4 ms·

"In the start-up world it's easy to avoid the question because most small start-ups lack the infrastructure to perform regular background checks on perspective

"In the start-up world it's easy to avoid the question because most small start-ups lack the infrastructure to perform regular background checks on perspective employees". Umm no. You Google "Background check" and pay $30.

sgt 13y ago
This must be unique to the US though, in other countries you have to go through quite a lot of red tape to be allowed such information, even as an employer.
- noir_lord 13y ago
  In the UK unless the job is incredibly sensitive (prison officer, position of care etc) or requires a security clearance background checks just don't happen. They ask on your application and if you lie they can fire you for it but since they don't check it's kind of a don't ask/don't tell. I also (think) you can have many crimes expunged after a period of time and those then only show up on enhanced checks.
mahyarm 13y ago
You'd be surprised how much non-effort some of these small companies do. In my second software job with a 3 man software place, I asked my boss if he even called my references in my resume. He said nope. I got the job through craigslist although, looking to buy an iPhone and we just had a casual coffee discussion for an hour afterwards. Then I started working part time while in school on iOS apps.
- VLM 13y ago
  "I asked my boss if he even called my references in my resume. He said nope." I've been thru the training on the other side. Massive legal liability if I say anything to someone on the phone other than dates of employment. Company policy problems if I say anything other than talk to HR because of the legal liability problems listed above. So why even bother calling? In some states its safe to say if they're eligible for rehire but not in other states so big multistate employers just say never say anything to anyone ever. So whats the upside of saying anything? Well, nothing. And whats the downside? OMG legal attack dogs all over. So don't be an idiot, say nothing. And somehow this above paragraph is a one hour formal HR class. When you're a kid you usually have no one worthwhile to list as a reference (maybe your landlord, some prof who can't remember you anyway, maybe your priest or equivalent, I've seen it all). And when you're more experienced and know people, your "references" are not a resume section but being able to rattle off the names of 4 of the 6 ex-coworkers who currently work at the new place. So I usually don't put down references or just pick random coworkers (after telling them first) and they never report back being called. A reference section on a resume is an anachronism, like the old policy of attaching a photograph to your resume to prove you're the right race, stuff like that.
cnp 13y ago
This is incorrect. Background checks are much more difficult to perform for criminal convictions, and tend to be incomplete.

sgt 13y ago

This must be unique to the US though, in other countries you have to go through quite a lot of red tape to be allowed such information, even as an employer.

noir_lord 13y ago
In the UK unless the job is incredibly sensitive (prison officer, position of care etc) or requires a security clearance background checks just don't happen. They ask on your application and if you lie they can fire you for it but since they don't check it's kind of a don't ask/don't tell. I also (think) you can have many crimes expunged after a period of time and those then only show up on enhanced checks.

mahyarm 13y ago

You'd be surprised how much non-effort some of these small companies do. In my second software job with a 3 man software place, I asked my boss if he even called my references in my resume. He said nope. I got the job through craigslist although, looking to buy an iPhone and we just had a casual coffee discussion for an hour afterwards. Then I started working part time while in school on iOS apps.

VLM 13y ago
"I asked my boss if he even called my references in my resume. He said nope." I've been thru the training on the other side. Massive legal liability if I say anything to someone on the phone other than dates of employment. Company policy problems if I say anything other than talk to HR because of the legal liability problems listed above. So why even bother calling? In some states its safe to say if they're eligible for rehire but not in other states so big multistate employers just say never say anything to anyone ever. So whats the upside of saying anything? Well, nothing. And whats the downside? OMG legal attack dogs all over. So don't be an idiot, say nothing. And somehow this above paragraph is a one hour formal HR class. When you're a kid you usually have no one worthwhile to list as a reference (maybe your landlord, some prof who can't remember you anyway, maybe your priest or equivalent, I've seen it all). And when you're more experienced and know people, your "references" are not a resume section but being able to rattle off the names of 4 of the 6 ex-coworkers who currently work at the new place. So I usually don't put down references or just pick random coworkers (after telling them first) and they never report back being called. A reference section on a resume is an anachronism, like the old policy of attaching a photograph to your resume to prove you're the right race, stuff like that.

cnp 13y ago

This is incorrect. Background checks are much more difficult to perform for criminal convictions, and tend to be incomplete.