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General Discussion

Chris Collier
Chris Collier
17,774 Points
Posted by Chris Collier
Chris Collier
17,774 Points

Private sector DC area success?

Hi, I was reading the Treehouse success stories, and they're great and very inspiring. However, I live in the DC-area and it is very public-sector heavy. It seems that every job posting requires a security clearance. I was wondering if anyone on here has had success in the private sector in the DC area with web dev (or IT generally) and what advice they would give getting started?

I'll be finishing my bachelor's in the next two years part-time and may consider relocating if I find that the local IT economy is really as public-sector oriented as it seems.

Thanks!!

3 Answers

Gregory Jackson
Gregory Jackson
5,893 Points
Gregory Jackson
Gregory Jackson
5,893 Points

Hi, I am not talking about recent times but I was a software engineer/programmer for 7 years from 94-2001 in the DC area and had multiple jobs with both private and government entities during that time and I never had a security clearance. I was also twice in the process of being hired where the delay in my taking a job was the processing security clearance stuff and both times I bailed as I found more lucrative non security clearance jobs. I don't think with a degree or even without one if you are talented you will have any problem whatsoever with getting employed in the Baltimore-DC-NOVA corridor in the IT industry.

James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points
James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points

It depends on the area of the DC Metro. For instance, the Dulles Tech Corridor has a lot of private sector companies.