Jobs @ Career Consulting Limited
Return to career-consulting-limited.com
People |
|
|
 |
If Youre Fired, Will Past Employers Keep Your Secret?
Despite what some job seekers think, it is not illegal for former employers to tell reference checkers that you were fired. They can say anything they want as long as it's true. But many companies do have policies that limit what they will reveal about past employees. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I was watching an episode of CBS's "60 Minutes" recently (hmmm, maybe I watch too much TV; no wait, this is "research," so it's OK). They had a shocking story about a male hospital worker who is suspected of killing more than 40 patients in several different hospitals during the past decade. He pleaded guilty to two of the murders. That is very disturbing by itself... but what makes this story so incredibly worse is that his employers unwittingly helped him do it! This guy had been fired many times for a variety of reasons -- hoarding potentially harmful drugs, illegally administering unprescribed treatments, being negligent with patients -- and other alarming actions. He'd even been convicted of something (I can't recall the charge). Yet he never had a problem getting another job at another hospital. Why? Because his former employers all had policies that prevented them from providing any information about past employees, other than job titles and dates of employment. Apparently the hospital's lawyers were trying to protect them from lawsuits that could possibly result if something negative (and not proven as fact) was said about a past employee which prevented that employee from obtaining another job. So even though references were checked, they revealed nothing about this criminal's activities. And he was passed along from one hospital to the next, allegedly killing patients in each one until he was finally caught. This is a very extreme example of how such personnel policies are, in my opinion, doing more harm than good. This sword cuts both ways, after all. If you've done a truly exceptional job for your past employer, wouldn't you want that employer to be free to confirm your glowing accomplishments during a reference check? Things are changing, thank goodness. According to the Society of Human Resource Management, employers are conducting more criminal checks than ever before. The need to provide a safe workplace is helping to drive this increase. Plus companies that were once worried about being sued by a former employee over a bad reference are now more concerned about being sued by an employer who wasn't warned about a bad employee! Regardless of the threat of lawsuits (don't get me started on that), the bottom line for job seekers is that you should not assume your former employer will only provide your dates of employment and job title. If you were fired, it may be revealed. If you were an outstanding employee, it may be revealed. If you're unsure of what your past employer's policy is, call them and find out. It's a good thing to know! You may reprint/republish this article if you include my name and a link to this website. Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular Job Interview Success System and free information-packed ezine, "Career-Life Times." Find those and other powerful career-building resources and tips at her website: http://www.best-interview-strategies.com.
MORE RESOURCES: Careers and Jobs at CRS Catholic Relief Services Your career level Continental Governor Newsom releases new framework to create high-paying career pathways with and without four-year degrees Office of Governor Gavin Newsom Looking for work? These industries are expected to see major growth in Tennessee - Commercial Appeal Careers UNCO News Central Jobs- Legacy Energy.gov California nixes degree requirements for 30K state jobs Higher Ed Dive US Department of Labor announces latest actions to secure sustainability of Job Corps program US Department of Labor Careers | Career Opportunities West Virginia University Jobs, inflation, and the Fed: How they're all related Yahoo Finance Working for ICE U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom Careers at TWU Texas Woman's University Jobs City of Rochester (.gov) Calif. Master Plan for Education Includes Digital 'Career Passport' Government Technology Careers | Home USDA.gov US Department of Labor awards $99.3M in grants to support training, job services to prepare young people to succeed in high-demand careers US Department of Labor Employment | Department of Corrections Governor Tom Wolf Jobs and Training at FDA FDA.gov Start your career journey with Illinois, a top leader in research, teaching, and public engagement University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Draw your own chart game: how well do you know the jobs market? Financial Times Jobs at Liberty University Liberty News Aligning workforce development with changing industry needs World Economic Forum Career Opportunities UMHB Careers at University of Missouri Health Care | University of Missouri Health Care jobs University of Missouri Health Care Careers BASF Careers at Union | Human Resources Union College Careers Washington State University Healthcare Jobs at Novant Health | Novant Health Novant Health Nursing jobs VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Work At Chess.com Chess.com Our People: Associate Experiences and Paths to Opportunity Walmart Corporate Careers at Prairie View A&M University Prairie View A&M University Work for Us (U.S. National Park Service) National Park Service US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown The Associated Press UF Health Careers UF Health - University of Florida Health Careers with Lexington Police Department City of Lexington, Kentucky (.gov) Working at Siemens Energy: Careers & Job Opportunities Siemens Energy Job Opportunities Bellevue School District Careers Medline Careers S&P Global Careers KPMG Internship Opportunities | BCG Boston Consulting Group India's job market projected to grow 9% in 2025 The Economic Times Careers at Jacobs Jacobs Jobs report on eve of election will be among the most muddled in years The Associated Press Job vacancies at the EUDA European Union Students and graduates JPMorgan Chase Constellation to Launch Crane Clean Energy Center, Restoring Jobs and Carbon-Free Power to The Grid Constellation Energy Tourism to see 61 lakh new jobs in 10 years Deccan Herald US employers added just 12,000 jobs last month as hurricanes and strikes sharply reduce payrolls The Associated Press Highest-Paying Engineering Careers in 2024 University of North Dakota How To Use AI To Find A Job Forbes Job Openings Continue to Fall as the Labor Market Slows | Economy | U.S. News U.S. News & World Report 80+ Psychology-Related Careers to Consider Verywell Mind 10 Things They Don't Tell You About Your First Job U.S News & World Report Money Mental health at work World Health Organization Careers Gwinnett County Public Schools 5 Hot Jobs for MBA Graduates | Best Graduate Schools | U.S. News U.S. News & World Report Current opportunities Turner & Townsend JobFeed NSW Department of Education Careers City of Norfolk (.gov) Careers at King County King County ANU council members say Bell’s second job was never mentioned The Australian Financial Review Apply for a Job - The City of Vancouver, WA KCMO Career Center | CITY OF KANSAS CITY | OFFICIAL WEBSITE City of Kansas City (.gov) Careers City of Somerville IT sector to witness 15-20% growth in job opportunities in 2025: Report Business Standard Careers Penn State University Careers UTSA Today Careers City of Fort Worth Employment University of South Carolina Careers @ UO University of Oregon Careers at the ICR The Institute of Cancer Research ADM Job Openings Unlocking Nature. Enriching Life. | ADM Career Opportunities University of Houston Career Services Wake Tech Newsroom Current Job Postings City of Windsor Careers at Florida State | Office of Human Resources Florida State University UH Careers University of Houston Careers at UHD UHD |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Career Development - When Its Time for a Change There's a certain courage required to hear your gut. To really be true to how you are feeling. If You Think You Cant Change Course... Youre Right You've heard the expression that some people see the glass as half full while others perceive the same glass to be half empty? Yesterday I had the opportunity to see this difference in perception in action. My father and I drove to the airport to pick up my some family members visiting from Florida. The Inevitable Job Interview Question: "Why Did You Leave (Are Planning To Leave) Your Last Position This is a question that you can almost count on being asked at your next interview What the interviewer wants to know is, "Why are you available?"The answer you give could set the tone for the rest of the interview. For instance, if you were to indicate that you were bored or burned out at your last job, the interviewer would quickly become concerned about your performance at this company. Prepare for YOUR Future now -- All Presidential candidates (before and after) make all kinds of promises about YOUR 'social security' when running for the top job. Regardless of the promises, YOU are the one who has to live or die by the future plans made on your behalf. Is a Career Change on Your Horizon? Making a career change is nothing new in today's job market.I've heard it said that the average American changescareers at least once in his or her life. How To Tap Into the Invisible Job Market Is there a company in your area that you'd love to work for? Do you assume that, because you don't see them advertising in the classifieds or posting jobs on their website, they have no openings? That may or may not be the case. That truth is, only about one-fifth of job openings are actually advertised!Here's how to tap into the huge "invisible" job market. What Your Guidance Counselor, Career Counselor, and Own Mother Probably Never Told You... The alarm clock jars you awake at some insanely early hour. As you hit the snooze button you think, "there's gotta be a better way to make a living. Ten Tips to a Job Winning Interview These days, interviews don't come easily. When you get The Call, make the most of your time -- and go for it!1. Fun At Work Leads to More Success Common sense at work: Such qualities as loyalty, energy, intelligence and hard work are certain to be in any consensus of what it takes to build a successful career."However, there's another essential ingredient that is too often overlooked," says Ramon Greenwood, senior career counselor at www. Six Sure-Fire Ways to Get Yourself a Pay Rise Many employees do not care too much for their bosses or supervisors. It is an all too common trait. Dealing With How Would You...? Questions I'm always preaching about proper preparation prior to interviews. If you research the position and company carefully, you can anticipate likely questions and prepare excellent answers. The Path of Least Resistance I spend a bit of time on airplanes. So, I was surprised by what I observed on a regional jet. Talented People I was asked last week for an article about employment, "What is your favorite 'employment phrase'?"Wow, talk about tough questions! What sprang to mind were all the phrases that people should avoid like the plague, so I had to do some fast thinking to come up with one that I loved. After mentally narrowing down my options, I settled on one: 'talented people'. Working Abroad - Employment Advice In Spain Jobs and employment on the Costa BlancaThe Council of Europe regulations forced Spain to end all restrictions on the free circulation of European Union workers as of January 1st, 1992 - which means that all EU citizens can work in Spain under the same conditions as Spaniards complete with employment contracts and employers contributions into the Spanish Social Security system on your behalf, giving both yourself and your dependants, access to the Spanish National Health Service. These rights extend even to family members who are non EU nationals. Career Change - Is Your Career A Good Fit Or Is It Causing Pain? Do you leap out of bed in the morning looking forward to the day ahead?Do you love your job and find that your working day goes past in the blink of an eye?Are you a solicitor, secretary, scientist or social worker because your parents or your careers teacher thought it was a good idea?Would you choose to do your job, even if you were not being paid? No?Well, take heart because the same goes for others! So many individuals are working in jobs which they find unfulfilling and meaningless. Many work in jobs which are inappropriate for them, simply because the pay is good. Your Interview Questions Are a Serious Matter Of course interviews are mainly about you answering the questions they put to you, but at the end of your allotted interview time, the questions that really matter most are yours. You should hope to hear the interviewer ask you:"Have you any questions?"But even if they don't ask, you should grasp the opportunity and say:"Do you mind if I ask a couple of questions?" However you must be careful when planning what questions you're going to ask, and make sure that they are not ones that you should already know the answer to because it's been covered in the interview. Avoid Your CV Always Ending Up in the Bin Cover Letters must grab the reader's interest so that they immediately want to learn more about the writer (you).Your cover letter is generally the first document those potential employers will read. Job Interviews: How to Answer the How Do You Handle Stressful Situations? Question When answering the "How do you handle stressful situations?" question during an interview, the best strategy is to give some examples of stressful situations you've dealt successfully with in the past.Everyone faces some form of stress on the job now and then. The Dog Days of Job Hunting Does a headline like this scare you? it should because the consolidation is not over yet.Don't despair just because we are in the "dog days" of job hunting there are action items you can do now to keep yourself primed for. Are Your Intentions Clear in Your Job Search? 1. Do you REALLY know what you want?2.
|
|
|
| © Career Consulting Limited.com 2011
|