background check - potential issue

I took a full time offer after a May-August contract job - on my resume this experience is listed as continous, i.e. Analyst: May 2009 - June 2012. My daily duties didn't really change but my pay did drastically. The problem is when I was on contract I wasn't on payroll - I had to invoice the firm (it was a really small firm). This firm has since been acquired and the only place I can think of being an actual record is if they can dig up the corporate books pre-acquisition and verify that they cut checks for that summer in my name (won't show up on my tax because, here's the kicker, I didn't file that year as my income-tuition was smaller than taxable income). Am I screwed? The background check is being done by a third-party vendor.

 

This isn't China. You aren't guilty until proven innocent. I would be fairly confident that you will be fine. At most you will be asked to explain, and you will repeat what you just typed (although in more detail).

"There are three ways to make a living in this business: be first, be smarter, or cheat."
 

I would potentially think about skipping the fact that you were paid and just have unpaid intern to full time (that way you won't have to do the extra explaining of taxes). From what I remember from background checks they ask you to name each employer only once so you wouldn't have broken out the two parts anyways.

yea, yea, yea
 
Best Response

I interned unpaid at UBS for 3 months one winter and was never on the payroll and it was never an issue during my background check. Granted most employees are unpaid at UBS these days so I guess they thought it was just standard.

I would agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong.
 

Working at UBS is different though because at least they are still in existence and therefore easily verifiable. The company that I worked for was acquired and I never signed a contract - all I have is an email chain with the CEO - it has all the info start date etc unfortunately it also states that I was paid. There are people that currently work at the acquiring company that were retained full time from my old firm that can vouch for me and others who now work at different companies - but that's really about all I have as proof of my employment from May - August - unless the acquiring company HR is willing to dig up the old corporate books and verify the payments to me. I really hope I don't get dinged by this.

 

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I would agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong.

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