How does the employment background check/verification process work?
For background, I recently superday'd with a firm I'd like to work for... thought I killed it... but got rejected and no interviewer responded when I asked for feedback.
My biggest concern is that I was laid off while interviewing, but didn't tell the people I was interviewing with and I think it might have come up in the background check. I was laid off due to company downsizing, not performance, and each MD had offered to write me a letter of recommendation upon request.
This might not have been the reason I was rejected, but I've never been so confident walking out of an interview so it makes the most sense to me.
With that said, a few additional questions regarding background checks and employment verifications:
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At what point in the process does the employment verification take place? I assume post-interview?
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What does the employment verification entail?
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Any horror stories / general thoughts?
Thanks
In my experience, the BG check process is little more than some 3rd party (which may not even be based in the US) calling the numbers you provide for former employers and confirming you worked there during the dates you claimed, if you are "eligible for rehire" (i.e. were you fired?), and possibly salary. They also check for any criminal offenses, both felonies and misdemeanors. Possibly credit score to the extent you will have access to client funds.
In general, I seriously doubt that's what kept you from an offer. It's not nearly as rigorous as most people seem to think. Unless you're outright lying on your resume (making up jobs, grossly exaggerating salary, etc.) you should be fine.
Is it really just a background check or would they also verify your academic credentials?
Seems like you're asking about a more informal check where one of your interviewers calls someone at your (formerly) present employer to ask about you. That's totally possible and could very well be a reason you are/were dinged. And if that is what happened, it also makes sense for them to go radio silent afterward. Banks are irrationally afraid of legal liability arising from the interview process, so I assume they'd extra careful about any further correspondence with you if they in fact did an unauthorized check.
That's the risk you took by deciding not to address the layoff in your interviews.
Agreed with the last line, though I really don't really think they'd press too much? But I guess if they just asked and found that you just left recently when under OP's application, it was probably listed as "Start Date - Present" and suddenly they found out you left....they might press a little?
But I sorta doubt that would be why OP was dinged.
Im confident all of the interview questions were like "what do you like about where you are now?" You can lie by omission man.
Most of the time people don't have time to call especially if it is a super day with many candidates. That's why they pay third parties...
Background checks are usually done after a verbal offer has been extended and accepted. If they don't know if they're gonna hire you or not, it makes no sense to do a complete third party background check which isn't free.
Employment verification is part of background check so this too would be done AFTER offer is extended and accepted. In my case, I actually signed my new-hire paper and offer letter. THEN background check started. Took about 5 days including weekends would have been done sooner but I asked HR and they were waiting for courts to respond to the 3rd party service.
Yeah I'm just talking about like maybe they called the OP's "present" or was just laid off place and asked around about his work, at most. If not, then it was probably because of interview, that's why he wasn't accepted.
Nothing to do with a real background check.
tx. bump for more responses
Also: What's the best way to spin my situation to future employers?
If the layoff truly wasn't performance related, focus on making that crystal clear. No matter what you do or say, people are still going to think your layoff was at least a little performance related - good analysts are invaluable and don't cost that much. Your job is to minimize this concern by showing (a) extra evidence that you're in factcapable and smart (e.g. acing technicals, smart deal discussions, strong grades) and (b) provide a credible story for why you were canned, with as much evidence as possible.
Of course, if your old team knows you've been dishonest about your employment status with other firms, they'll probably be less enthusiastic about providing a reference.
There's no need for a spin if you were laid off (i.e. it was NOT performance-related). I have been laid off twice and no one cares.
Hi Mikey4591,
A1. Employment verification comes into picture only after finalization of the candidate. Once company has decided to offer a candidate, his/her past employment check is done. Few companies also do this activity after on-boarding the candidate. So, it upto the decision maker or the company policies of that organization.
A2. Employment verification includes reference check, past employment details like tenure, organization name, joining & leaving date, reason of leaving, salary package, designation, existance of the organization, etc.
A3. yeah, there's a story of it. once a person came for interview, get selected but at the time of joining, another person came, who was her twin sister, having all the documents like education certificates, past employment details. She hides everything and tried to inpersonate her sister's identity & her sister was dead that time.
Employment Verification (Originally Posted: 08/28/2013)
Hi All,
I am at the final stage of the whole process - background check. I am very confident about my profile except for an overseas internship experience I had a few years ago. Their HR told me that they only keep the interns emplyment records for 2 years, meaning that I am no longer on their system now, but I am able to provide an old co-worker as my reference. I already notified my potential employer.
My concern is, if the background check company cannot verify my internship directly through HR, how will they report?
Thanks
Wouldn't worry about it...
It is not going to be an issue. HR is full of incompetent skanks, anyway.
Should be fine. They may not be able to verify it, but the it sounds like they would not be told incorrectly that you didn't work there. If they can't get any info from the company, a secondhand source should be fine.
Background Check - Only checks dates of employment? (Originally Posted: 04/03/2013)
I'm under the assumption that a background check only checks dates of employment right? Two jobs ago I had a job that I listed on my resume that was just a basic sales job at a retail store. I left abruptly to go back to school and I doubt the manager was too pleased with that. That won't affect my background check, right? They just check that I actually worked there?
bump
You're fine.
The only issue is if for some very strange reason the company you got the job offer from knows that manger personally. Given that you're likely going into a finance position it is unrelated so i'd peg your chances at 1/100000000000000000 of this impacting you.
Chill and go grab a glass of vodka/soda.
Nope. You're definitely fired. Sorry. Banks do not tolerate people who were not top performers as 16 year-old employees American Eagle.
(in the future, use the search function)
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/ib-background-checks-faq
Haha thanks man. I know it's an illogical worry, just the apprehension that comes with getting a really desired job.
A bit of advice: stop thinking about it. Your job is in the bag for the summer (assuming no outright falsification of employment / education). Enjoy the rest of your school year and check your anxiety at the door when you walk into your new job. It won't help you.
Calling former employers - background check (Originally Posted: 05/01/2010)
Have you ever called your former employer (or have a friend do it) and pretended to be an HR Manager or a Headhunter conducting a background check just to see what they would say about you??
Apparently after I left my previous position, I found out that one of my former supervisors spread false rumors about me (due to resentment / jealousy), so I'm curious if anyone has done this.
I was thinking of signing up for a place like Allison & Taylor and have them do it for me.
My friend did this. He was very worried about a manager from sophomore year internship who apparently didn't like this lad. Now, my friend's dad is in a C level position at a software firm, and so he got his dad to run a background check on him to make sure that MD wasn't badmouthing him. Nothing happened; the MD maintained his professionalism and confirmed that my friend worked there ... no more, no less.
I have called my previous employers. But never pretended to be HR.
The background check is usually conducted by a Private PI hired by the company.
They will for sure, from my experience, call your previous employers.
If you have a bad track record, whether it is false or not, you're screwed.
It's better to call your previous employers, make amends, and ask for their cooperation if the PI called them regarding your background.
What about verifying deals listed on ones resume btw? I’m sure some people probably add one or two that they weren’t actually involved in - I’m assuming this doesn’t get checked out unless somebody knows somebody and calls and wants to check line by line?
Hope this thread is still active.
I recently received an offer and I currently am going through the background, reference check etc. The position is an entry level role ( fresh out of undergrad) thus I only have internships available. However, one of my internships was in China (unpaid) and I'm concerned if they will ding me if the third party cannot verify that employment. I have a reference available through WeChat (basically a Chinese messenger) however he is unresponsive / busy.
Any advice or things that could happen to me?
I think it is better to leave a gap than to put something when you don't have the reference. I had the same problem with one of my previous home addresses: no proof because I was living at a friend's home abroad for a few months and not paying any bills. Background check was quite annoying and if I had to do it again I would not put this address/experience at all.
Thanks for replying man. It all worked out for me but I'll keep leaving a gap in mind next time!
Quick question. I worked for a boutique a long time ago (only 6 months). I found a better job the same year and started working there. Is it better (for interview and background check purposes) to leave this "shitty"/ boutique experience and put the exact months on my CV or to put only the good brand names, remove the boutique experience and write only the years (ie 2016-2017)?
Second question: if I put the month details during the background check for the third party, do you think HR/the person I interviewed with will look at the detailed background check output (ie they thought I worked more than a year for the good firm but discover it was only 9 months)? Thank you
Did they compare at the end? Did they found out?
Wow what a great discussion here. Thank you for everyone's feedback and discourse.
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