Every so often, we are request that the person working on a specific project have a security clearance and it happens that we do have employees to include our CEO that hold a security clearance.  The background check question is a more common one.

I have seen some occasions when clients who weren’t particularly familiar with the differences between clearances and background checks asked for a clearance but meant a background check.


Security Clearances

You can’t really get a security clearance without a client already lined up. Your client must sponsor you for the security clearance. Luckily, that also means that the client will typically cover the cost of the security clearance as well. Because it’s a lengthy and expensive process, however, most clients will typically only get a clearance for a person that they plan to work with for years and on particularly large projects. It’s a long, drawn-out process.

There are a variety of different types of clearances, with different costs and requirements.

Background Checks

In contrast to a security clearance, a background check is a relatively simple process. In most cases, it amounts to checking whether or not you have a criminal record. On rare occasions, a client might also ask to run a credit check as part of a larger background check — such a request is a sure-sign that the client hasn’t worked with freelancers on a regular basis. It’s your choice whether or not to agree. Most clients wouldn’t run such checks on other contractors, but a refusal may make the job disappear.

If you will be working in a sensitive area, you may be required to submit to a more in-depth background check.

Taking Care of Paperwork

In most cases, both background checks and security clearances look for any issues with your record. They typically focus on criminal records, submitting fingerprints to law enforcement agencies to check against records. That means that you have to provide your finger prints. For in-depth investigations that cover such records as your credit report, you also have to provide written permission to allow access to your information.

There are benefits and drawbacks when it comes to submitting to a background check. Many of the requested background checks are simply not necessary when it comes to freelancers. After all, you aren’t going to be working in a client’s office, handling a client’s money or otherwise be adding to the client’s risk — all standard reasons why an employer might run a background check. But having a clear background check can reassure a client when you’re working in sensitive situations. It can even be necessary if you want to get anywhere near someone like the President. It’s up to you to decide if it’s worth your while.