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What can you do as a college student to increase your chances of getting into defense contracting ?
I started college with an interest in doing consulting or finance but have decided that it would be interesting to go into defense contracting instead. What should I be doing as a student to make myself a better applicant for jobs like this?
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sahinder’s Answer
You could work for companies like Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte, or Accenture Federal Services, which often have government contracts. If you're studying STEM or business, you're on the right track for the problem-solving and strategic thinking needed in defense consulting. At the same time, think about applying for internships with big defense companies like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, or Northrop Grumman, or even government agencies like the DoD or NSA.
AI is creating new chances in defense, so learning about defense-related tech and programs now can give you a head start. Use LinkedIn to network; it’s a great way to connect with alumni and people already in the defense field. If you're interested in military service, programs like ROTC can also boost your defense career options.
AI is creating new chances in defense, so learning about defense-related tech and programs now can give you a head start. Use LinkedIn to network; it’s a great way to connect with alumni and people already in the defense field. If you're interested in military service, programs like ROTC can also boost your defense career options.
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Susanne’s Answer
Hi Kaia, in most cases you would require security clearance, this can start from a very basic one all the way to being allowed to be involved in top secret work. The clearance process is different in different countries, but the checks can go very deep and therefore you have to make sure that your social media profile is not going to hamper your options, so be mindful what you're posting and whom you're following. If you want to go the whole way, make sure that you're really prepared for it, as some decisions you have to make can have huge impacts on people's lives and are you prepared to make those decisions and live with the consquences.
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Clifton’s Answer
Hi Kaia,
As Susanne mentioned in her response, many jobs in this field require a clearance of some kind (Public Trust, Secret, Top Secret, etc.), which can be difficult to obtain as a civilian (the company or organization you'd be working for would have to pay for your clearance application, which can run anywhere from $5,000 to over $25,000; plus, there's no guarantee you're going to be approved).
To help obtain a security clearance as well as breaking into this field, I'd suggest looking at joining the military (any US branch). It's much easier to get a security clearance through the military (I'm a former US Navy veteran, and had my Secret clearance from serving for 4 years), and, there are jobs in the military that are focused solely on business contracting with the military (In the Navy, this would be in Supply Chain, which you can enter into either through enlisting or going to OCS). Since you're a college graduate, I would suggest going to OCS (Officer Candidate School) and become a Naval Supply Chain Officer (you could specialize in contracting likely after your first tour, which would likely be 2-3 years long). My previous Division Officer in the Navy did just this, and after six years as a supply chain officer, is now on the defense contracting side as a civilian.
There are also many other jobs available in the military (Intelligence, cyber security, weapons, navigation, etc.) where you would get specialized training (and a security clearance) and perform this same job for a defense contractor after you finish your military service (which generally is 4 - 6 years).
Hope that helps!
As Susanne mentioned in her response, many jobs in this field require a clearance of some kind (Public Trust, Secret, Top Secret, etc.), which can be difficult to obtain as a civilian (the company or organization you'd be working for would have to pay for your clearance application, which can run anywhere from $5,000 to over $25,000; plus, there's no guarantee you're going to be approved).
To help obtain a security clearance as well as breaking into this field, I'd suggest looking at joining the military (any US branch). It's much easier to get a security clearance through the military (I'm a former US Navy veteran, and had my Secret clearance from serving for 4 years), and, there are jobs in the military that are focused solely on business contracting with the military (In the Navy, this would be in Supply Chain, which you can enter into either through enlisting or going to OCS). Since you're a college graduate, I would suggest going to OCS (Officer Candidate School) and become a Naval Supply Chain Officer (you could specialize in contracting likely after your first tour, which would likely be 2-3 years long). My previous Division Officer in the Navy did just this, and after six years as a supply chain officer, is now on the defense contracting side as a civilian.
There are also many other jobs available in the military (Intelligence, cyber security, weapons, navigation, etc.) where you would get specialized training (and a security clearance) and perform this same job for a defense contractor after you finish your military service (which generally is 4 - 6 years).
Hope that helps!