Debated posting the screenshot, but was hired last year for through a relatively well known national staffing firm for a well known Government IT firm for a project for some tax-related government service.
The interview process was over like 6 weeks last spring/summer. I was offered the job on June 28th. Paperwork finalized July 6th, 2023. Then became the wait for background check and clearance. I got the fingerprinting and everything done in late August/early Sept. Was provided a start date of October. Then, well — they're backed up getting clearance.
October came and went. Holidays came and went. January started and my normal projects were wrapping; I couldn't be patient and wait much longer. After continual pestering, I got confirmation of the last hurdle and my clearance around Valentine's Day (turns out it happened either EOY or in Jan). There'd be a start date soon…
Weeks passed. I was prevented from interviewing with other jobs from this firm because I was marked as active for this client. I didn't work, so I've never been paid. Just in purgatory.
In March – a light. A BCC email went out to “several” of us (who knows, really) that had clearance but were waiting. There'd be an update soon as soon as the quarter ended. The Quarter is also Fiscal Year end.
Again nothing… today at 3pm I received an email. Hey, finally a start date or real update. I mean, there's no way an email would tell me… oh. Hey, the project has been put on pause. The job you got a year ago that you've waited for; gone.
What a joke. I'm kind of broken by the process of looking for gigs. I've been consulting for over a decade and never had any gap or problem. Today, I'm not sure anymore.
TL;DR: Hired for govt gig in June. Today, APRIL 11th was told there's no job despite having to wait for paperwork and clearance and other crap. FML.