|
Author |
Message |
|
TAGS:
|
|
|
Intern
Joined: 02 Sep 2008
Posts: 41
Followers: 0
Kudos [?]:
2
[0], given: 0
|
Background Checks - What's the deal? [#permalink]
 03 Sep 2008, 14:39
Hey there - can anyone shed some light on the background check process? I worked for my parents' business a few summers in college, and for a few months after graduating, but the company has since shut down. How do they verify this kind of employment if the company has disbanded?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GMAT Club Legend
Affiliations: HHonors Diamond, BGS Honor Society
Joined: 05 Apr 2006
Posts: 5881
Schools: Chicago (Booth) - Class of 2009
GMAT 1: 730 Q45 V45
WE: Business Development (Consumer Products)
Followers: 196
Kudos [?]:
1364
[0], given: 7
|
Re: Background Checks - What's the deal? [#permalink]
03 Sep 2008, 14:50
loathetheapps wrote: Hey there - can anyone shed some light on the background check process? I worked for my parents' business a few summers in college, and for a few months after graduating, but the company has since shut down. How do they verify this kind of employment if the company has disbanded? This question comes up so often... In general, they are looking for glaring inconsistencies. For instance, you claim to have been working in FL from 2000-2007 but you filed tax returns in Texas. You say you were in school in IL from 1999-2000 but your address shows up in Omaha. Your social security number doesn't match your name. Generally, it includes some attempt to identify dates of employment, position and salary, though 99% of firms I know will not disclose salary at all. Many people were also self employed (myself included) where none of this can be verified, and thats not a problem. Its quite common. And when I say "some attempt", I mean basically little more than seeing what Transunion / Experian or other have on file. There's no googling your company names and finding phone numbers and calling people etc. Think basic, computer automated low level stuff. If there's a criminal check, typically the kinds of crimes they are looking for are things that would put other people - your coworkers, boss - at risk ....im talking about aggravated assault, aggravated battery, assault with a deadly weapon, manslaughter, murder, rape, false imprisonment, domestic assault, kidnapping, a dozen TROs, etc. Either that or issues of serious ethical breach such as say b&e or embezzlement, RICO act stuff. Credit checks are just a further element of this. Now for the purposes of grad school, they aren't looking for exact employment dates, nor do they care if your salary is right - some people include bonus, some not, etc. They aren't going to come after you if you are off on salary figures, nor will they come after you if dates don't line up precisely, nor will they likely validate extracurriculars (its near impossible to do, generally theres no public record of that stuff). They are less concerned with these details and more concerned with egregious claims: If you claimed not to have a criminal past and you have a (serious) criminal past, thats not good. If you claimed to have a degree and don't. If you claimed to work at a firm Y and you never worked there at all. So unless you happen to take the "the" out of psychotherapist, I wouldn't don't get hung up on this background check.
_________________
Check out the recorded Interview Crash Course Webinar: interview-crash-course-webinar-nov-1st-8pm-est-122475.html
Check out my e-book on all things B-school: guide-to-business-school-application-by-rhyme-109942.html
Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates
|
|
|
|
|
|
Director
Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 923
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
34
[0], given: 0
|
Re: Background Checks - What's the deal? [#permalink]
03 Sep 2008, 15:14
rhyme, that's interesting. One thing is a couple of my employers have been consulting companies who do not care where I live since I am required to travel to a client site as required. My resume indicates the location as the location of my HQ, but in reality I might have been living in another place and traveling to yet another. So, what location should I be giving on my apps/resume? I paid taxes out of my state of residence. My current company I know registers the company in the location where the consultants live. However, not sure about another company I worked for a few years back.
Thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior Manager
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 449
Location: USA
Schools: Tepper '11
Followers: 4
Kudos [?]:
55
[0], given: 2
|
Re: Background Checks - What's the deal? [#permalink]
03 Sep 2008, 15:30
Just be honest and there should be no problems. Once you start making stuff up, you will get caught in a web which you cannot explain away.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Intern
Joined: 02 Sep 2008
Posts: 41
Followers: 0
Kudos [?]:
2
[0], given: 0
|
Re: Background Checks - What's the deal? [#permalink]
03 Sep 2008, 15:37
Ok awesome that is reassuring. The other question I have is - I had a lot of jobs during college and I barely remember my start dates and salary. Does this background check generally go as far back as college workstudy jobs and what not?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Director
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Posts: 904
Schools: Kellogg '10
Followers: 5
Kudos [?]:
79
[0], given: 15
|
Re: Background Checks - What's the deal? [#permalink]
03 Sep 2008, 19:05
rhyme wrote: So unless you happen to take the "the" out of psychotherapist, I wouldn't don't get hung up on this background check. Great post overall, but this ending is just sublime.  *kudos thoughts sent*
_________________
http://www.fantasticcontraption.com
Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates
|
|
|
|
|
|
SVP
Joined: 04 Dec 2007
Posts: 1689
Schools: Kellogg '11
Followers: 13
Kudos [?]:
175
[0], given: 31
|
Re: Background Checks - What's the deal? [#permalink]
03 Sep 2008, 19:53
hsampath wrote: rhyme, that's interesting. One thing is a couple of my employers have been consulting companies who do not care where I live since I am required to travel to a client site as required. My resume indicates the location as the location of my HQ, but in reality I might have been living in another place and traveling to yet another. So, what location should I be giving on my apps/resume? I paid taxes out of my state of residence. My current company I know registers the company in the location where the consultants live. However, not sure about another company I worked for a few years back.
Thanks. I saw that many apps had a spot for the City/State/Country of the company and another area for your current address - that should let you document your address as well as the company's...
|
|
|
|
|
|
GMAT Club Legend
Affiliations: HHonors Diamond, BGS Honor Society
Joined: 05 Apr 2006
Posts: 5881
Schools: Chicago (Booth) - Class of 2009
GMAT 1: 730 Q45 V45
WE: Business Development (Consumer Products)
Followers: 196
Kudos [?]:
1364
[0], given: 7
|
Re: Background Checks - What's the deal? [#permalink]
04 Sep 2008, 06:36
hsampath wrote: rhyme, that's interesting. One thing is a couple of my employers have been consulting companies who do not care where I live since I am required to travel to a client site as required. My resume indicates the location as the location of my HQ, but in reality I might have been living in another place and traveling to yet another. So, what location should I be giving on my apps/resume? I paid taxes out of my state of residence. My current company I know registers the company in the location where the consultants live. However, not sure about another company I worked for a few years back.
Thanks. Its a common issue for consultants. I've paid taxes in multiple states in a given year. Don't worry about it. That said, you might want to consider listing different cities if it adds some diversity, e.g. if you did anything internationally, I'd highlight it. (If its Topeka and Nashville, dont bother). If I were you, I'd also just list the city you live in rather than the HQ, not because of a background check, but because I'd hate to go to some interview and have the guy start rambling about how he's from Denver too (or wherever) and 2 minutes into his story I have to stop him and explain that I don't live in Denver and I've never been there but I listed the HQ on my resume and I'm actually from Topeka.
_________________
Check out the recorded Interview Crash Course Webinar: interview-crash-course-webinar-nov-1st-8pm-est-122475.html
Check out my e-book on all things B-school: guide-to-business-school-application-by-rhyme-109942.html
Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates
|
|
|
|
|
|
GMAT Club Legend
Affiliations: HHonors Diamond, BGS Honor Society
Joined: 05 Apr 2006
Posts: 5881
Schools: Chicago (Booth) - Class of 2009
GMAT 1: 730 Q45 V45
WE: Business Development (Consumer Products)
Followers: 196
Kudos [?]:
1364
[0], given: 7
|
Re: Background Checks - What's the deal? [#permalink]
04 Sep 2008, 06:42
loathetheapps wrote: Ok awesome that is reassuring. The other question I have is - I had a lot of jobs during college and I barely remember my start dates and salary. Does this background check generally go as far back as college workstudy jobs and what not? No, don't worry about those. Put them on the app, estimate as best you can, and forget about it.
_________________
Check out the recorded Interview Crash Course Webinar: interview-crash-course-webinar-nov-1st-8pm-est-122475.html
Check out my e-book on all things B-school: guide-to-business-school-application-by-rhyme-109942.html
Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates
|
|
|
|
|
|
GMAT Club Legend
Affiliations: HHonors Diamond, BGS Honor Society
Joined: 05 Apr 2006
Posts: 5881
Schools: Chicago (Booth) - Class of 2009
GMAT 1: 730 Q45 V45
WE: Business Development (Consumer Products)
Followers: 196
Kudos [?]:
1364
[0], given: 7
|
Re: Background Checks - What's the deal? [#permalink]
04 Sep 2008, 08:13
rca215 wrote: rhyme wrote: So unless you happen to take the "the" out of psychotherapist, I wouldn't don't get hung up on this background check. Great post overall, but this ending is just sublime. *kudos thoughts sent* If you like that, check out www.tshirthell.com NSFW
_________________
Check out the recorded Interview Crash Course Webinar: interview-crash-course-webinar-nov-1st-8pm-est-122475.html
Check out my e-book on all things B-school: guide-to-business-school-application-by-rhyme-109942.html
Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current Student
Joined: 31 Mar 2008
Posts: 92
Location: India
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
11
[0], given: 7
|
Re: Background Checks - What's the deal? [#permalink]
04 Sep 2008, 08:22
what kind of background check is done for international applicants? I understand that many B schools use kroll, but what is the extent of background check?
_________________
Every saint has a past, every sinner a future, I Just hope.....
|
|
|
|
|
|
GMAT Club Legend
Affiliations: HHonors Diamond, BGS Honor Society
Joined: 05 Apr 2006
Posts: 5881
Schools: Chicago (Booth) - Class of 2009
GMAT 1: 730 Q45 V45
WE: Business Development (Consumer Products)
Followers: 196
Kudos [?]:
1364
[0], given: 7
|
Re: Background Checks - What's the deal? [#permalink]
04 Sep 2008, 08:51
devil420 wrote: what kind of background check is done for international applicants? I understand that many B schools use kroll, but what is the extent of background check? I dont know, but I'd bet its quite similar.
_________________
Check out the recorded Interview Crash Course Webinar: interview-crash-course-webinar-nov-1st-8pm-est-122475.html
Check out my e-book on all things B-school: guide-to-business-school-application-by-rhyme-109942.html
Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates
|
|
|
|
|
|
Director
Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 923
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
34
[0], given: 0
|
Re: Background Checks - What's the deal? [#permalink]
08 Sep 2008, 17:15
Quote: Its a common issue for consultants. I've paid taxes in multiple states in a given year. Don't worry about it.
That said, you might want to consider listing different cities if it adds some diversity, e.g. if you did anything internationally, I'd highlight it. (If its Topeka and Nashville, dont bother).
If I were you, I'd also just list the city you live in rather than the HQ, not because of a background check, but because I'd hate to go to some interview and have the guy start rambling about how he's from Denver too (or wherever) and 2 minutes into his story I have to stop him and explain that I don't live in Denver and I've never been there but I listed the HQ on my resume and I'm actually from Topeka. Thank you rhyme. I almost missed this post. As always, your posts bring a smile during this grueling process. I hadn't thought of it that way about the resume, but makes sense. The place I live in could pretty much be Topeka 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Re: Background Checks - What's the deal?
[#permalink]
08 Sep 2008, 17:15
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moderators:
Michmax3, shovitdhar, MBAgirl2010, billyjeans, MDF, getgyan, losttraveler, mc, OasisGC, jumsumtak, RogerDodger, whiplash2411, threestripes, GMATLA, milias, aerien, highhopes, scorpionz, asimov, redjam17, crackHSW, jko, hunterashmore, highwyre237, Dbalks, nktdotgupta, kingfalcon, boogs, GoBruin, shorttheworld, ariel, jb88, theK, CobraKai, helpmehelpme, staind, mappleby
|
close
