2 offers: US (requires H1B but is preferred choice) and another financial hub (Shanghai/London/HK, no visa required)

Already signed the offer where I also interned for the US but requires H1B application (33% chance, Tier 2 bank). This is why I continued searching for other offers and received one for another financial hub where I do not require a visa but it is not my preferred company. The Shanghai/London/HK offer (Tier 3) will conduct background checks (contact past employers, school etc.) sometime after signing the offer. Is it possible that NYC, or even SH/London/HK, will rescind the offer once they get a call about a background check or will they understand as long as I tell them they are my preferred choice? Should I go and sign the SH/London/HK offer too and take the risk of the background check? Can I tell the NYC bank that a background check will come but that I only took the other SH/London/HK offer as a backup in case H1B does not work out?

 

Even if you get the H1B, life on an H1B isn't that great. It's tough to switch jobs so if you want PE or corp dev, it becomes unlikely. I don't know what country you're from, but if you're from India or maybe China, it's very tough to eventually get a green card. I would recommend the other financial hub.

That being said, I hope you realize the magnitude of the decision you're making here. You might potentially never leave the country you end up picking and the city you select might be the one where you raise your kids someday. Take time to think about it and talk to family and friends as well.

 

The question is can I tell the US firm that they will be called for a background check (not sure if they will say reveal the other company name whether its a full time / internship position) but that I prefer them and only took this other position to make sure that I get at least something as the H1B visa can fall through.

 

You mean the background company that will contact the US bank will be Talking to somebody else than those who gave me my internship and ft offer? I mean the background company will probably ask me for the supervisor/HR during the internship and it’s also probably in the System that I accepted a FT offer.

 

If this is a reasonably big bank (like the ones we all work for), most people won't talk to each other. We have invisible walls in our open plan offices. you can't see them, but they are there.

The companies that checked my background never spoke to any of my hiring managers, only HR or someone in HR. if the company you worked is big enough this might be the case. Legally, they only want to confirm your identity (full legal name), that you worked there, the title/capacity and the exact dates. I don't think that more information can be requested anyway; at least in most countries I lived in.

so, don't put down your hiring manager, put down HR contacts or a hotline for employment verification.

 

Understood, thanks again! Probably some general company number since the HR contacts and most likely entire HR Junior team (not super big I believe) know about me.

 

yes, but the contact requires access to extended/detailed personal information, including full legal name and employment records. so it has to be a fairly senior manager in the firm. some hotline won't have access to this level of data. your address, etc is also in there. the bank will know how to handle this, ask them about this.

good luck.

also: not every 3rd party will let the reference know why they are asking. you can also instruct the 3rd party in writing to handle the request in an anonymous way, if possible.

 

That’s the Problem. I can’t ask the firm where I Am supposed to start FT that some background check company will contact them, cause obviously it will be for some other job.

Isn’t it suspicious to ask a third part background checker to be anonymous and not say anything for which purpose?

 
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Banks are very discrete. I had a line in my contract that nobody would say anything to anyone until I signed and agreed to join. And I signed after the background check (I only signed they could do the background check, nothing else). I required them to only check employment + criminal background + adverse media + sanctions + credit. I instructed them to request the data but nothing else, and the external company didn't care what this was about anyway. they only verified my identity and basic other information with the previous employers.) that was it.

As an employer, you technically don't know why a 3rd party is asking this. As an example, if someone is filing for a divorce and the spouse wants to know whether the partner is employed (because they won't disclose where they work, etc) - the spouse could find out this way as well through certain legal steps.
Another example is the process of gaining certain clearances for certain jobs in law enforcement, access to sensitive data, etc - they can also verify employment.

 

If you don't get H1-B won't they transfer you? I think it's worth getting even 1 yr experience in NYC

 

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