Multiple times through security checking for jobs.

faringdon

A lot of the electronics jobs in UK now involve a BPSS check before employment.
(Baseline Personnel Security Standard)
They also require an initial Security Clearance (SC) check.
This is because its military work.

The BPSS check is carried out by the individual company, but the British Government has
a department which oversees the process. The British Government may "gatecrash" any company that
is doing BPSS checks at any time, and insist on seeing that they are going through the procedure properly.
The SC check is carried out by the UKSV (UK security vetting) service, which again, is essentially the British Government.

The problem is that these jobs are never given a quick start date. When they say they will offer you a job, what they mean
is, that they will put you through BPSS and SC checking, and then after 2 or 3 months, they will take you on-board.

So "Last" year I went through both BPSS and SC checking for two different company's jobs.

The first job fell through just prior to on-boarding. The second job took me on, but the
work just involved a 6 week review of an electronic circuit, then my contract was terminated.

So far "this" year, I have been submitted for BPSS and SC checking by three different companies.
With the first company, I completed all the forms, went through the BPSS and SC process, but then the job fell through.

I then went through BPSS and SC all over again for another company, but their start-date is still 4 weeks away.

When your start date is so far in the future, you cannot trust it. The job may well fall through on the way to the
start date, so you have to keep applying for other jobs.

So I am now being again submitted for BPSS and SC for another company. But isn't this a wasteful duplication of process?
(because I completed BPSS and SC for a different company just 4 weeks ago, and have actually completed five lots of BPSS and SC forms
over the past 18 months))

So is nobody coordinating all this security vetting activity?
Why are we going through the process again and again?

marcia_

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6682014/multiple-times-through-security-checking-for-jobs

its the same with a DBS. Each organisation wants to carry out their own up to date check.

StewedApple

You do work which is skilled and requires security clearance which puts you in a small pool. The obvious thing is to charge more, and ensure contracts last a reasonable period as accepting short-term, lower-paid work is not worth the hassle. Ideally, if you can end up in an organisation with a stream of work with regular renewals you will need to do fewer checks and have stability of income.

lincroft1710

If that is the system, that is the system. Either accept it and continue applying for such jobs, or look for work in a different field

Andy_L

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6682014/multiple-times-through-security-checking-for-jobs

So this year you've had 5 SC checks done, but in August you couldn't get anyone as a reference for your application?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6678542/cant-get-references-for-job/p1

EnPointe

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82124595#Comment_82124595

except it is not , if you are on the update system for paid work your DBS is effectively portable

elsien

It is portable if employers want it to be. For whatever reason some of them will insist on a new one being done anyway,

faringdon

So this year you've had 5 SC checks done, but in August you couldn't get anyone as a reference for your application?

Thanks good question. Yes, for some reason, one of the SC checks needed me to get a "High calibre" reference…..and they sited that it was because i had had multiple gaps between jobs…..why not all of them wanted that "high calibre" reference i dont know. By "high calibre", i mean it needed to be a doctor , a politician, or a company director, etc etc, who i had personally known for multiple years.

elsien

Not sure a politician would be on my list of high calibre.

marcia_

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82124891#Comment_82124891

It is though. I have a DBS on the update service and only volunteer positions accept this as they can not afford to keep paying for DBS Checks. Nearly all employers require a new DBS to be carried out.

Savvy_Sue

The DBS Update service is also only useful for an exact like for like position.

Standard Check done, enhanced required? New check

Working with children, vulnerable adults required? New check

Volunteer check done, starting paid employment? New check

The constraints are such that it is, frankly, easier to start again, especially as you have to do a full ID check to ensure you're seeing the 'right' result.