Fema Employment

how long does a background check usually takes for a job with the federal government?

typically how long does a background check usually take for a job with the federal government?

Public Comments

1. Depends on the job - meaning, which agency you're applying to. Generally, however, it takes several weeks. Jobs that require high level security clearances can take 6 months or longer.
2. I don't think they ever told me when they were done. . . I got hired about 2 weeks after I filled out the paperwork and turned in my fingerprints, though.
3. longer than a background check for a convience store clerk which usualy takes about 2 weeks.
4. No telling what they will tell you, but it takes about a few minutes.
5. 1 to 2 weeks
6. Depends on the agency and the urgency. A lot of the background stuff is done on a contract basis by retired investigators. You might have a retired FBI or NCIS or even Postal Investigator doing your background investigation. They're all good. Some positions require an interview, some don't. A lot depends on what the nature of the federal job is- if you're going to handle money or national security, it'll be more thorough. Way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, it was nearly a year for my clearance to come through. I phoned, and discovered that they had a different person with my same name that washed out. The agency expedited things and I was on board in about six weeks. You may not be able to make any progress with your agency because the people who have to bless you don't like to be pressured. And the HR people are scared of 'em, too. You can call the HR folks and ask very, very nicely if they need something else from you. Nudge but don't push, OK?