security check (government) for job?

[Puddy_Tat]

Can't find a thread less than 12 years old on the subject so...

I'm contemplating going after a job that's civil service (yes, i know, but it's decent money, in london, and has a vaguely decent pension scheme attached)

but it requires 'security check' level.

i'm aware that just being gay isn't an automatic disqualifier any more although i'm not in the sort of relationship that would be considered respectable

i'm left of centre politically, have at various times been a member of various trade unions, the labour party and one or two parties to the left of labour.

i've been friends with a few people who have ended up in the clink for one thing or another - the only one i'm still in contact with, it was more of a mental health situation that escalated.

fairly sure that security services took a minor interest in me and / or my then partner about 25 years ago - we got taken to one side and bags searched quite thoroughly at the airport on the way back from holiday abroad, then we got back to his place and found it had been broken into, nothing at all taken (apart from a couple of bottles of beer they had helped themselves to), but his filing system and word processor had been given a once-over.

any informed views on whether there's any point in going after this?

 

[alex_]

What level of vetting ?

 

[pseudonarcissus]

Applying can't do any harm, surely.

In the 80's being gay was a disqualifier as it would make you "open to blackmail" which became a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. I'm sure it's not been like that for many years. In those days having an Irish grandparent was a disqualifier.

I don't think political activity would be an issue unless you were actively being subversive. I think to break into a house, if it was the security services, would indicate a very significant interest, rather than a minor interest. I'm told they only have the resources to have a few tens of people so closely monitored.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

What level of vetting ?

oops

"security check" not "security clearance"

title now edited...

 

[pseudonarcissus]

it will be cool if you're U75's very own MI6 double agent

 

[bimble]

I have absolutely nothing informed or useful to say but am really interested to find out what they will want to know, if you decide to go for it. Seems unlikely there'd be anything very involved involved unless the jobs one where you could wreak particular havoc? Surely your relationship status is not any of their business.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

I think to break into a house, if it was the security services, would indicate a very significant interest, rather than a minor interest. I'm told they only have the resources to have a few tens of people so closely monitored.

we never quite understood it. obviously there's no proving it was them as they don't leave a card, but there isn't any other rational explanation - it's before identity theft was much of a thing, and they didn't take either the video or my cheque book which were both fairly near the surface. unless he kept it very well hidden, ex was less politically active than me (and not sure i've ever got as far as being actively subversive) - the only possible trigger we could think of at the time was that he was due to have a visit from a fairly minor royal at something he was a volunteer at a week or two later.

it will be cool if you're U75's very own MI6 double agent

unless the jobs one where you could wreak particular havoc?

i'm not sure that anyone could wreak more havoc than the current government is doing without my assistance...

 

[Supine]

I'd say go for it, what's the worst that can happen.

Better hope they don't find out about urban 75

 

[kebabking]

Give it a wizz.

The various levels of SC - CTC, SC eSC and DV/eDV - do look at your political affiliations, but they are more interested in your honesty and your vunerability to blackmail through things like outrageous debt and secrets in your personal life.

I was a member of several weird and wonderful lefty groups at uni but I have a DV. What really matters is being up front about stuff - it's far more likely that you'd be rejected for being less than honest about your situation than for previous membership of this or that organisation/party.

 

[mauvais]

Big difference between SC and DV. I've had the former, not the latter, though I know various people who do. My experience is about ten years old.

SC is a background check, you will not be involved. Nothing in the OP stands out to me as a big deal but I'm no expert in what they're looking for. Probably more about e.g. might you or your family be working for the Chinese state.

DV is an involved interview, looking into what you could be blackmailed about. They may interview your friends, family etc.

 

[StoneRoad]

Give it a go ...

Years ago I was "vetted" whilst working for some consulting engineers as the company did "sensitive work" for t'government.

I also was in the ROC for some years.

This was despite me ol'man being somewhere to the left of Lenin and very active in the TU movement / local politics at the time.

 

[Spandex]

I vaguely remember having a security check when I became a civil servant for a bit 20 years ago.

I was a massive pot head/pill popping raver at the time who'd been on more than my fair share of demos, been a member of one or two political groups and hung out with some characters of dubious moral quality. It gave me pause agreeing to it, but I passed no problem.

A friend's sister got a job at GCHQ a few years later. She had a much more hardcore vetting, with various people around her being interviewed and asked all kinds of questions about her personal life and what they'd been doing in foreign countries.

Like others have said, it depends on what level of check you need, but if it's just basic SC I wouldn't worry about it unless you used to be best mates with Anjem Choudary or something.

Good luck with the job.

 

[equationgirl]

Fingers crossed for you Puddy_Tat

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Go for it Puddy_Tat - unless you've got a dodgy history there shouldn't be a reason why you'd fail.

 

[Little Piranha]

I have three close friends in the civil service and we have discussed the vetting before, especially as one of them has some serious drug taking and related police involvement in their past. They all said that it is mostly about checking what you will admit to compared to what they find out, ie.seeing if you will be vulnerable to blackmail (as mentioned above). As long as you're open I think you'll be fine.

 

[Spandex]

I have three close friends in the civil service and we have discussed the vetting before, especially as one of them has some serious drug taking and related police involvement in their past. They all said that it is mostly about checking what you will admit to compared to what they find out, ie.seeing if you will be vulnerable to blackmail (as mentioned above). As long as you're open I think you'll be fine.

I didn't admit to anything on my basic security check and they didn't find anything that interested them.

If I had to undergo developed vetting I think I might be more open.

 

[friendofdorothy]

Can't find a thread less than 12 years old on the subject so...

I'm contemplating going after a job that's civil service (yes, i know, but it's decent money, in london, and has a vaguely decent pension scheme attached)

but it requires 'security check' level.

i'm aware that just being gay isn't an automatic disqualifier any more although i'm not in the sort of relationship that would be considered respectable

i'm left of centre politically, have at various times been a member of various trade unions, the labour party and one or two parties to the left of labour.

i've been friends with a few people who have ended up in the clink for one thing or another - the only one i'm still in contact with, it was more of a mental health situation that escalated.

fairly sure that security services took a minor interest in me and / or my then partner about 25 years ago - we got taken to one side and bags searched quite thoroughly at the airport on the way back from holiday abroad, then we got back to his place and found it had been broken into, nothing at all taken (apart from a couple of bottles of beer they had helped themselves to), but his filing system and word processor had been given a once-over.

any informed views on whether there's any point in going after this?

how exciting! This govt security checked the chinese building a nuclear power plant and providing equipment for our 5G network - they were sound as a pound apparently. What could you have done that was worse?

presume they need to know whether or not you are a criminal or spy. We are legal now. Apply for it.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

presume they need to know whether or not you are a criminal or spy. We are legal now. Apply for it.

but

job is something more operational than policy, probably pretty limited direct contact with ministers etc, and isn't anything to do with law enforcement / immigration or anything like that, but still meh...

 

[pseudonarcissus]

but still meh...

Gold-plated pension...none of us are getting any younger
If you work had maybe an MBE or something....you'd have to accept it because it would make all of us here so proud.

 

[romeo2001]

Mate of mine was a contractor for gchq for a couple of years- his gf at the time was an active professional dominatrix and he was anti govt and regular drug user. He said the most important thing was to be honest as them being able to trust you was more important than anything he may have done.

 

[romeo2001]

Also it would surely have been a dv check so your probably safe as houses as lkng as you tell them the truth.....

 

[not-bono-ever]

They are more bothered about you being compromised in the future than what’s in your past tbf.

 

[Chilli.s]

Posts on Urban = You are fucked

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Posts on Urban = You are fucked

Urban is run by GCHQ and is part of the security checking procedures. I thought everyone knew that.

 

[mauvais]

With DV they'll strongly advise you to stop doing certain stuff like drugs, but it won't necessarily be a problem in itself. SC isn't going to know shit about it.

And I posted on here long before getting such a job, although my appetite for a bloody coup has significantly increased since then.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Thanks for all the thoughts

All I need to do now is try and summon up the enthusiasm to finish the damn application...

 

[friendofdorothy]

Thanks for all the thoughts

All I need to do now is try and summon up the enthusiasm to finish the damn application...

go on, go on, go on...

 

[Puddy_Tat]

application done and sent.

 

[alex_]

application done and sent.

so we’ve heard

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Mate of mine was a contractor for gchq for a couple of years- his gf at the time was an active professional dominatrix and he was anti govt and regular drug user. He said the most important thing was to be honest as them being able to trust you was more important than anything he may have done.

My brother in law’s brother had to leave his job at GCHQ cos he took up with a Chinese woman, they offered him the chance to split up with her or leave, he’s such a massive nerd that I think he realised this was his one chance in life for a bunk up and told them to do one.