Episode 8: Thinking about LEAVING YOUR JOB? DON’T LOSE THIS!

$200,000. That's roughly what one senior project manager lost when her Secret clearance quietly lapsed after two years outside federal work — and the reactivation process took eleven months, long enough for the contract she wanted to go to someone else. Your security clearance is one of the most valuable assets in your career. Most people going independent have no idea how easily they can lose it. Kess Edafiogho breaks down exactly how Canadian security clearances work, why they don't automatically follow you when you leave a sponsored role, and the specific steps to protect yours in your first ninety days of independence. IN THIS EPISODE: → The 3 Canadian security clearance levels explained: Reliability Status, Secret, and Top Secret — what each requires and how long each takes → Why your clearance isn't "yours" — it's tied to a sponsor, and what happens administratively when that sponsorship ends → The reactivation window that determines whether your clearance survives a gap between engagements, or lapses without warning → How clearance sponsorship works (and breaks) when you go independent through a prime vendor → The 90-day clearance protection plan: the exact steps to take before and after you leave a sponsored role This isn't theory. Kess has held active federal reliability clearance for years and has seen firsthand how clearance mismanagement costs independent consultants real contracts and real income. Everything in this episode is built from operating inside the system. Career Leverage is hosted by Kess Edafiogho of Synergy One Consulting, helping senior professionals turn deep experience into independent consulting income. New episodes biweekly, subscribe so you don't miss the next one. RELATED SEARCHES: security clearance Canada independent consultant | how to keep security clearance Canada | Reliability Status vs Secret clearance | Canadian federal security clearance levels | clearance reactivation window | CISD security screening | Treasury Board security clearance | security clearance lapse | federal contractor clearance Canada | going independent government consulting #SecurityClearance #GovernmentContracts #IndependentConsulting #ConsultingCareers #FederalProcurement #ReliabilityStatus #CareerLeverage #ConsultingTransition #GovConCanada #CanadianBusiness #ManagementConsulting #CareerChange #PublicSectorConsulting #ClearanceCanada