The Top Three Reasons Applicants Are Denied Security Clearances

One of the most nerve-wracking things for new federal applicants is receiving conditional offers for positions that require a valid security clearance.  I’ve heard from dozens of people who accept the offer, but then lie awake at night worried that their clearances will eventually be denied!  I’ve dealt with the security clearance process several times during my career, both as an applicant and as a manager, and today I’d like to share the top three reasons that a prospective government employee can be denied a security clearance.

It’s important to understand that a security clearance is nothing more than the ability to access classified information, based on the needs of your job.  Therefore, the background check process is designed to evaluate an applicant’s trustworthiness and good judgment.  The most common reason that security clearances would be denied is if the applicant has a spotty financial history, which is a strong indicator of poor decision-making.  If someone has overextended themselves on a mortgage or has repeated credit problems or vehicle repossessions, they’re probably not the kind of person who thinks their actions through thoroughly.  Also, tough financial times make a person much more susceptible to blackmail or extortion from enemies of the government.  If you’re considering applying to a federal job, it’s imperative that you get your credit score and financial life under control immediately.

The next most common thing that gets new applicants denied is fraudulent or false information on their applications for the job itself or the actual security clearance.  Even though candidates will sometimes claim that they “forgot” to note a prior misdemeanor arrest on their application, a mistake like that is viewed as a lack of candor.  The clearance phase is a time when full disclosure is required, and anything less will be considered deception by your background investigator.  I always recommend printing out hard copies of your E-QIP application data before you submit, then double-checking it through to ensure accuracy and full compliance.

Finally, it’s important to understand that trust issues at your previous employment will have a huge impact on your security clearance decision.  Any history of mishandling classified data or equipment will be a red flag, and will warrant more attention.  Even if you haven’t had the opportunity to work with sensitive information yet, your previous employers will be asked about your trustworthiness and your character.  Someone who’s been caught stealing from the petty cash fund would probably not get a favorable reference from their old boss! 

It’s extremely important for applicants to know that the federal government only has a handful of factors which would cause you to be denied a security clearance outright, and that nearly every approval or denial is the result of a background investigator’s recommendation. While these can sometimes be a subjective call on their part, you alone have the responsibility to demonstrate a history of responsible behavior and trustworthiness.  Even once you become an employee, you will be re-investigated every five or ten years to see if you’re still suitable to hold a security clearance.  If you ever start down on a road lined with bad decisions, you’ll probably be out of work before long!