Scary Season Comes to Background Checks: Gather ‘Round Children

After 30 years in the business of pre-employment background checks, I have a couple scary stories to kick off October.

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1. Last week, my assistant messaged me. “Applicant A has so many felony charges and different cases it’s hard to keep track of them. Would you please review my work when I’m done?”

Now, this assistant has worked for me for nearly 10 years. It takes a LOT for her to yell help. She’s seen it all.

And she was right—Applicant A had a laundry list of embezzlement, fraud and theft charges. There may be more, but you get the point.

It was for a new client; I called her to be sure she understood her obligations as far as compliance is concerned. Pre-Adverse and Adverse Action notices, etc.

“I HIRED HER TWO WEEKS AGO.”

Welp. There’s a cautionary tale for everyone.

2. My favorite reference checking story.

Years ago, I had a client that required references (we still do references regularly, in case you hate doing them and would like a team that is trained in this to help).

One of their applicants only gave his mother as a reference. I heaved a sigh and called his mom.

She wouldn’t hire him. He was lazy, unreliable and drank too much. He couldn’t hold a job. No point in even trying.

Dude. Not even your mother. . . .

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3. We do the background checks for a credit union.Great client, I’ve known him for years.

I called him. “Hey—just a heads up. Your applicant Susie was convicted of embezzlement last year, you’ll have the full report in a few minutes.”

He LAUGHED. I paused.

He said, “Susie sat across from my desk this morning and I said she had the job as long as she hadn’t been convicted of embezzlement or something like that.”

She laughed, “Of course not!”

Trust, but always verify my friends.