This is the second article in a series by our Guest Blogger Jack Thomas.

In the first of this series, I asked you to keep separate notes on each job or educational experience. Now you’ll find out why. Whether you decide to proceed with the resume yourself, or if you have to decided to have someone else do it for you, I want you to follow the same instructions. Part of selling yourself is to see things in a bigger picture frame of mind. You need to really focus on each experience and describe in detail, or at least expound on what the experience is. If you do it yourself, you should write it out first. If you’re having someone else do it, be sure you can at least explain it to them for the purposes of putting it in writing. Read more…

California legislature is dangerously close to passing a law that changes the use of pre employment credit reports by employers. 

The current law allows for the usage if it is substantially job related.  Under the reason of substantially job related, the current reasons are as follows:

• The position is a highly compensated or managerial one
• The position is one in which there is access to customer or employee personal or financial information.
• The position involves fiduciary responsibility or the handling or managing of money or requires travel.

The newly proposed law would eliminate the second two reasons, thus prohibiting an employer from pulling consumer credit reports for these types of positions.  We urge you to contact your state senator if you have business, employees or potential applicants in the State of California.  Below is a link to do so:

http://napbs.com/members_rep_letters.php

It is always a great idea to conduct a background check on an employee, especially one who is going to work around children, as in the case of an Ice Cream Truck driver. This story indicates that the Bureau of Criminal Identification will conduct a check for $20-$30.00, however, be warned that their database is flawed. Not every county in Ohio reports to BCI. It is recommended that you conduct a residential history of the applicant and contact every county they have resided in to determine any crimes. In addition, you should conduct a nationwide sexual offender search through the Department of Justice.

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It seems the recent demand spike for nurses has resulted in nursing supervisors making $100,000+ per year. Unfortunately it turns out with the rising salaries that the number of felon nurses being hired is also on the rise. 1 in 20 in Texas to be exact.

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A Wagoner man has sued to recover $165,000 in certificates of deposit that were embezzled by a bank employee.

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I have been reading and answering questions on forums for quite some time and I guess I didn’t even realize how little people actually knew about background checks. I have been in the business for quite some time so it seems second nature to me. Below are some of the myths that I will try and dispel and I look forward to any questions you may have Read more…

18 year old Winston-Salem State University student Brittany Tenae McNeil was a recent near victim of identity mix-up. Brittany started working at a Target store about a month ago, but was called off after ChoicePoint reported she had a misdemeanor larceny charge and a trespassing charge.

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Many people find themselves looking for new jobs at unexpected and hard times. Most people know there are common questions they will be asked during a job interview, many people even have been asked these questions before. But nonetheless, too many people are unprepared for these questions. Read on to find out the top 10 questions you will likely encounter in an interview along with good and bad responses, and how to prepare your answer with confidence.

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One question I am asked frequently is ‘What is the worst lie you have ever seen on a resume?’ I will relate a story about an individual that we were vetting for a large corporation for a c-level position. Read more…

Background checks, the phrase brings with it a connotation of mystery. Many people aren’t even aware of what a background check entails. Many people are worried, wrongly I might add, about an invasion of privacy. Why do I, as an employer, get to know about your background? Well, there are many reasons but I would say that the most compelling among them is because I do not want to lose my business! Is it fair to judge someone based on their past performance? In many instances I would say yes! How come I get to pick and choose who works for my company? Because, it is my business! I owe my employees a safe workplace. I owe my family a secure future.

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