Not for Everyone - Anonymous employee KeyPoint Government Solutions Employee Review

I worked as a contract investigator (CI) for Keypoint Government Solutions (KGS) doing background investigations on the Office of Personnel management (OPM) contract. There was a lot to like about the position, but ultimately in my opinion the negatives exceeded the positives. Before discussing the pros and cons, it is imperative that prospective applicants understand the distinction between a KGS employee investigator, and a CI investigator. It can be confusing because technically, all the background investigators at KGS are government contractors. Most of the KGS investigators, however, are KGS employees, with all that full employment entails: They are paid by the hour, they have minimal input regarding which casework they are assigned, they get benefits like vacations and health care, and they have productivity goals they are expected to meet. I don’t know much about the employee side of things, but I get the second-hand impression they are very overworked and underpaid. A CI investigator, however, entails what its name implies. KGS has sub-contracted the work out to you, and technically you are your own independent, small business. KGS will train you and provide you the required materials, such as laptops, but ultimately you run your own show. You work from home, and take on as much work or as little work as you prefer. There are opportunities to travel, but you can’t be compelled to travel. Instead of hourly pay, you are paid by each investigative report you successfully accomplish. You use your own car, phone and printer to accomplish the work and deduct the expenses on your taxes. As you can imagine, a CI position can be an extremely desirable thing for many people. If you are retired military or law enforcement, and you already have a pension and health care, the job is very attractive. If, perhaps, you have a spouse with full time employment and benefits, or if you are in a situation where you absolutely require a non-standard work week (child care, caring for elderly parents, other part-time employment, aspiring Broadway actress), then becoming a CI might be very appealing. Ultimately, however, after undertaking the employment, you may discover what many others have discovered before you: Despite the positives, the work is astoundingly complicated and frequently irritating, and the compensation may not be adequate motivation to stick with it. If, however, you are willing to bear the frustration, and endure a challenging 6-12 month learning curve, in the end you might be glad you stuck with it. PROS: 1. All of the KGS personnel I dealt with (the trainers, HR personnel, tech support, contract liaisons, etc.) were terrific and very professional. Everyone was very helpful, dedicated and courteous. 2. The training course in Colorado, though challenging, was pretty rewarding. The location is magnificent (Colorado…weekends in Rocky Mountain National Park, Boulder, etc.) and travel expenses are paid for. 3. As discussed above, this is a situation where you literally work as much or as little as you like. You can make your own schedule, and there was always PLENTY of work to be had. 4. I never pursued any travel opportunities, but I get the impression the compensation can be very rewarding when properly managed. 5. The direct deposit pay system was always very accurate and timely; I never had to go “chase down” my money.