How do you know you've got the security clearance?

[Guest]

Hello,

I am just wondering how you know that you've got the security clearance.
I filled out e-QIP in September of last year, and I haven't heard anything back since then.
I am doing the secret one, so this shouldn't take this long.

Thanks!

[eruwaedhiel]

I'm an applicant, but I've been working for a DoD contractor the last 4 years and have a clearance plus lots of friends who are getting/have gotten one. You'd be surprised how long it takes, I know people who had to wait over a year (where they basically got paid to sit and wait for their clearance to process because they couldn't do any work without it). I'd ask your SF, their security people would know if there has been any update. You may also want to ask about getting an interim secret clearance if you need it to start working sooner.

[Guest]

For me they told us at orientation when we got our contractor CACs, but that was back in the early days when they had a real orientation.