10 yr background check-please help!

L

Louie1975

Well-Known Member
Hi folks:
Maybe this issue was posted somewhere else but this just passed into my mind and I am really curious cause it might pertain to me. How do the airlines verify your employment? Especially if a past employer went out of business? For about 6 months in 2000 I worked for a dot.com that went belly up a few months after I left. I am not very organized and I do not have any W-2s or pay stubs laying around(but I do have a business card). Currently I am working for a small limo company(until I go to school in June for my inst, comm. and multi ratings) and I have been throwing my pay stubs away after cashing my checks.
Example -I did have a problem in the past like this- I did work for a Wireless Co for 3 years(Nextel) and I had initial trouble getting hired by Nextel because they couldn't track down the individual who owned a distributing company that I used to work part-time for while in college. It was a small business(one man operation) that did not have an HR department. It would have been better had I not put it on my resume.
Will the above issue be a problem if and when I apply to an airline? How long is the verifiable background check period? 5 or 10 years? Thanks!
 
I'm guessing the airlines use the same background check for pilots as they do for rampers, csa's, etc. I had to go through this with Southwest when I was hired as a ramper, and they want to know EVERYTHING. Street addresses, telephone numbers, zip codes for the last ten years. Where you worked, how long you were there, a contact phone number and a name. Generally they hire a company that does background checks for them, but these companies vary in terms of accuracy. My wife interviewed for CSA and got all the way to the background check, and something screwed up. We never could get them to tell us what was wrong, and she didn't get the job. My guess is it was Disney. On my app, I put the 1-800 number for employement verification, and she put an office number. Odds are someone answered the phone at the office who was hired after she left, and they told the background company they'd never heard of her.

Best thing to do is to try to remember as best you can the months and years you worked for places. If you have a phone number, make sure it's a reliable one. If they have an automated 1-800 (or 888 or 866 or whatever) number for employment verification, use that. Most of all, research this stuff before and WRITE IT DOWN. I keep track of this stuff constantly now that I know I'm gonna have to go through it again.
 
I have heard of people purchasing a couple background checks on themselves via the internet. I will prob do that so I can figure out all the tickets that I racked up when I was a teenager. I think you can contact IRS to get copies of past W-2's. Good luck
 
ok, here's a question though. I'm in college right now, about to graduate in a semster or so. On my resume and job applications I generally omitt two of the jobs i had while i was in High School, mainly because I worked for less than 6 mos at each place, also, I don't remember my managers name (but i could describe them!) and they have such a high turnover rate (since it's retail) that i doubt anyone there would know who i am. I was in school the whole time that I had these jobs so I can account for my time with that. While I'm not heading to the airlines, if i do apply for a "real" job do you think this will be an issue?
 
[ QUOTE ]
While I'm not heading to the airlines, if i do apply for a "real" job do you think this will be an issue?

[/ QUOTE ]

I doubt it. When I was looking for work last year, I didn't put the retail/restaurant jobs I was doing on my resume.
 
Kellworth, but doesn't that Disney scenario sound crazy? If it is true, it would be scary. Why would a responsible company call an office receptionist, hear "i never heard of so and so" and stop there? I know nothing about doing a background check, but if I were doing the check, I would first get in contact with Disney's HR dept, then ask them how I would verify employment dates.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Kellworth, but doesn't that Disney scenario sound crazy? If it is true, it would be scary. Why would a responsible company call an office receptionist, hear "i never heard of so and so" and stop there? I know nothing about doing a background check, but if I were doing the check, I would first get in contact with Disney's HR dept, then ask them how I would verify employment dates.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's what we thought, too. After talking to some of the People Dept guys at SWA, they dropped this background company shortly afterwards b/c they weren't doing that swell of a job. There were a couple of things they had questions on with my app, and they called me to confirm them. My wife never got one call from these people. The really bad thing is at the time, I already had a job and she had just been laid off from Disney. So, she was the one that NEEDED the job. It's water under the bridge now.
 
Louie1975,

As is the case with anything else, be honest when you list your information. HR at any company will call previous employers simply to verify that you worked where you said you worked AND when you said you worked. If they can't track a listed employer, tell the interviewer exactly that, and that should suffice.

They can go back either seven or ten years; I can't remember which one.
 
[ QUOTE ]
HR at any company will call previous employers simply to verify that you worked where you said you worked AND when you said you worked.

[/ QUOTE ]

As far as I know companies can not call your previous employers w/out your consent. That's why employment applications forms usually have "Can we contact your employer?" checkbox.

It's always possible look into your tax records to check whether you've ever been employed by someone.
 
When I got hired at Delta back in 1991 the background check then was done by Equifax. Not for credit part but they must have an employment research department. Whatever you do be honest because I know a few guys who got fired after there checks came back. They were employed for like a month or 2. I am sure checks are even tighter now and they will find out. Part of being hired now also is a finger print scan that goes through the FBI's computer.
 
I'm a school teacher and the UK government made it a requirement for every single one to have a full background check. Even for supply work. I remember filling in the form myself when I started training, it felt like the Spanish Inquisition. Now of course the government agency that does the checks has my records and the rest is therefore plain sailing, as they build onto an existing record.
 
[ QUOTE ]
When I got hired at Delta back in 1991 the background check then was done by Equifax. Not for credit part but they must have an employment research department.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ouch. If their employment research is the same as their credit research department, then I don't want them NEAR my file. These guys already have my credit so screwed up its unbelievalbe. I've been trying to get it straightened out for over a year, and they're still not even close. It took faxing in the actual court documents THREE times for them to acknowledge that my bankruptcy was a CH 7 not a CH 13. I had to send in a copy of my driver's license and a pay check stub twice just for them to believe I was who I said I was.....
 
I am not sure now how Delta does it but then again we havent hired many people lately. That was 13 yrs ago for mine.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top