During college I started the security clearance process in hopes to land a job as a contractor for the Department of Defense. Everyone I talked to said the process was long and tedious so I told myself to be patient, something I’m naturally not good at, but I tried. Two and a half years later I was still waiting and eventually the patience started turning into fear. What if the process never finished? What if my paperwork got lost? What if I wasn’t cut out for this field?
I reached out to contractors and people already working in cleared roles. A few tried to help. But most asked the same thing—“Where are you in the process?” or “When was your last step?”
I didn’t really know…
My notes were all over the place mostly consisting of sticky notes, screenshots, and old emails. I had names of people who said “Reach back out once you’re cleared,” but after a while I wasn’t sure they ever meant it.
When I finally got cleared, I felt relief since it was a win after years of not knowing. But that relief didn’t last very long.
Two years later, I started worrying again due to budget cuts within the Department of Defense. I was asking new questions—what if I lose my job? What’s my plan B? Who do I call if I’m out next week? The same feelings came back and I realized I still didn’t have strong answers.
That’s when I finally decided to build something, a tool I wish I had from day one.
ClearOps CRM is a software for people like me. A dashboard that helps you keep track of your network, your timeline, and your progress. It gives you a way to organize everything in one place so you’re not guessing. So you don’t lose momentum. So if something changes, you’re not starting from scratch. This isn’t just about contacts and notes. It’s about peace of mind along with security. No one should feel completely lost in the process. No one should wait three years without knowing what’s next. That’s why I’m building this.
Though I only have a rough working demo I would appreciate constructive criticism for the idea and ways to improve it. If you’re a contractor, recruiter, or security officer who’s dealt with the frustration of scattered communication records, lost connections with people who said “reach back out,” or the anxiety of having no backup plan if a job falls through I would enjoy hearing from you!
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