The National Security Agency is on a Hiring Binge
The National Security Agency (NSA) is in the middle of hiring 3,000 new employees, the largest growth in the NSA’s history. Why? Because of a combination of factors. First, their workforce is aging and many of their employees are looking at retiring in the next one to five years. Second, they have lost many employees who have gone to other agencies seeking more flexibility in classified and unclassified work locations and schedules. And third, the NSA needs the next generation of talent who are technologically savvy. The NSA has used Artificial Intelligence (AI) programs for years, but with new models coming online that can do so much more, the need for people who can analyze and extrapolate the data is huge.
Changes are needed to attract and recruit qualified new hires or bring back previous NSA employees and these include offering more workplace flexibilities, such as telework, and a more streamlined onboarding process. The current onboarding process and getting cleared is onerous and lengthy, with some candidates waiting for months, or even over a year before getting through all of the hoops and getting a job offer. This results in many applicants giving up or finding employment with other agencies by the time the NSA decides to make a job offer. Here is a link to take a look at what the NSA is all about and what kinds of positions they are looking to fill over the next few years.
Is NSA as bad as I’ve heard? No flex schedule, no phones, stuck in SCIFs all day every day, etc…?
I have several applications with them and they are all in in review. Some of them are in review for 4-5 months. Not sure if they are slow since it sounds like they are in need of people. Anyone else like me?
True about no cell phone at work and being in a SCIF but that is true of any cleared job.
However I’m pretty sure NSA does have very flexible schedules, more than some other agencies. Not sure if that also goes for contractors.