From Public Servant to Private-Sector Mercenary: The 30-Day Cash Surge Plan
You just got your RIF notice. The pension clock is ticking, but you need money NOW. Good news: the same skills that made you valuable to the government make you instantly hireable (and overpaid) in the private sector.
Day 1-3: Reactivate your security clearance on your résumé. Even if it’s inactive, list the level and last investigation date. Defense contractors will fast-track you because re-investigating someone costs them $50k+ and 9–18 months.
Day 4-7: Spam the “ClearanceJobs” firehose Upload your SF-86 résumé to ClearanceJobs.com, Indeed (with clearance filters), and LinkedIn with #Polygraph #TS/SCI. Recruiters pay $10–30k referral bonuses for warm bodies with active clearances. Expect 3–10 interviews in the first week.
Day 8-30: Take the highest-paying contract gig, even if it’s miserable 6-month $150–$220/hr “warm body” contracts are everywhere right now (look at the “butt-in-seat” roles at Booz Allen, Leidos, CACI, SAIC). Yes, the work is soul-crushing PowerPoint, but you’ll clear $25k–$40k/month pre-tax.
Realistic timeline: First paycheck in 14–45 days. Average salary jump for feds going contractor: +60–120%.
From Public Servant to Private-Sector Mercenary: The 30-Day Cash Surge Plan
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