Will an employer know if I don’t disclose all of my past jobs?
Posted on June 18, 2008
Filed Under job search |
If you’ve had an issue with a past employer, it’s understandable to not want to list them on a resume or job application for fear of a negative job reference. An often posed question is “Will an employer know if I don’t disclose all of my past jobs?” and the answer is that is varies. Some employers actually check every past employer, and others don’t. Some go to extremes such as checking with the Social Security Administration to find out what employers have paid you and then make sure your application or resume matches.
Here are some factors to consider when deciding whether or not to disclose it:
- How Much Time Has Passed. If it was years ago, and you have had a solid employment history, you most likely don’t need to disclose it. If you are applying for certain jobs that require a 7-year history, such as many government jobs then it might some into play if it was within the past 7 years.
- The Nature of the Incident. If it was something major such as a criminal act, it may show up on a background check, but if it were significant but not made official through notification of the authorities, then it obviously is less of a concern. If it is related to the job you are applying for, you might want to consider doing something different for a while. For example, if you stole money and wanted to go work for a bank, it most likely wouldn’t work out too well for you.
- The Validity of the Incident. If you were blamed for something you didn’t do, then by all means list that job. If the company tries to keep you from working, get a lawyer and file a suit against them for maliciously trying to impact your ability to find work. NOTE: This is a personal recommendation, not legal advice.
- The Length of Time at the Position. If you didn’t work for the company for any significant length of time, I would personally omit it, just to save the trouble of having to explain it. Of course, if the company does a check with Social Security to see who has paid you, they will likely find it, so that is another concern.
In general honesty is the best policy. If you omit information, most companies deem that as ground for either not hiring you or terminating you, so it’s best to be up front and explain what happened, letting them know that it is in the past and will not be an issue. If they have a problem, ask them for a trial employment period to prove yourself as a valuable employee.
Best of luck!
Comments
Leave a Reply