Kathleen Smith 00:52
Thank you for joining us for another episode of Security Cleared Jobs: Who's Hiring & How. This is Kathleen with ClearedJobs.Net, and always by my side, being the sunshine to my cloudy day, is Rachel Bozeman. Rachel, how are you today?

Rachel Bozeman
01:07

I’m so glad I didn’t just bust out in song with an introduction like that. But
yes, I am Rachel, and I am excited to be here with all of y’all for another
great show. So, Kathleen, tell us who’s on deck today.

Kathleen Smith
01:23

Today’s guest is Allison Forcelli, HR Generalist for Plus3 IT Systems. Welcome
to the show, Allison, and thank you for letting me roll my tongue.

Allison Forcelli
01:36

Thank you, Kathleen, for inviting me on today. I’m really excited to have this
opportunity to talk about the wonderful company I’m with.

Rachel Bozeman
01:45

Allison, we’d like to start at the very beginning of your career and understand
that as people search for careers, they often think, “Oh, I don’t have it all
figured out,” or “I thought I was going to go this path or that path.” But the
interesting thing about careers is they start in one place and usually end
somewhere else. So tell us a little about how your career started and how you
ended up at Plus3 IT Systems.

Allison Forcelli
02:08

Absolutely. I like to say that I didn’t choose the HR life; it chose me. I
started out originally from the Lowcountry, with fine dining and hospitality
experience, and tried my hand at attending the University of Georgia, but it
wasn’t in the cards for me. I returned home, decided that maybe I wanted to be
a dental hygienist, but I chose to get some industry experience before making
that leap again. I became an administrator, and then my husband left the
service, and we moved up here. Naturally, I ended up in another dental office,
taking on a heavily administrative role, becoming the go-to HR person. During
and after COVID, the environment was something that personalities like mine,
and maybe others, don’t thrive in within the healthcare space. I give a lot of
kudos to people who work in healthcare. It’s incredibly difficult, still trying
to provide compassionate care during such a volatile time, which is
understandable given the circumstances. At that point, I decided to make a leap.
I told myself, “I think I want to work for a tech company. I like that vibe. I
love innovation and am a bit of an out-of-the-box thinker.” So I researched and
found Plus3 IT Systems, which was literally right down the street from me at
that time. I was super interested after reading about the role and the company.
I felt like I could be a good fit and had a wonderful recruiting experience. My
recruiter, Sarah, is now my right-hand lady, and we’ve become the best of
friends and colleagues. The rest is history. I’m really enjoying it so far.

Kathleen Smith
03:44

It’s amazing how our journeys start with thinking we want to do something, and
then we check into it and realize, “Wow, that’s not playing to my strengths.
That’s not making me feel successful.” But you definitely get your eyes opened
to what others are experiencing and the skills you have that you want to apply
elsewhere. It’s great that you found Plus3 IT Systems. Can you tell us what
they do in the cleared community?

Allison Forcelli
04:13

Absolutely. Plus3 IT Systems essentially solves tough problems and complex
issues within the national security industry. We’re the folks creating and
implementing solutions, not just consulting—we’re doing the work. We have
incredibly talented people on the team who’ve been in the space for a long time
and have longstanding relationships.

Rachel Bozeman
04:36

Talking about opportunities at Plus3 IT Systems, can you tell us what types of
cleared positions you’re currently hiring for?

Allison Forcelli
04:44

We’re purely cloud because we’re cloud purists. We have cloud engineers,
DevSecOps engineers, cloud security professionals, and generally cloud
professionals who have a zest for solving complex solutions and want to do
something good for their country. So, everything cloud—we’re hiring for it.

Rachel Bozeman
05:01

I know the jobs aren’t located up in the clouds. Maybe they are—maybe I
shouldn’t assume they’re not. But where are the positions located?

Allison Forcelli
05:09

Our locations are spread out within the continental U.S. However, our home base
is Reston, so we’re hiring mostly within the DMV area. But sometimes it gets
sprinkled about, especially in the government contracting space, as that can
always change. So, continental U.S., with our home base in Reston.

Kathleen Smith
05:27

A little birdie told me most of your positions require a polygraph, correct?

Allison Forcelli
05:33

For the most part, yes. That can depend on customer requirements, and it’s a
common one. Another common requirement is certifications. Certifications are
often required by contract, and we’re always seeking people who fit those
guidelines. Those will always be listed in the job descriptions, including what
certifications may be required. We also have a generous professional
development program, and if we need them to pursue certifications, we usually
give encouragement and some time and space to achieve those within a few months
of their start date.

Kathleen Smith
06:08

Wonderful. Let’s talk more about that, because that’s one of my big bugaboos.
That reminds me, Rachel, we’ll have to hike the Bugaboos one of these days, so
we can talk about that offline. What’s interesting is that many government
positions in the IT and cloud space require certifications, yet not many
employers give, as you said, the time and space to study for and take the
certification exam. Most of those exams happen at conferences. You need to
attend the conference, pay the conference fee, pay for the hotel, pay for
airfare, and have time off from work. It’s a big thing.

Allison Forcelli
06:54

That’s a great point. Many working professionals don’t have time to do all
those things. We understand that, and with our professional development
program, we reimburse them up to a certain amount per year. We provide support
to fly out or travel if needed, or cover subscription costs and similar
expenses. We provide as much ease as possible for them to have the time, space,
support, and appreciation. When they achieve those certifications, they get a
shout-out or kudos, the whole team is excited for them, and there’s a lot of
encouragement.

Kathleen Smith
07:33

Awesome. We sort of glazed over it, so I want to bring it back. Even though
you’re working in the polygraph field, do you have any hybrid or remote
positions? I know that’s difficult with that clearance level, but what we’ve
been discussing with several guests is flexibility. It’s been a silver lining
from the pandemic, as we’ve understood the importance of flexibility and
flexible work schedules. How do you handle that?

Allison Forcelli
08:05

Absolutely. It’s a case-by-case basis, depending on the client and contract.
On-site requirements can vary. As a corporate team member, I sometimes enjoy
that flexibility. We try to be transparent. We hear a lot in this space about
people being promised a flexible, hybrid, or remote position, only to find out
otherwise, leading to tough feelings. We don’t believe in that. In our job
descriptions, there will be verbiage about any on-site requirements, and those
descriptions are always accurate. We believe in truth and transparency.

Rachel Bozeman
08:46

Love it. I think candidates truly appreciate that. Make sure you read the job
descriptions. Don’t just read the first line and say, “I got this.” Read the
whole thing. But maybe something not listed in the job descriptions—because,
let’s face it, they can’t be too long, Allison, or nobody would have time to
read them—is insight into the culture. What is the company like? Can you tell
us about the culture at Plus3 IT Systems and what types of folks thrive in that
environment?

Allison Forcelli
09:17

That’s a great question—my favorite, because this is my cup of tea. I’d say
Plus3 IT Systems has a culture of collaboration and innovation. It’s a positive
culture that many appreciate, especially if they’re leaving a more competitive
environment and entering one where there’s collaboration, uplifting each other,
constantly sharing knowledge, and ensuring everyone succeeds as a team. It’s
also a culture of intelligent, best-of-breed talent. We have people who’ve been
in the game for a long time, been there, done that, got the T-shirt, and are
super knowledgeable. We have smart, innovative people, but we also know how to
have fun, celebrate each other, and find time to spend together at events. It’s
a positive culture, and that speaks true. We’ve won Washington Post Top
Workplaces a couple of times, and as of June, we’ll find out if we won again.
Fingers crossed.

Kathleen Smith
10:22

Fingers crossed for you. You’re recruiting in a tough field—the polygraph
talent pool. How does your company compete?

Allison Forcelli
10:32

We’re small but mighty. Having an incredibly talented talent pool serves us
well. This industry can seem large, but it’s a small community. Since we have
people with longstanding relationships who’ve been doing this for a while, they
make good impressions on others over the years. If someone’s ready to make a
jump, they think of us and the relationships they’ve built with our people.
They’re like, “I’m glad you’re finally making a jump. If you’d like to check us
out, we’re here.” It’s about building rapport, being authentic, and being a
trusted source of services. People appreciate that. They’re not always looking
for a huge brand name but rather something where they feel part of something
important and cohesive, and where they feel satisfied at the end of the day.

Rachel Bozeman
11:31

We’ve talked about polygraphs a few times, and I found it interesting as you
shared insights into hiring in that space. Sometimes you’ve run across
candidates with polygraphs who may have been less than forthcoming or
misrepresented the companies they’ve worked for. Tell us more about that and
how people can avoid being one of those candidates.

Allison Forcelli
11:56

During the application process, ensure your resume is as accurate as possible.
Whether intentional or accidental, make sure that if you list a company you
worked for, it was the actual employer. In the contracting space, it can get
complex—candidates might list the prime instead of the employer that will show
up on record. That’s the time to be crystal clear, true, and concise.
Recruiters will dismiss applications if discrepancies or questions arise. It’s
not a good time to leave doubt. They want to feel confident about who they’re
presenting to the company.

Kathleen Smith
12:41

Definitely list who held your clearance, not who was the prime on the contract,
correct? I understand you have something unique that many companies don’t—an
internship program. Tell us more about it.

Allison Forcelli
12:58

Plus3 IT Systems has been running an internship program for six of the 10 years
we’ve been around. The only thing that disrupted it was the pandemic. Many of
our employees, who’ve been with us since the beginning and have decades of
experience, are excited to share knowledge and empower the next generation. We
have a slew of mentors who volunteer to help. We also have relationships with
local colleges and universities, where we encourage students to visit our booth
and talk to company representatives. If selected as an intern, it’s usually a
paid internship, and they work on projects, are assigned challenges, and get a
feel for working in the industry and the professionalism expected. They gain
valuable insight, and it’s fun to see how appreciative they are. It makes an
impact, whether they join Plus3 IT Systems later or become the next generation
of national security cloud services or engineers in general.

Rachel Bozeman
14:09

Awesome. I’m going to shoot my shot here, Allison, and ask, because it’s great
to have another recruiting friend in the mix, and so many people are on this
career search. Do you mind sharing some tips or tricks for their career search
that could set them up for success in landing that incredible career?

Allison Forcelli
14:30

Absolutely. One thing that’s a bit cliché but I truly believe in is building
your personal brand as early as you can. Invest your time, energy, and image in
things that will serve you in the future. Be on LinkedIn, and don’t disclose
everything, but don’t be afraid to send a connection request to someone at a
company you’re interested in. Follow them, immerse yourself in what you’re
passionate about, and make those connections. This is the time to shoot your
shot. Get out there, because you never know who’ll be in your corner later if
you take the leap to form those bonds.

Kathleen Smith
15:19

If I hadn’t connected with you on LinkedIn, you wouldn’t be here as a guest on
the show. You were so kind to respond to my request, like, “Hey, can you come
be on our show?” But yes, it’s really interesting, especially now when people
post a lot on various social media. They need to remember to have those
connections to amplify their greatness. If you don’t reach out, engage, and
nurture those relationships, it’s harder. I’ve been on LinkedIn since 2009, and
some people still reach out to me, but if it’s the first time they’ve contacted
me for job search help, it’s different. Those I’ve engaged with, met at
conferences, or had conversations with are the ones I’ll help and support.
Someone who just connects and floods my LinkedIn with their resume and demands?
Sorry, not going to do it. So, how may our audience get in touch with you and
your team?

Allison Forcelli
16:31

Speaking of LinkedIn, we’re pretty active there. Give us a follow and check us
out. We’re always announcing contract wins, posting about fun stuff we’re doing
in the space, and any community service. We also post jobs there typically. We
have a website, plus3it.com, with a submission form. If you don’t see jobs
aligning with what you’re looking for, submit your information—be a legit
person with a legit clearance, if appropriate. We comb through those
submissions. Human beings check them out and get excited when you express
interest. We’re out there—just give us a follow.

Kathleen Smith
17:18

Awesome. Allison, thank you so much for joining us today. It was great learning
more about Plus3 IT Systems and all the great things you’re doing in the
community.

Allison Forcelli
17:28

Thank you. I really appreciate the invitation. I hope I get to talk to you all
again. Nice to meet you. Thank you.

Kathleen Smith
17:35

Allison shared how they have an internship in the cleared community, and that’s
fabulous. If you’re looking for an internship, definitely give them a try. How
about you, Rachel?

Rachel Bozeman
17:48

I appreciated two things Allison shared. First, the organization ties into
truth and transparency in their job descriptions, ensuring requirements are
clearly understood. All they’re asking—actually, all of us are asking of
candidates—is to be truthful and transparent in your resume. When listing
organizations you’ve worked with, be clear, concise, and accurate. Don’t put
who you could have, would have, or should have worked for, but who you did work
for. It was a great time learning with Allison. What y’all didn’t get to see
was her awesome microphone that changed colors—it was incredibly cool. These
are the reasons you need to keep listening. We’re meeting cool people with cool
tools. Make sure you follow us, give it a listen, share with a friend, and hit
that follow button. That was a lot of instructions, but most importantly, thank
you for listening. Till next time, bye-bye.