Are There Skeletons in Your Closet

Are There Skeletons in Your ClosetAre There Skeletons in Your ClosetBackground checks explained.You have been working diligently in your search for a new job opportunity. Finally, you land an interview and get a great offer. The hiring manager indicates that the only thing remaining is a background check (BC). Your heart departures to pound and beads of sweat appear on your forehead. Questions fly through your mind. Lets answer these questions for you.Does this company trust its employees?Companies are using BCs more than ever before to be certain theyre hiring the right person. Unfortunately, BCs are more common because so many job seekers have a tendency to exaggerate on their resumes. Companies want to identify potential problems in the candidates employment or personal history.What are they looking for?BCs include criminal history, civil history, wants/warrants, credit reports, reference verification, social security reports, education, driving history, previous employer verifica tion and even drug tests.What are they going to find?Only information of public record is available juvenile records canbedrngnis be accessed.Can they do a BC without my permission?No. Companies cannotlage conduct a BC without your written authorization.Can I be turned down because of a BC?If youre turned down because of a BC, the company must tell you why, in accordance with federal law.Am I in trouble because of the DUI I got when I was 20 years old?It depends, as timing plays a role here. Felony and misdemeanor searches can be conducted by county, state, or throughout the nation. Some states will only provide information for the past seven years. You need to check each state for its policy.Is a drug test conducted with a BC?Approximately 15 to 20% of all BCs include a drug test. BC companies typically contract with local medical clinics to conduct the test. It can be expensive, so it is not done in all cases. In most cases, the job requirements determine if a drug test is necessa ry, particularly for anyone operating machinery or a motor vehicle. Executives are also frequently screened.Will they know if I was involved in a court case?Yes. A BC includes whether the job candidate is/was a plaintiff or defendant.Will my bankruptcy from 12 years ago prevent me from getting the job?Credit checks are a very common item for BCs. Companies are searching for financial stability. If you filed bankruptcy, it can appear on your credit report for up to 10 years. However, this does not mean that you will have bad credit for 10 years. You can start re-establishing your credit immediately after filing bankruptcy. Even without filing bankruptcy, most negative items appear on your credit report for at least 7 years.Will they find out I got fired instead of quitting? What will my former vindictive boss say about me?Employer verification is the item that makes most job seekers nervous. Almost everyone has had some form of disagreement with his or her boss. The concern centers o n what the employer will say and whether they will release employment files. In most cases, because of a dramatic upsurge in lawsuits from job seekers who received false bad references, previous employers typically only confirm dates of employment. Compensation and good or bad references are not generally provided however, that doesnt mean it is not done. A job seeker might want to consider hiring a reference check company to verify what previous employers are saying.One thing to watch out for is an inaccurate blemish on your record. Bob Mather, CEO of MyBackgroundCheck.com, indicates that identity theft and false criminal reporting are on the increase and can appear on your BC. He mentions, Errors in criminal history frequently occur as the darker side of identity theft. Most people quickly become aware of problems on their credit history as a result of identity theft. But you should also be aware that false reporting of crimes may be reflected on your BC because someone has stolen your identity.In 2007, there were over 8 million incidents of identity theft reported by the Department of Justice. If you have any concern about identity theft, or if you wish to learn what a BC will reveal about your background, you may wish to conduct a BC on yourself for a nominal fee.As far as what you can do, the next step is to relax. Too often job candidates worry too much about a BC. In the overwhelming number of cases, minor problems on your BC will not be an issue. Problems that occurred in the distant past will be overlooked based on your recent history and track record of performance. If a company is going to do a BC, be straightforward with them about any problem that might be discovered. Offer evidence that this is no longer an issue. Your hard work and honesty will help overcome any mistakes from the past.

Why You Should Work at a Startup - The Muse

Why You Should Work at a Startup - The MuseWhy You Should Work at a Startup One of the reasons I left my corporate job to be the first employee of a departeureup a few years ago was that I knew it would accelerate my career. I knew that Id be asked to wear multiple hats (editor, marketer, recruiter, public speaker, event planner, and Chief Takeout Orderer, to name a few). I knew that Id be able to shape who we hired and how our culture was defined as we grew. I knew that Id get constant access to the CEO because, well, she was typically seated next to me on the couch at our headquarters (read apartement). And if you Google why you should work at a startup, youll hear similar benefits Being part of a small, quickly growing company allows you be exposed to multiple parts of a business and get constant access to leadership.But thats not the whole story. In fact, looking back, being part of a startup has accelerated my career beyond my wildest expectations and in ways I never could have imagined. And I hear the same from friends and contacts who have taken similar paths.I sat down recently with a few of the founders, alumni, and lebenspartner companies at Startup Institute to reflect on just how much a startup can boost your career. If youve ever contemplated joining an early-stage business, heres what you can expect to gain.1. An Impressive Job TitleIn the corporate world, the schedule for promotions generally follows a set path before advancing to the next role, you typically need a year or two of experience in your current one. In an extreme case, a friend of mine who was the top performer in her department was once told that she couldnt be promoted to the next level because that job just isnt given to 27-year-olds. Fair (or legal) or not, it happens.Not so much at startups, though. Especially in the early stages, the related experience you have matters much less than what youve proven you can do once hired. Often, people who join a startup at the early stages a nd are part of its growth receive responsibilities, promotions, and job titles that they never could have dreamed of at a bigger company. For a great example, read this interview with Austin Geidt, who started out at Uber as an intern then quickly rose through the ranks to become a community manager and driver operations manager. Shes now the companys head of expansion. (For, you know, the world.)Jules Pieri, CEO of The Grommet, shares a similar story about employees at her company. Several people started doing temporary roles such as shipping or seasonal customer support, she says. They threw themselves at being excellent and word quickly traveled. Then they were also in the right place at the right time- those kind of expansion moves happen fruchtwein fluidly in a growing company. We grew revenues 900% in the last two years, so most of the team has had a dramatic increase in responsibilities. 2. More Resume Bullets Than You Ever Thought PossibleAt a startup, you can pretty much gu arantee that youll be making huge contributions to the business. At an early-stage startup, time is valuable, and every team member is critical, explains Alison Johnston Rue, the founder of InstaEDU, which was acquired by Chegg in 2014. This means that youll be working on projects that directly impact users, and probably immediately. In other words, youre going to be doing and achieving more than you ever have before. (And working more, but thats another story.) In almost any role, youll be launching features, gaining users, or otherwise seeing results- and, no matter what type of job you do next, these are incredible things to be able to tell future employers that youve done. Particularly if youre making a career change. As Startup Institute co-founder Aaron OHearn puts it, Startup employees rarely work within the confines of one job description- you have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty in a lot of different facets of the business. If youre a sale pro fessional who wants to transition into, say, marketing- you can bet that finding new ways to gain users, discussing the brand strategy, or even writing copy will be part of your job description. In my current role as a community manager, Ive had the opportunity to also help our company with marketing, account management, product development, and customer support, says Erika Gordon, a former Startup Institute student who now works at Mobee.Is there a faster way to get that experience on your resume? Probably not.3. An Entirely Different Way of Thinking (and Thats a Good Thing)In most jobs, a lot of what you do is following procedures for whats been done before. Most companies have a standard way of doing things for everything from manufacturing to marketing to putting together meeting agendas. And while new ideas are often welcome, they typically fall into a framework of how the company has operated in the past. (Great idea Lets put it on the Q2 product roadmap.)At a startup? Youre b uilding everything from scratch. And as you might imagine, designing, building, and creating requires a completely different skill set than following or adapting a standard protocol. And thats a good thing. In fact, recent research by the Institute for the Future detailed six factors driving the evolution of our workforce and- more importantly- the 10 skills every professional needs to succeed in the future. Its worth a look in full, but novel and adaptive thinking (the ability to think beyond whats been done before) and transdisciplinary thinking (the ability to think beyond your functional role) are two of the key traits workers will need to succeed in the future. Consider a startup- where youll be constantly innovating and interacting with other departments- your free education. As an added benefit, youll be learning from entrepreneurs, who by nature tend to think this way. People who start their own business have a different mental and professional makeup than those who have nev er gone off to create something of their own, writes Kerrin Sheldon in Fast Company. Entrepreneurs are defined by seeing a problem and thinking of an innovative and original way of addressing it They approach problems differently, are constantly finding solutions, and are driven to make the most out of their time and work. 4. A Mini MBAWorking at a large company, strategic decisions about business operations, hiring, culture, financing, budgeting, and so on are typically made in the C-suite or a board room, behind closed doors. In the earliest days of a startup, theyre typically made at the other end of the table or couch. In other words, most early employees are part of all of those conversation about business operations, hiring, culture, financing, budgeting, and so on. Working at a startup, you arent just a cog in the machine, explains Startup Institute VP of marketing Bryan Maleszyk. You have agency in building a company from the ground up. Business models and organization, comp any culture, and values- you can have a say in all of this. And even if you dont have a say, youll certainly have a front-row seat. As they grow, most small to mid-sized startups Ive known or worked with involve their team members in strategic decisions, or at the very least hold regular all-hands meetings where employees can ask questions and learn about whats going on within the company. And seeing the inner workings of a company with your own eyes on a daily or weekly basis? Theres pretty much no better way to understand the ins and outs of business.No, startup life isnt for everyone. (Heres a helpful article if youre contemplating whether its right for you.) But in many ways, theres nowhere else you can take on such incredible responsibility, have such immense growth potential, or move your career forward by such leaps and bounds. Photo of dashboard courtesy of Shutterstock.

7 Mistakes Youre Making in Your Job Search

7 Mistakes Youre Making in Your Job Search7 Mistakes Youre Making in Your Job SearchSometimes the hardest person to be honest with is yourself. During a job search, this could mean fewer responses to resumes and unsuccessful interviews. Getting real with yourself and evaluating what you are doing right, what you could improve on, and the mistakes youre making in your job search could get you back on track for successful job searching. Here are seven mistakes youre making in your job search.Trashing Your Previous EmployerWhen asked why you left a prior job, it probably isnt the best idea to rant about your previous coworkers and boss. The best option is to provide an answer that lets them know you are looking for a place to grow or a company that has values similar to yours. Trash talking your previous employer could take your chances from 90 percent to zero.Being Self-CenteredYoure a great person. You have an Ivy League education and years of experiencebut that is ALL you talk about. Keeping the conversation on yourself and how great you are doesnt give recruiters any idea of what you can and will do for the company. If you cant hold a conversation that integrates the company with your skills and experience, eventually they will lose interest.elend situation Yourself ApartIn a world full of job seekers, you have to make yourself stand out from the crowd. Recruiters will not remember you if there is nothing different or special about your work and experience. Dont overdo it, but highlight volunteer opportunities, projects, and exceptional work that you have done. A few interesting facts that catch someones attention can keep your resume towards the top of the stack, rather than in the trash.Being GenericThis means tailor your cover letters and resume for each job. Dont provide recruiters with a form letter and resume. They want to see that you pay attention to directions and details and that you are genuinely invested in the opportunity. Dont be generic with the number of positions you apply for in a company as well. Do not apply for every open position they have. Sure, you may be a jack-of-all-trades, but it just doesnt look good. Stick with one position and make yourself the best candidate for that position.Not NetworkingIf you are relying on one avenue to find a job, you may end up at a dead end. One of the biggest mistakes you can make in your job search is to not network and make connections. While there are tons of jobs that are posted and made public, there are just as many positions that employers use internal recruiting for that you never hear aboutunless you have the right connection.Being UnprofessionalFrom silly email addresses and emoticons to bad spelling and grammar, being unprofessional is one of the simple reasons youre not getting hired. Employers are looking for professionals that are going to be a positive addition to their current culture and environment, as well as present themselves as a face of the company.Feeling E ntitledIf you act like the employer owes you something, chances are youre making a big mistake. Employers are not looking to hire you for what they can do for you, they are looking to hire talent that is going to do something for themand they are willing to pay for it. Everyone has to start somewhere, and a title or pay band doesnt define who you are at the end of the day.Do you have any tips to avoid mistakes when job searching? Use the comment section below to share your ideas