Presented by ClearanceJobs & Carahsoft
Lindy Kyzer, Vice President of Content and Market Engagement at ClearanceJobs, brought an energetic, candid perspective to ClearanceJobs Connect 2025.
“The national security hiring community is both energized and anxious right now,” she said. “We’re seeing hiring freezes, budget uncertainty, and huge policy changes under Trusted Workforce 2.0.”Kyzer described the initiative as “the biggest overhaul of the clearance process since the 1950s.” With more than 120 agencies implementing updates and shifting from five tiers to three, she said communication is critical. “It’s not just about policy—it’s about people. Every agency culture is different, and collaboration ensures consistency.”
For Kyzer, events like Connect are about community as much as policy. “When we bring together government, industry, and academia, we create a space for collaboration,” she said. “It’s where people realize they’re not navigating this alone.”
ClearanceJobs’ platform plays a central role in sustaining that connection year-round. With 2,000 defense industry employers and 1.9 million candidates, Kyzer said the company’s reach gives it unique insight into hiring pain points. “We’re in constant conversation with recruiters, security officers, and candidates,” she explained. “That feedback loop helps the entire ecosystem adapt faster.”
She sees her role as amplifying the voices of those professionals and celebrating their work. “At the end of the day, every cleared professional contributes to mission success,” she said. “We’re here to make sure they feel valued and supported.”
Kyzer also underscored the importance of trust and transparency. “Building the best national security workforce means making sure candidates understand the process, agencies trust their data, and industry can move at mission speed,” she said.
Her optimism was unmistakable. “The chatter in the hallways this week has been mostly gratitude,” she smiled. “People are just glad to be here—to share ideas, to solve problems together, and to remind one another why this community matters.”