The Cipher Brief's Brad Christian Previews the Threat Conference's 10th Year

When we talk about leaving the military, we tend to talk about the checklist.Build a resume. Translate your MOS. Start networking. Apply for jobs. Figure out SkillBridge. Prepare for interviews. And, if you’re part of the cleared community, try not to let that security clearance collect dust while you figure out what comes next.Those things matter. But they’re also only one piece, because landing a civilian job and successfully transitioning into civilian life are not necessarily the same thing.On a recent episode of the Security Clearance Careers Podcast, I sat down with Emily King Grandinetta, a behavioral scientist, Master Certified Coach, organizational consultant, military transition expert, and author of At Ease: The Guide to a Smooth & Successful Military Transition, to talk about what happens beyond the resume and job offer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trusted Workforce 2.0 has changed how the government vets its people. The old model of periodic reinvestigation, which was basically "set it and forget it," has given way to continuous vetting. Adjudicators now have to reassess risk as each new alert comes in. The policy is in place, but agencies are still working out how to carry it out day to day.In this episode of ClearedCast, Lindy Kyzer talks with Aarti Smith, CEO of Chainbridge Solutions, about the "continuous vetting gap," the space between getting a Continuous Vetting Action Report (CVAR) and managing it well at scale. They cover:Why a single CVAR rarely tells the full story, and why the whole-person concept still mattersHow DCSA's move toward DISS as a shared services hub helps, and why API integrations are the next stepThe manual work that still slows agencies down: roster management, enrollment, and alerts for people affiliated with more than one agencyWhat happens when public trust and suitability populations are added under Trusted Workforce 2.0What a modern personnel security system needs: automated triage, risk weighting, dashboards, and integrations with HR, identity management, and insider threat systemsWhat applied AI can and can't do in adjudication (it supports the decision-maker but doesn't replace them)Why the applicant experience matters as much as the security team's, and how applicant portals helpIf you work in personnel security, adjudication, or federal HR, this episode is a practical look at where continuous vetting stands now and what agencies should tackle first. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lindy Kyzer talks with The Cipher Brief COO Brad Christian ahead of the organization's 10th annual Threat Conference in Sea Island, Georgia. Christian breaks down why the past year has been the most complicated yet — from AI's expanding role in intelligence and autonomous weapons, to a new national cybersecurity strategy, the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, and the rise of "gray warfare" targeting the U.S. homeland. He also shares what makes the invite-only conference unique: 250 attendees spanning government, industry, and academia, all working to close the gap between public-sector mission and private-sector innovation.Apply to register here: https://www.tcbconference.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What began in 2021 as a first-of-its-kind gathering for recruiters in the national security space has quickly become a fixture on the cleared-talent calendar. The inaugural ClearanceJobs Connect brought government and industry leaders together to discuss candidate scarcity, employer branding, recruiter burnout and the emerging Trusted Workforce 2.0 framework. By 2022, attendance had nearly tripled to more than 200 people, and the event had added distinct afternoon tracks for recruiting and security professionals.That history sets the stage for ClearanceJobs Connect 2026, scheduled for October 15–16 at the Carahsoft office in Reston, Virginia. The two-day agenda combines cleared recruiting strategy, security-policy updates, leadership lessons, emerging technology and practical training. For talent acquisition professionals supporting the national security community, the result is a concentrated look at both the pressures shaping today’s market and the practices likely to define what comes next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s an idea that some people have about the cleared space: if you want to work in national security, you’re supposed to fit into a certain box. There’s a traditional path. A traditional résumé. A certain kind of background that makes you look like you “belong” in the room. After our recent conversation with Jessie Levin from the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum (DEF) on the Security Clearance Careers Podcast, we walked away thinking we need to throw that box out entirely. Because national security doesn’t just need one type of person. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Security Clearance Insecurity covers a timely issue facing the cleared workforce. Lindy Kyzer talks with Mike Flanders, founder of SudoTouch, about the technology gap slowing SCI nomination processing and how automation can help security offices keep pace with Trusted Workforce 2.0's shift to continuous vetting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every year, the ClearanceJobs Cleared Recruiting Survey provides a snapshot of what’s really happening inside the cleared hiring market. But behind every chart and percentage are recruiters navigating an increasingly complex mix of technology, compensation pressures, hard-to-fill roles, and changing candidate expectations.In a recent podcast conversation, we sat down with Jill Hamilton, who manages the Cleared Recruiting Survey, to go behind the numbers and discuss what stood out in the 2026 results. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recruiters have more technology than ever—sourcing platforms, applicant tracking systems, automation and AI. So why do they still spend so much time on administrative work?It’s an interesting question for someone who has experienced recruiting technology from both sides: first as a talent acquisition leader and now as someone helping organizations rethink that experience with AgileATS.The bigger question is simple: Are we building technology around the way recruiters actually work—or asking recruiters to work around their technology? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you think about high-paying jobs in the cleared community, it’s easy to jump straight to software engineering, cloud computing, or other highly technical careers.But coding isn’t the only path to a lucrative cleared career.Across the national security workforce, employers need professionals who can analyze intelligence, manage programs, design training, communicate across languages, understand military operations, conduct research, and even bring creative ideas to life.If you have an active security clearance and the right combination of experience, education, and specialized skills, there are plenty of career paths worth exploring. Here are 12 cleared roles that demonstrate just how diverse the six-figure job market can be. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Success can be measured in a lot of ways—titles, accomplishments, awards, or years of experience. But making a difference is something bigger. It’s about the impact you leave on the people, organizations, and communities around you.That idea is at the heart of the Difference Maker Top 100, a list created by Trish to recognize individuals whose work and leadership are creating meaningful change.In a recent conversation with Trish, we went behind the scenes of the Difference Maker Top 100 to learn why she created the list, what makes someone a true difference maker, and why taking the time to recognize impactful people matters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.