Background Checks Are Great, But...........

ClassicRockr

ClassicRockr

Well-known Member
Wife and I have had a Background Check done with no problems. Once for Cruise Passports and others for employment. However, I do remember when companies didn't do a background check for possible new hires. My first background check, for employment, was done in 2003.

Now, my concern/curiosity is background checks for felons or anyone who has spent any amount of time in jail or prison. A background check for those folks could definitely mean not getting hired, among other "I'm sorry, no" things. If called in for a second job interview, after the check is done, and trying to explain to the employer why time was spent in jail, it could be rather "touchy" situation for the prospective employee. I would definitely think that crime would increase b/c these folks can't get a job due to this background check problem.

A lot of society wonders why there is so much crime today, well, could it, in part, be due to what this Thread is about?
 

I had to have a complete background check when I serviced vending machines at the SAC area at Griffiss Air Force base in Rome, NY. Also had to be escorted down a tunnel to vending area and was not allowed to go anywhere while there. Had to drive behind several B-52s and C-125 tankers to get to my machines. Not allowed in area when they had live alerts. Blast would have tipped van over.
 
I'm still wondering about this Thread? Anyone else for an opinion? Are background checks good and bad, helping society as well as not helping? I know what it's like not to be able to find a job due to no college degree, no type of certification and physical limitations, but don't know (nor want to know) what it's like having a company say "no" due to a background check.

Actually, having bad credit today can put a person OUT when looking for a job. It can also hurt when looking for an apartment, buying a house buying a descent vehicle
 
Depends on what kind of check you are talking about.
we used to take up references when employing people; at least two.
when applying for an airport pass, the check went back 10 years; into employment history, addresses, that kind of thing; but not a credit check.

I needed a criminal record check; which comes directly from police records; as does everybody working with children or old people ...

The only credit check has been for my mortgage; in 1979, as far as I know.

We have so many...
 
When my wife took a job in the banking industry (mortgaging), she had to do fingerprints. First time she ever had to do that.

Now, I do know, b/c I met the guy, that some felon's are given a chance for a job when released from prison. We stopped at a local Taco Bell and I had a short chat with a dude behind the counter. I noticed his tattoos and asked him about one. He told me he got it while serving time in prison. Well, Taco Bell gave this guy a chance/a job.........so, it does happen. BTW, very, very nice guy. At least working there in Taco Bell he was.
 
Anyone who's been in the military with any type clearance has had fingerprints and a background check. I also had to be fingerprinted and a background check when I got my concealed carry permit. Background checks are important for many jobs, but aren't the only consideration for hiring someone.
 
I see the problems with ex cons getting a background check but as long as they don't apply for something related or potential trouble like a bank robber working as a bank teller I don't see a problem although it's up to legislatures to make non discrimination or ex con hiring laws.

I've had people do background checks for me and I've answered inquiries for others. I know some I had to do it for them several years in a row for the same the job. This is why I think some HR's only care the last 8 years of your life on a resume or job application. I think they were forced or sued so a person with problems in the past could be hired.

Should add if you know you are going to get a pretty hard background check inform your references and ex employers. I stopped taking or applying for jobs that required an extensive background check because I didn't want to bother people. But if you do warn them.
 
With the way "hiring" is done today, for a descent paying job, a person has to darn near have a perfect resume and background check. Years ago, for many "descent paying" jobs (not city, county, state or federal), a college degree and/or a certification wasn't needed and companies never done background checks...........b/c it wasn't part of a companies policy back then.
 
Hi everyone, I believe very strongly in criminal background checks. They are very strict here in the UK on checking whether anyone has a criminal background, especially if their work involves contact, however minimal, with children, the elderly and the vulnerable in any way. I believe this is a good law and provides protection for them.

My brother employed a young lady for whom it was her first job. Over a period of three months she became quite adept at helping herself to the company petty cash and was consequently sacked when caught (although he did not report the thefts to the police as she was the daughter of a couple whom he knew well and who very quickly refunded all moneys taken). Some weeks later he was shocked to receive a request for a character/work reference for her from a prospective employer.(what brass-necked cheek she had giving him as a reference !) Now the position she had gone after involved dealing daily with a great deal of cash so he felt it necessary to warn her prospective employer that he had had to let her go and the reason why. The prospective employer informed my brother that they were not allowed to accept detrimental remarks against prospective employees in their reference, (what is the point then?!) all they required from him was information pertaining solely to her ability to work with others, her work ethos and punctuality. My brother of course refused to give the reference and wished him good luck! but hey, she still got the position.

So police checks yes, work checks, don't bother !!
 
ClassicRockr said:
With the way "hiring" is done today, for a descent paying job, a person has to darn near have a perfect resume and background check. Years ago, for many "descent paying" jobs (not city, county, state or federal), a college degree and/or a certification wasn't needed and companies never done background checks...........b/c it wasn't part of a companies policy back then.
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For liability reasons alone they have at least run a criminal background check. I think it was Walmart that got caught hiring ex sex offenders and had problem. If you are working with people yes a simple criminal background check violent or sexual behavior would've prevented that.

It is an employer's market. Certain areas of the country have gone through this through out the years but now it is the whole country. Many jobs you just needed experience or showed a inclination towards what you were applying for but they want certifications along with degrees. Most companies/employers want you pretrained now a days. I've had potential employers tell me they like my resume and the job would be similar but there was a small part of the job that required certifications along with knowledge, training and/or experience for liability reasons. They told me I could do it but they needed certifications.

I know white collar management with college degrees are dead in the water because they didn't pack their resume with continuing eduction courses, seminars, certifications etc. I've seen tech geniuses who could run circles around the trade school educated computer hacks these companies hire but their computer background is documented. There are doctors and dentists that won't even hire a receptionist unless they went to medical clerk school yet they pay entry level.

One of the big shifts in the work force along with outsourcing is the pretrained employee. The amount of upward or even lateral movement has become very limited. This also puts people into jobs they hate because they are boxed in by the preferred but not necessary resume.

I got laid off early in my work career several times so I've never had any expectation of a 30 year career and gold watch from one employer/company. But the HR hiring mentality is that unless you act and look like a 30 year employee on paper you are not hired. They have no business even implying that you can work a 30 years at their company.

Best bet is to get trained and certified and consider yourself a contractor at what ever you do even if hired as an hourly employee. Save and work on your own retirement investments. There is a certain freedom to that. Contrary to what many HR types say most people hate their job and work to live, not live to work.
 

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