The Skinny on Pre-Employment Background Checks

iStockphoto.com | higyou

Congratulations! You’ve reached the end of a tough interview process and are on the cusp of a job offer. Now only one step remains – a background check. And yes, you should expect it – according to GoodHire.com, 72% of employers run a background check for every person they hire.

To most people the background check is just that – something that happens in the background of the job interview process with little to no transparency beyond a disclaimer and box to check consenting to such an investigation. Yet companies who go to the trouble and expense of running background checks tie job offers to the successful completion this final step.

What happens after you check the box giving a potential employer permission to run your background check? They typically go back seven to ten years, and may include any of the following:

• Criminal record. There is much contention around these types of checks, and laws vary state to state on how a person’s criminal history can affect them during the hiring process.

• Credit score and history. Regardless of the circumstances, poor credit makes it seem you will be a bad steward of company resources, is an obvious red flag for people applying for financial jobs, and even creates the impression you are more likely to steal from the company.

• Employment verification. They’re not checking to find out what you did day-in-and-day-out at an old job. They’re checking to see if you told the truth.

• Education verification. Same as above (yes, it matters – if you’d like to see a real-life example, check out the story of George O’Leary’s short tenure as head football coach of Notre Dame)

• License/Certification verification. Same as above, especially if the role requires specific licenses and/or certifications (for example, if you’re a truck driver and need a CDL) and the applicant claims to have them.

• Driving record. Employers do not want an accident-prone driver making deliveries, or someone with two speeding tickets a month driving around clients.

• Reference check. Be smart about references; if you put someone down as a reference, 1) be sure to tell the person you have listed them as a reference, 2) make sure you know what your reference is going to say about you, and 3) provide up-to-date contact information.

• Drug screening. Even though many people find it intrusive, several employers still drug test applicants to whom they are prepared to make an offer. Even if you live where marijuana is legal, it is still federally prohibited and you could be denied a job if you test positive for it. Research the laws in your state.

• Social Media. Everything lives forever on the Internet, and while it may not be fair to be judged for some silly picture you posted eight years ago at somebody’s wedding, you may be.

In exchange, employers are required to adhere to an array of state and federal restrictions on background checks, that may include:

• How they can use information gained in a background check when weighing candidates for a job.

• Consent from the applicant to run a background check.

• The number of years a background check can cover.

• Reporting requirements that may include, but is not limited to, providing the applicant with the name of the agency doing the check and a free copy of the report.

• Applicant salary histories. In a few states, employers can’t ask you what you’ve earned, only what you’re looking to make.

• Ban-the-Box Laws (which restrict questioning/use of criminal history).

Your rights:

• Employers must adhere to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

• It is illegal to run a pre-employment background check on the basis of an applicant’s race, color, sex, nationality, religion, disability, or age.

• Employers must get written permission from applicants to run a background check.

• Employers must let applicants know how they intend to use the information in their credit report.

• It is your right to know what is in your credit and other background check reports, and you have the right to dispute information in said reports.

• If an applicant is denied employment due to something discovered during a background check, employers may have to inform the applicant in writing as to what exactly what was used from the investigation and provide a copy of any relevant documentation (e.g. credit report).

• Needless to say, employers are not allowed to misuse your personal information in any way.

• You have the right to withhold consent from an employer to run a background check, but they have the right to refuse your application if you do.

What is and is not allowed in a pre-employment background checks varies from state. Here is a great resource that will let you know the law in your state: Background Check Laws for Every State. And if you need legal advice, check with an attorney (disclosure - we’re not lawyers).

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Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercareerstrategies.com.

How to Write A Great Cover Letter

iStockphoto.com | Molnia

Letter writing is a dying art, which is unfortunate. However, it is not unreasonable for people to question the importance of the cover letter in the seemingly impersonal modern job application process. Unless you know exactly to whom you are sending a cover letter, is there even a point?

The short answer: In many cases, yes, there is a point. Even though in this age of applicant tracking systems (employer recruitment systems) cover letters have diminished in value and usage, a well placed, well written cover letter can help you get an interview for a job you want.

So, how and when does a cover letter matter?

• Your resume may have to conquer an automatic tracking application system but there are real people on the other end of the process, and if you know exactly who that is and how to reach them, you owe it to them to demonstrate that you really want – and are qualified for – the job.

• Some job postings request a cover letter to apply. In this case, you have no choice; interpret this requirement as your first test from the hiring manager. A poor cover letter (or lack of one altogether) may eliminate you as a viable candidate.

• If a cover letter is not requested, submitting one that is professional in tone and format shows you’ve put in extra effort and can create a strong first impression.

• When you take advantage of the extra opportunity to detail your reasons for applying for a job and talk up your qualifications, you gain a competitive edge over those who skip this step or send a generic going-through-the-motions type of cover letter.

Now that you are convinced to write a cover letter for every application, required or not, you have to write it. Here are quick step-by-step instructions to write an effective and professional cover letter:

Step One: Format your cover letter like a professional business letter, incorporating the date, addressee’s name and title, the address to where it’s being sent, and salutation. For those of you raised exclusively on electronic communications, here’s a sample and guide from the kind folks at Purdue University.

Step Two: Format your cover letter and resume with consistency between the two documents, namely use the same fonts and headers. Deviating from this will come across as careless.

Step Three: If possible, find out the name of the recruiter or hiring manager and address your cover letter to that individual; mining LinkedIn can often help you deduce this information. If you do not know to whom you are sending the cover letter, the salutation should be, “Dear Hiring Manager:”

Step Four: Keep it concise and professional, without sounding personal in nature.

Step Five: Don’t exceed four or five paragraphs, or one page. Less is more.

Here’s a sample format:

• Paragraph One: Lead with your reasons why you are excited about the company and to apply for the job.

• Paragraph Two: Tell the story of your relevant professional background, how it applies to the job position requirements, and how you will add value to the company’s mission. This is your opportunity to market yourself with some sizzle.

• Paragraph Three: List two or three of your biggest accomplishments that tie into the job’s criteria.

• Paragraph Four: Thank the person for reading your resume, tell them you appreciate their consideration, and finish with an action item (e.g. I will follow up with a phone call on Friday).

While a great cover letter can help you, a poor one can hurt you. Bear in mind that you’ll actually hurt your chances of getting the job if your cover letter (or resume, for that matter) shows a lack of effort, is poorly formatted, or contains typos or misspelled words. Your cover letter is the first thing an employer will see, and they’ll make judgments about you from this.

Proofread your letter several times. Then ask someone else to proofread it as well to root out any typos you missed.

Lastly, if you get stuck, there are many online sites and books with great templates and examples of dynamic cover letters. You wish to invest your time and money in these tools to learn best practices.

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Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercareerstrategies.com.

Age Discrimination – One Professional's Story

iStockphoto.com | OSTILL

Age discrimination is very real. And as workers get older, they find themselves in situations where their age suddenly becomes a factor, much to their surprise. After all, it wasn’t an issue before. Sometimes, it culminates in rethinking an entire career.

Kay in her, early sixties, worked in the non-profit sector at the executive level for over twenty-five years. To be near her children, in early 2018 she voluntarily left her previous job and moved to a different state.

After a year and a half of interviewing, Kay is now one of the many disillusioned older workers who have all but given up on being offered a meaningful job commiserate with their past experience and compensation.

With family support, she has had to reinvent herself and create her own opportunities, and while she has already successfully launched herself as a consultant for causes she is passionate about, Kay believes ageism is the main obstacle she faced finding a new job doing what she was doing at the highest levels just a short time ago.

Are you actively searching for jobs right now?

 “I’m not actively searching for jobs. I decided to go out on my own since I won’t discriminate against myself.”

When was the last time you applied for a job?

“I recently applied for one. I follow up on personal recommendations, but beyond that no. I’m building my consulting business.”

How would you rate ageism as a factor in your decision to go out on you own?

“Well, it is always something I wanted to do, but because of the ageism, which I believe is the most socially acceptable form of discrimination, it really became a huge factor to do it at this point in time.”

Give us an idea of how you see yourself as a job candidate.

“I have a history of interviewing well and getting positions that were well regarded in the non-profit industry. I’ve kept up to date. I’ve expanded my knowledge. I’ve even been a presenter at national conferences.”

You’ve used the word ‘discrimination’ a couple of times. In your experience, describe the kind of age discrimination you have faced.

“Since I moved, I interviewed four or five times when I noticed I was hearing the same things over and over. That’s when you know there is something happening.”

What have you heard over and over? 

“Well, it really starts with organizations that are excited to interview you upfront. You are well received on all points, and hear things like, ‘Oh, I can’t wait to meet you,’ or, ‘You sound like you would be an ideal candidate’. I remember one Zoom call I had where the principals of the company told me, ‘You are exactly what our organization needs’.”

“Then you go in and get, ‘How old are your children?’ or ‘You seem to have many years of work experience,’ or ‘Do you plan on working for much longer?” and you think, ‘Here we go again.’”

Since you moved in 2018, how many interviews have you had where you had a serious chance of getting the offer?

“Ten times [since interviewing] I’ve been one of the top finalists.”

What’s been your most difficult experience?

“With this one organization, a large national organization, I went through seven interviews. The CFO, four regional and national Directors, the CEO, oh, and I they had me talk to three employees that I would be supervising as well. They flew me across the country to their headquarters and I met with a man and a woman, both who would be my bosses.”

When they flew you to their headquarters was it your expectation that you would be given a job offer and were there to sign an employment agreement?

“I wasn’t told I would get an offer, but I was told it was a big deal, and it was a very expensive ticket. The HR woman later apologized to me and told me she never would have sent me there if she knew what was going to happen.”

So what happened at the headquarters?

“I met with the man who would be one of my bosses. He was the second highest person at the organization. We had a great interview. We had both lived in the same small town, and had common work and personal history, and when it was over he walked me all the way to the CEO’s office for my scheduled interview with him. The CEO was my second to last interview. At the end, he said to me, ‘I hope you get to do what you do for our organization’. When I was leaving, one of the Directors I met with saw me and left a meeting to come say goodbye and he told me he hoped we would get to work together. All the feedback was great. I felt like I was there to be rubber stamped.”

But you didn’t get it?

“No. They hired a much younger person, and it would be impossible for her to have the expertise I have because she is too young. Call me naïve, but I had no idea my acumen would be drowned out by my age. I was shocked. I thought about legal action.”

What other obstacles have you faced because of ageism?

“It’s not just about getting a job; it’s the kind of job too. I started off interviewing for jobs that were over $100,000, then $80,000, then $65,000, and suddenly you’re two or three rungs lower than what you’re use to and then you’re overqualified. This was a life changing realization. I had no idea I would be facing this as a professional woman.”

How do you feel about the tips and tricks on job hunting sites for older workers, like leaving out dates and limiting how much work experience you put on your resume?  

“Background checks reveal your age. Once they meet you, they know how old you are and if they’re not sure they can always find out if they want.”

Now you’re consulting for non-profit clients. Consulting is synonymous with experience. Do you feel that you have found a way around ageism? 

“I’m not advertising my age. Being a consultant, age tends to work in your favor. It’s actually a benefit, or can be a benefit. Many people do not know I am as old as I am. But my earning power would be greatly increased if I could look ten or fifteen years younger than I do. But I can’t even do that and be hired because a background check will show my age anyway. I don’t ever want to retire. I love working so much I don’t want to retire. So, this has been very disheartening. I now live with one my daughters. I used to be the reliable, stable one in my family, the one who helped out others financially, the one who could be generous. I was making very good money. You go from very successful, to being treated like an idiot, to being treated like you’re useless. Ageism has brought me to the cusp. If it weren’t for my friends and family, I don’t think I would have made it, and I’m now on all the social services you never think you’re going to need. It takes away all the dignity you hold dear, and I don’t think most people realize how much dignity they have until they lose it. This is a problem everybody should be concerned with, everybody at every age, because you’re going to be next.”

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Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercareerstrategies.com.