That being said, what are some of things an employer might be looking at without your knowledge? 1. W hat your former managers are saying about you, even if you haven’t listed them as references. While corporate personnel are typical instructed to confirm a former employee’s title and dates of employment, there is no law that prohibits a potential employer from asking your former managers more revealing questions about how they regarded the quality of your work performance. Reference checking firm Allison & Taylor Reference Checking reports that approximately 50% of reference checks they conduct reveal some form of negativity from the reference. While the majority of such negative commentary comes from former supervisors, Human Resources frequently offers commentary indicating a candidate is not eligible for rehire, and the fact someone was fired or involuntarily released from the organization. However, the good news is that there is remedial action available to the job seeker (e.g. through a Cease & Desist letter ) when unfavorable commentary about them is documented. 2. Data you may have posted on social media. While a potential employer cannot compel you to reveal your social media passwords, they can – and do – view what you’ve posted to popular sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Note that many of your posts, tweets, etc. may go back many years, long since forgotten by you – but still out there and accessible by a prospective employer. 3. Whether you’ve ever been fired. If you have in fact been fired from a position, you have no obligation to bring this fact up unsolicited. However, if you are specifically asked then you run a significant risk if you deny it as either falsifying your job application or lying during an interview could be grounds for termination at some later date. A good idea would be to proactively determine if your former employer is, in fact, going to offer potentially damaging commentary about you. A reference checking company could help you confirm whether your former supervisor(s) or Human Resources department is offering any unfavorable remarks about you. Clearly, such information could be useful in guiding you on how to proceed with prospective new employers. 4. Whether you’ve declared bankruptcy. Companies that might consider you for a financially related position may be particularly interested in determining this. Note that an employer can easily determine this through the use of a background check, accessed with your social security number. (Note that you also have the ability to identify such information by ordering a background check report on yourself. Such a report will also identify any criminal history, licenses, etc.) 5. Your salary history. A prospective employer is free to ask about your salary history/current salary. Some employers also make a practice of asking for proof of current salary if the figure you offer strikes them as particularly high. Clearly, it is in your best interest to be aware not only of data an employer can access about you, but steps you can take to proactively identify such information about yourself. Take initiative in managing this often-overlooked employment aspect and “never assume” that your potential employers aren’t doing likewise. CHAPTER 66 Are You Betting On the Wrong Job References? Your Employment, Not Personal, References Are the Ones An Employer Will Check Most of us can relate to this scenario: when completing an employment application, you are asked to identify a number of references (typically 3-5) for prospective employers to contact. In order to put your best foot forward, you choose these references wisely and list those whom will provide the most glowing reviews of their professional abilities. However, it’s unlikely that these well-chosen references will be the deciding factor on whether you get that hoped-for new position. The truth is, prospective employers look first at the name in “Former Supervisor” box on your job application, and whether you authorize it or not, your previous supervisor may well get a call from a prospective employer. Does this mean that your references are no longer important? Quite the contrary – they remain critical to your future employment prospects. However, the key is in understanding who are your critical references, and it is not personal
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