From Federal Layoff to Six-Figure Contractor Job: The Clearance-Holder’s Roadmap
Job-Search Strategy for Cleared Government Workers
The silver lining: Your clearance and federal experience are gold right now.
Contractors are hiring aggressively to backfill excepted billets during shutdowns and to replace departing feds after RIFs.
Average cleared contractor bump: +15–40% over GS pay (especially if you add shift differential, overtime, or per diem).
Hot fields right now (2025-2026): cybersecurity (8570/8140 roles), intel analysis, acquisition (1102 series moving to industry), and anything cloud/AI-related under CISA or DoD.
Fastest paths:
Update ClearanceJobs and LinkedIn profile with keywords from the exact job series you held.
Apply directly on company career pages of the “Beltway Bandits” (Leidos, CACI, Booz Allen, Peraton, SAIC, etc.) — bypass recruiters.
Join the Facebook groups “Cleared Recruiting” and “Federal Resume Writers & Cleared Careers.”
Consider “bridge” contracts — many companies will hire you at risk and start you immediately even if your clearance is in the re-investigation queue.
From Federal Layoff to Six-Figure Contractor Job: The Clearance-Holder’s Roadmap
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