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I recently received a job offer that is contingent on me passing a background check. I'm not too worried about most things being checked except for my employment history. I seriously messed up when I listed my work history on the job application, and I think it's going to cost me the job. To give some background, I've worked in the agriculture industry the past couple years while I was working on my degree. Work is always inconsistent in this industry so I have worked with multiple employers when work slowed down with one employer.
Here comes the problem with my job application. Under work experience, I put down a rough estimate when I started up until roughly the last time I worked a job. My mistake was that I wanted to group together my work experience since the work was typically the same or very similar. My concern is that I made the mistake of putting my work experience under a single company which is not true. I did work with that company a few years, but I eventually left and continued to work similar jobs with different companies. I wanted my experience to come off as a summary of what I've done the past few years, and instead I put all under a single company. Usually when people ask what I do, I simply reply that I work in the agriculture industry and that's enough to explain my inconsistent work schedule.
I'm currently filling in the background check forms, but I'm not sure if I should submit it. When I got my job offer, I noticed a short paragraph that said if any information on my job application is false, my offer can be withdrawn. I'm really stressing out since I did technically lie on the job application even though I didn't intend to. I know how things can look from the employers perspective, but I didn't intend to deceive anyone. At the time of submitting my application, I didn't put much thought into how I put described my work history, and I thought it would be ok, but now I see that I made a mistake.
This is for an entry-level job aimed at recent grads. My experience is irrelevant so it's frustrating that it won't match up with the background check and could potentially cost me this job. What should I do in my current situation?
I'm currently filling in the background check forms, but I'm not sure if I should submit it.
When I got my job offer, I noticed a short paragraph that said if any information on my
job application is false, my offer can be withdrawn.
Is what you wrote outright false or 'shaded truth'?
Either way... let the dice roll and see what you get.
Is what you wrote outright false or 'shaded truth'?
Either way... let the dice roll and see what you get.
That's part of the problem. I was working during the years I put down on my job application, except that I had multiple employers instead of just one. I grouped together my work experience since I was having trouble remembering all my most recent employers. Also, my most recent jobs were all in the agriculture industry where it's common to have inconsistent work. So technically speaking, I did lie.
Looking back, I should have probably not listed any work experience since it didn't have anything to do with the job I'm applying for. I just wanted to show that I was working while getting my degree.
In the future, if you feel the need to mention it, write something like, "2016-2020: short term agricultural jobs with various employers while I was attending college. Detailed information available upon request."
I would explain it to them, if it’s discovered. It may not be discovered, as sometimes background checks miss a lot of information.
This. As you said OP that experience isn't really relevant to this current position. What you wanted was credit for actually being part of the workforce. And you were. That's all the credit THEY may give it too. If a question comes up, explain that you were attempting to summarize all those jobs but the result didn't turn out quite the way you intended.
I don't see what you did as a "lie". It was more like putting something in the wrong place by mistake. You may get the chance to explain, or it may completely be overlooked. I would not withdraw app over this.
I don't see what you did as a "lie". It was more like putting something in the wrong place by mistake. You may get the chance to explain, or it may completely be overlooked. I would not withdraw app over this.
Yeah, I wasn't trying to lie, I just didn't do a good job of explaining the situation. I've talked to several friends and I've been told to submit the background check since my past experience is completely irrelevant to the job I've applied to. I have been able to contact previous employers and I'm going to give them correct dates of employment and see what happens. During the interviews, I was never asked about my previous jobs even though it was on my resume. I got several questions about my projects, but nothing on my work experience so I guess they didn't care for it.
Inform HR and simply state that you made a mistake on the application and you wish to update it.
When they do a background check, all they are looking for is if you worked at X, with job title of Y, if you were part-time or full time, and your start and end dates.
People make mistakes they put down the wrong year while copying and pasting, so it isn't a serious problem.
If someone really cares, they would ask you about it, but most people have gaps on their resumes and applications. Any company that cares about a gap isn't a place you want to work.
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