employers, or changes in their circumstances which does happen from time-to-time.  Be mindful of dissuading a candidate from taking a role elsewhere (but remind them of the rewards that lie ahead with your organisation), as it may be that they do not gain the clearance you are sponsoring them for. This could mean that they are left without a job to go to and it could be detrimental for their career and your brand reputation.

Get help from a security clearance specialist

In our experience the best approach is to partner with an organisation that has expertise in managing the process and that has access to a talent pool of candidates with security clearance. Perhaps unsurprisingly DV cleared candidates are highly sought after for niche and specialist roles, so locating them can be time consuming (especially if you do not know where to start looking) and then you need to attract them to your organisation.

Another big plus is that a specialist will often have insight into suitable candidates who may be close to the end of their contracts. This means that they can engage with them on your behalf before they enter the open market, giving you a head start on the competition.

Share the workload

Guiding a candidate through this journey (it can take from three to 12 months) takes time and effort. A specialist can steer the best possible course through the entire attraction, selection, interview and offer process. They will continually check to ensure that the candidate has current or lapsed DV clearance, or eligibility to obtain it - DV clearance isn’t a one-time only process and in some circumstances candidates are unaware that their status has lapsed.  In this situation our specialists will be able to identify these potential issues. They will also check with currently cleared candidates to make sure that nothing has changed in their personal lives that may affect the continued grant of their DV clearance.