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I meant to ask this after we had that thread on employers checking social media accounts.
Is nothing of limits when it comes to background checks or employment verification. Let's say you fudge the dates a little to cover a gap, but you have someone to vouch for you, could the potential employer just Google the company and call HR directly even though you did not provide that information.
I was thinking about this for cases where employment gaps are keeping people from getting interviews, or say you had a terrible job and an awful boss but you still need to put that job on the resume. I would be weary of giving them information about my boss or HR in that case. I would have a fellow co-worker vouch for me.
Also, I heard there are now companies you can hire, who will be your reference/verification. The only problem arises is when the potential employer directly calls the company, which I assume they can do, even though you did not provide them with that contact information.
I do understand you are never to lie. But lets say you've been unemployed for a while and there aren't many prospects, this can either get you the job or can backfire. In this situation, I don't see why you wouldn't take a chance anyway. Worst case you get let go.
No, nothing is off limits when it comes to background checks.
You can put down all the friends in the world as references, or pay hundreds of dollars to someone who will lie for you, but the hiring company is still going to call your previous employer to speak with either your former manager or HR to confirm your title, dates and salary / salary range.
The only fudging you should do with regard to gaps is to say you were attending to a sick relative, or decided to travel or took a break to see if you wanted to continue doing the same kind of work. Lying about dates is just foolish.
No, nothing is off limits when it comes to background checks.
You can put down all the friends in the world as references, or pay hundreds of dollars to someone who will lie for you, but the hiring company is still going to call your previous employer to speak with either your former manager or HR to confirm your title, dates and salary / salary range.
The only fudging you should do with regard to gaps is to say you were attending to a sick relative, or decided to travel or took a break to see if you wanted to continue doing the same kind of work. Lying about dates is just foolish.
What happens when this doesn't work? It seems to me that gaps are just the devil in this market, no matter the reason. What do you do when you've tried everything, have the skills, but it's this kind of stuff that trips you up?
What happens when this doesn't work? It seems to me that gaps are just the devil in this market, no matter the reason. What do you do when you've tried everything, have the skills, but it's this kind of stuff that trips you up?
Well, here is the thing. A search here will find dozens of posts stating, "I didn't get the job because....." These are assumptions. You're assuming you haven't been hired yet because of the gaps in your resume, but unless everyone you've interviewed with has told you that, you're assuming, as well. It could be there are people who have more of what they're looking for and it has nothing to do with gaps.
But in an effort to help you, let's assume you're right and it's the gaps in your work history preventing you from landing a job. Can you post just your work dates below so we can see what you're talking about? For example:
Graduated 2000 - didn't work while in college.
09/2000 - 10/2002 - Market Research Associate
11/2002 - 12/2003 - didn't work because I couldn't find a job
1/2004 - 6/2005 - Project Manager
07/2005 - 05/2006 - didn't work because I couldn't find a job
06/2006 - 5/2009 - Project Manager
List all the jobs including dates and titles along with the gaps to the present date so we can get a better idea of what you're talking about.
It's actually for my girlfriend, but here is what it looks like:
Graduated 2006
2004-2008 - worked 3 different jobs at one company (started as part-time intern while in college)
4/2008-6/2009 - traffic coordinator for a publishing company (laid off)
9/2009-9/2010 - moved to attend school
09/2010-04/2011 - tried to find job in new field with no success
04/2011-present - string of retail/restaurant jobs
04/2013-12/2013 - marketing manager at small entertainment company (boss was complete a$$, quit) - was still working part-time at restaurant during this time
She used to work for a guy that owns his own check cashing business, he then became a close friend. He owns the business to this day and is willing to vouch for her that from 06/2009 to early 2013 she worked as a teller manager there, then to say she moved to a new state and started working as marketing manager in 04/2013. My idea was just to extend that job to the present. She has a guy who will vouch for her, but obviously not if they call the company directly.
Maybe you're right, maybe it's not the gaps. She's all over the place. While working in the retail jobs, she's keeping up her skills by learning new technologies, attending meetups etc. She has the skills necessary for the jobs she's applying to, some even match her experience exactly, but for some reason she doesn't get the call back after phone or in person interview. I would like to say it's her interview skills, but we practice and she interviews well and usually says that the interview has gone well.
I know the mantra is don't lie don't lie, but at some point you have to do what you have to do and face the consequences of getting caught I think. I mean what else is there to do.
The other option is to re-train in something else, which I suggested to her if nothing happens by the end of the year.
I have gaps and short-term jobs on my resume, which is not uncommon for people that recently went to college (like me). In fact the first job I list on my resume (my most recent job) was 10 months (final year of college).
To be fair, it's not clear whether it's the gaps that are affecting your girlfriend or something else (or a mixture of different factors). She gets called in for interviews at least. If she never gets a call back, why doesn't she just politely follow up and ask what they were looking for and what would have made her more competitive? I think it's better to do this than to speculate and lie based on the speculations.
I have to agree with those before me. It's not the gaps in employment that is the problem, it's not having any kind of focus in one area - but more importantly - too many short term jobs.
Graduated 2006
2004-2008 - worked 3 different jobs at one company (started as part-time intern while in college)
4/2008-6/2009 - traffic coordinator for a publishing company (laid off) 9/2009-9/2010 - moved to attend school
09/2010-04/2011 - tried to find job in new field with no success
04/2011-present - string of retail/restaurant jobs
04/2013-12/2013 - marketing manager at small entertainment company (boss was complete a$$, quit) - was still working part-time at restaurant during this time
If she graduated in 2006, what school was she attending from 9/09 - 09/10?
Whether she was terminated or she quit, her history signals a problem. Especially the last entry where she was a marketing manager which could have gotten her a better job had she stayed there for a couple of years. No wise person quits a job without having another job in place - particularly someone who has had no luck in finding jobs previously, as was the case with her.
There's usually more to the story when we hear things like this. That's all I'll say.
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