When it comes to using criminal history in employment decisions, how far back should background checks go? In the case of a former Milwaukee Wells Fargo employee, the company went as far back as 40 years, and held two charges from 1972 against her. While criminal history should not be used as a blanket hiring [...]

If you haven’t heard the news already, Yahoo! Inc. CEO Scott Thompson stepped down after not correcting errors in his credentials. His college degree is the facet of his background being called into question, as even a simple internet search reveals discrepancy with his educational history. Thompson claims he has a bachelor’s degree in computer [...]

Is your company looking for an easy way out when it comes to background checks in hiring decisions? The time and care taken to analyze results and consider each applicant, rather than using criminal history as a be-all-end-all factor, ends up having long-term positive consequences. What can happen from careless application of criminal background checks? [...]

Isn’t the first step of obtaining employment sending out your resume? The first true step, however, is actually having a resume. And while an individual should take applying for a job one step at a time, make sure you connect the beginning with the end. And, in employment, this means thinking about your background check [...]

In several instances, we have seen what happens when childcare centers, senior homes, schools, and contractors do not conduct thorough background checks. Making sure each employee has a clean background is crucial to the safety of those being cared for and should take precedence over the cost of such procedures. To combat this, Washington state [...]

If you have ever been without a job, one well-meaning friend or relative might have told you, “Why don’t you just work in retail until you find a real job?” Retail, unfortunately, doesn’t appear to be the fall-back industry for everyone, and a recent survey about background check use in the field shows that not [...]

No service, not even a temp office, can guarantee employment. Getting a job often rests on your presentation, and today’s employment atmosphere makes it harder than ever: one mistake, and you’re out of the applicant pool. On this blog, we often talk about background checks, but having your history scrutinized is typically the final step [...]

If you’re looking to take out a mortgage on a new home, expect to go through a background check. Much like any standard employment background check, a screening by a lender for a mortgage involves examining your job and financial history. Because of excessive mortgage fraud committed before the crash in 2007, lenders may now [...]

Should you ever lie? What you lie about can be inconsequential or a career killer, according to a blog post on BNet.com. The inconsequential? Adding a few inches to your height on an online dating profile. Career killers? Being dishonest – even just fudging – job dates, titles, or positions. But, you might think to [...]

A few weeks ago, an individual wrote to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette for some job search advice. Like many affected by the recession, she and her husband were both unemployed for a significant period of time, and although she went back to work, they had to foreclose on their home. As a result, their [...]