Q: Background Checks

darkerz

I have recently fallen into an offer situation with a company that takes its background checks unusually seriously. Also, I have an offer letter today.

EDIT:::

I usually don't put the grocery clerk or 2 week CSR position from 6 and 7 years ago on my resume, but I've never had an intense background check done by a large corp - should I include these as part of my work history on the BGC forms?

EDIT2::: / SELF ANSWER

I think I asked a stupid question. I will post all work history from the last 7 years. I just don't remember the dates for the 2 odd jobs I had yeaaaars ago.

Thanks all

RouteMyPacket

So what's your question again? You better work on your grammar at this new job if they are that stringent. lol

TeKniques

Congrats on the job offer.

Background checks are not unusually serious. I'm slightly confused because since you already have an offer what do you still need to 'give' them? I suppose they already have your resume? Basically it comes down to this ... if you didn't lie about your education, criminal history, or relevant work history then you will be fine.

cyberguypr

Yep. Got no idea what you are asking. Are you talking about being fired for lying/omitting facts on the application?

darkerz

cyberguypr wrote: »

Yep. Got no idea what you are asking. Are you talking about being fired for lying/omitting facts on the application?

I should have been straight forward;

I had 2 odd jobs, one when I was 18, one when I was 16. That is within the last 7 years.

I assume I'll still include those, correct? ( Even tho for one, I was a minor )

W Stewart

He's basically asking if this employer will care that he left out a lot of job experience that isn't relevant to the position he's applying for(Non IT jobs). If you're really worried about it, then just make sure that your experience section on your resume says "Relevant Experience". Fill out a job application as far back as the application requires or just ask somebody if it's necessary to include irrelevant jobs from when you were 16. They'll let you know if it's a big deal but I would imagine that most of the time, they wouldn't care.

cyberguypr

Agree. Unless the application says something like "name each and every job you've ever had or we will kill some cute puppies" I would definitely leave out stuff that I consider irrelevant. Now, if those are old gigs, cool. But there may be an issue if those jobs create employment gaps in between the other stuff you list. If there are indeed some gaps, be ready to explain them.

darkerz

Last 5+ years are solid.

While I was in college, I made 1k for 2 weeks to pay for medical procedures, before my solid experience started.

I think I'm just being overly worried, I can always check with my recruiter too.

Thanks everyone!

the_Grinch

What type of clearance? If they say go back seven years then go back seven years and list it. Good rule of thumb with any background check is if you got a W2 for it, you list it. I've been through a number of background checks and it always comes down to it's better to list and explain then to explain when they find you didn't list it. Dates wise, any investigator I've worked with or investigation I've done closet to the date you can recall it best. The wealth of resources available to an investigator will allow them to get the dates.

Resume jobs are always ones relevant to experience, backgrounds are every job you had. One of my first clearances I was literally too young to work and I had to say exactly that on my forms (with dates). Sucks, but is what it is. I know Verizon Wireless were insane about listing every detail in regards to their background process.

NetworkVeteran

A resume is expecting to be accurate, not all-encompassing. As long as all info is true you are fine from that perspective. Now, if they gave you a form asking you to list all jobs from the last 7 years, you should have filled in all jobs.

(Indeed, I have had more meticulous companies ask me to fill out such forms.)

petedude

Think of your resume as a sales brochure and your application as some sort of legal compliance document.

Leave off the resume what you don't want to get into, but put down whatever they ask on the application.

Once in a while, you will run into places that are sticklers about making sure the two match. If you think that's the case, make a copy of your regular resume file and revise it for the sticklers. The other annoying thing is when you have a short-term or generally irrelevant job that just happens to have some skill set you need to display and you have to put it on a resume to pass the screeners.

tombosauce

This is just a regular background check and not a security clearance right? On a security clearance background investigation, make sure you include every job you got a W2 from in their specified time frame (5-10 years I think). I worked for 3 weeks at a McDonald's after graduating and before military training, but I forgot to list it on my employment. I spent 45 minutes explaining to my interviewer that I wasn't trying to hide anything 2 years later.

sambuca69

My sister actually lost a potential position (non-IT) because of not listing a position she held a few years back. She worked someplace for 2 months about 4 years ago, and didn't think it was worth mentioning. She padded the time with the jobs she held before and after, so there was no employment gap. Well, they found this during the background check, and thought she was trying to hide something -- end result was the job offer was rescinded.

pcdetores

What kind of a job is this for??? a governemnt job?

gunbunnysoulja

sambuca69 wrote: »

My sister actually lost a potential position (non-IT) because of not listing a position she held a few years back. She worked someplace for 2 months about 4 years ago, and didn't think it was worth mentioning. She padded the time with the jobs she held before and after, so there was no employment gap. Well, they found this during the background check, and thought she was trying to hide something -- end result was the job offer was rescinded.

The most important aspect to any clearance request/background check is that you tell the truth and don't fluff anything.

apr911

sambuca69 wrote: »

My sister actually lost a potential position (non-IT) because of not listing a position she held a few years back. She worked someplace for 2 months about 4 years ago, and didn't think it was worth mentioning. She padded the time with the jobs she held before and after, so there was no employment gap. Well, they found this during the background check, and thought she was trying to hide something -- end result was the job offer was rescinded.

It was more likely the padding that lost her the position than the missing position. When the actual employment dates didnt match the padded dates that would throw up a red flag. If she just listed it as being out of work for 2 months, its unlikely it would have appeared unless it was a gov't background check for security clearance.