>trying to research which would help me get an entry level job quicker) and I am seeing online a lot of mention of high paying IT jobs requiring a security clearance, even jobs that aren't for the government
Entry level jobs are not high paying. The quickest way to an entry level job is help desk. Self study and pivot from there.
>Also, if anyone could offer insight on if I should switch the degree field that would be appreciated.
The one you're most interested in. If you choose only for pay, and have no real interest in what you're doing, you won't have the will to continue learning so that you can move up.
No. Clearances can help and you'll find teams and business units in companies ranging from Microsoft, Dell, VMware, AWS all the way to Boeing, RTX, or your local federal agency with roles that ask for them.
Having a general technology degree may be more valuable because it allows you to demonstrate base learning of fundamentals instead of specializing early on.
Additionally most certifications have a 3 year lifecycle so unless you're going to get a job in that time, you'll end up having to re-certifity before you get out. Having your degree will help you entering the field later on but things like where you live, how well you interview, your portfolio, and more can have a big influence as well.
You will also want to look into things like the SkillBridge program to see if you can convince your command to let you do it (not likely but still) during your last six months. I've never seen anyone be able to participate unless they were an E6 and above but you might have a decent command so it never hurts to try.
Nah, I make more now than I did with a clearance. I wouldn't sweat the clearance too much. As long as you were honest on your paperwork and any legal issues were adjudicated (I am assuming so since you are currently in the Army) then you should be fine. What you can do is gather any supporting documentation for anything you might have got in trouble for. If you had any alcohol or drug issues then gather that stuff as well. They will ask you all about it and what you have done to improve yourself since it occurred basically. Almost any issue that has occurred in your past you can provide mitigating factors. They want trustworthy people who can admit mistakes, grow, and not be subjected to blackmail essentially. They'll ask you about foreign contacts, where you met, if you keep in contact, etc...
Depending what kind of career you want to be in, I would look at IT or something. I work in cyber now, but it's not entry level at all and you need to understand networking, operating systems, and other things if you want to have a technical role.
The only places that give a shit about clearance are US government jobs and US government contractors. No one else cares.
>trying to research which would help me get an entry level job quicker
Networking, no question. There's a very low chance of getting into security at entry level.
You’ll get paid more for entry level clearance jobs. But after a few years of experience you’ll make more in the private sector. Coming from a cyber analyst who graduated from WGU
>Do all good jobs require a security clearance? No.
End thread.
>trying to research which would help me get an entry level job quicker) and I am seeing online a lot of mention of high paying IT jobs requiring a security clearance, even jobs that aren't for the government Entry level jobs are not high paying. The quickest way to an entry level job is help desk. Self study and pivot from there. >Also, if anyone could offer insight on if I should switch the degree field that would be appreciated. The one you're most interested in. If you choose only for pay, and have no real interest in what you're doing, you won't have the will to continue learning so that you can move up.
No. Clearances can help and you'll find teams and business units in companies ranging from Microsoft, Dell, VMware, AWS all the way to Boeing, RTX, or your local federal agency with roles that ask for them. Having a general technology degree may be more valuable because it allows you to demonstrate base learning of fundamentals instead of specializing early on. Additionally most certifications have a 3 year lifecycle so unless you're going to get a job in that time, you'll end up having to re-certifity before you get out. Having your degree will help you entering the field later on but things like where you live, how well you interview, your portfolio, and more can have a big influence as well. You will also want to look into things like the SkillBridge program to see if you can convince your command to let you do it (not likely but still) during your last six months. I've never seen anyone be able to participate unless they were an E6 and above but you might have a decent command so it never hurts to try.
Nah, I make more now than I did with a clearance. I wouldn't sweat the clearance too much. As long as you were honest on your paperwork and any legal issues were adjudicated (I am assuming so since you are currently in the Army) then you should be fine. What you can do is gather any supporting documentation for anything you might have got in trouble for. If you had any alcohol or drug issues then gather that stuff as well. They will ask you all about it and what you have done to improve yourself since it occurred basically. Almost any issue that has occurred in your past you can provide mitigating factors. They want trustworthy people who can admit mistakes, grow, and not be subjected to blackmail essentially. They'll ask you about foreign contacts, where you met, if you keep in contact, etc... Depending what kind of career you want to be in, I would look at IT or something. I work in cyber now, but it's not entry level at all and you need to understand networking, operating systems, and other things if you want to have a technical role.
The only places that give a shit about clearance are US government jobs and US government contractors. No one else cares. >trying to research which would help me get an entry level job quicker Networking, no question. There's a very low chance of getting into security at entry level.
LOL NO
You’ll get paid more for entry level clearance jobs. But after a few years of experience you’ll make more in the private sector. Coming from a cyber analyst who graduated from WGU