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: Corporate Lowe's Careers Careers City of Phoenix (.gov) Working for ICE ice.gov Careers University of Northern Colorado How to use AI to get a job interview and nail it – along with the salary you deserve | Job hunting The Guardian Meet a millennial who quit her tech job, temporarily moved to Paris, and started a baking business in NYC Business Insider Careers at FEMA FEMA.gov Careers City of Ontario, California (.gov) Job Loss Is a Kind of Grief The Atlantic Careers at Prairie View A&M University PVAMU Home Careers | Home USDA (.gov) Jobs Multnomah County Understanding America’s Labor Shortage: The Most Impacted Industries U.S. Chamber of Commerce Careers and Jobs at CRS Catholic Relief Services Improve Your Chances of Landing That Job Interview IEEE Spectrum Careers - MDOT Maryland.gov Work at Fairfield Fairfield University Careers Baxter Employment Colby College Careers Johnson & Johnson Store Hourly Job Areas Target Corporate Career Job Areas Target Employment Opportunities | Game Commission Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (.gov) Careers with the City of Palo Alto City of Palo Alto Careers at USCIS USCIS (.gov) Jobs and Training at FDA fda.gov Careers at TWU Texas Woman's University Amazon CEO Andy Jassy shares his top tips for a successful career: ‘Don’t be afraid to fail’ AboutAmazon.com Work at Butler Butler University Careers at Simon & Schuster SimonandSchuster.biz Careers Franchise Tax Board (.gov) Water Services Careers City of Phoenix (.gov) Job Search Results UnitedHealth Group Careers Jobs City of Rochester (.gov) Faculty and Providers RUSH University System for Health Employment | Department of Corrections Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (.gov) Work With Us National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (.gov) Career Opportunities Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (.gov) Career Opportunities Gilead Sciences Career Opportunities UMHB Finding Your New Career at the City of Phoenix City of Phoenix (.gov) Careers at Willamette Willamette University Jobs Report NFIB Student internships at J&J Johnson & Johnson Careers IOM career gateways International Organization for Migration Full-time jobs for students Johnson & Johnson Careers Careers at University of Missouri Health Care | University of Missouri Health Care jobs University of Missouri Health Care Commonwealth Job Fair Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (.gov) Careers Washington State University Careers BASF EPA employees rally in Denver against President Trump’s job and funding cuts Colorado Public Radio Jobs at Liberty University Liberty University Healthcare Jobs at Novant Health | Novant Health Novant Health Jobs And Careers | VA Montana Health Care | Veterans Affairs VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Careers | Human Resources Seattle University Business Wire Careers & Jobs Business Wire Career opportunities & benefits Doctors Without Borders Future of Jobs Report 2025: The jobs of the future – and the skills you need to get them The World Economic Forum Why hasn’t AI taken your job yet? Financial Times Work for the City of St. Louis City of St. Louis, MO (.gov) Certified Direct Care Professional (CDCP) Wisconsin Department of Health Services (.gov) Ready for your next great job? ADP Careers Careers WV Department of Education Our Hiring Process Target Careers The Ocean Cleanup Fargo VA Health Care System Jobs And Careers | VA Fargo Health Care | Veterans Affairs VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Job Seekers Illinois Human Resources Careers CrowdStrike UF Health Careers UF Health Careers DOGE Terminated Me After I Moved Away From My Family for a VA Job Business Insider Careers at Union Union College Opportunities for trainees VA Careers (.gov) The Best Jobs in America in 2025 US News Money Matching Talent to the Jobs of Tomorrow: A Guidebook for Public Employment Services 2025 The World Economic Forum Jobs for Veterans and transitioning military VA Careers (.gov) ‘DOGE and Musk were gonna have a big impact’: Federal job cuts shake the Capital Region Politico Human Resources Department City of Phoenix (.gov) DOE Report Shows Clean Energy Jobs Grew at More Than Twice the Rate of Overall U.S. Employment Department of Energy (.gov) 20 Careers With the Most Job Security in 2025 US News Money As Layoffs Continue, Federal Workers Face Sluggish Job Market The New York Times Careers Euromonitor Job Opportunities Bellevue School District |
|
|
|
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
|