Many companies do not screen their executives (employees) at all; resulting in serious compromise of the organization at key managers levels a staggering 20% of executives would not pass an effective due diligence background checks. Issues ranging from no degree earned to bribery, corruption, money laundering, racketeering, kickbacks, and major conflict of interest, even running competing companies abound at the executive (and other) levels. ~Candice Tal, CEO Infortal Worldwide~ August 28, 2009
Entrepreneurism is a fascinating concept. Every fresh idea, good or bad, was probably inspired by a real need, which brings me to introduce William Schmidt. His company, CareerExcuse.com, exists for the sole purpose of creating fake job references for job candidates too fearful of having the truth be told.
Fearful of a bad reference from a former employer? Whisk away that fear with a wave of Mr. Schmidt’s magic wand. The altruistic Mr. Schmidt states that in creating his company he was only responding to the need expressed by Facebook and Twitter contributors for bogus references. Now, one need for bogus references may inspire your sympathy. Who among us has not felt frustrated, desperate, and depressed when we have found ourselves in that Catch-22 position of not being considered for a job opening due to our lack of experience and unable to gain experience because no one would hire us.
After 25 years in the workforce, I thought I’d heard just about everything on how to work one’s way up the hiring eligibility list. In this great country, however, there’s always something new and shocking or at least ethically questionable. I am confident that legal professionals view CareerExcuse as exposing itself to claims of fraud and misrepresentation (can’t we just say he lied?). Perhaps Schmidt has already sought legal advice on how to protect himself with disclaimers. But, really, should even a cleverly worded document protect him from legal action? I am relieved that Schmidt’s high standards require him to refuse offers for jobs in the health care industry. Call me old-fashioned, but I like to know that my physician has passed the medical boards and that his medical license is legit.
What really makes me chuckle is Schmidt’s assertion that, before crafting his encomiums, he reviews criminal backgrounds and histories. I should like to know exactly how he performs these reviews. As any ethical (and licensed) investigator will tell you, published criminal histories are not consistent from county to county, much less from state to state. Even big-time federal law enforcement agencies bemoan the fact that their database information is often incomplete or out of date. Just supposing that Schmidt’s screening is limited to on-line services; his information is far from complete and hardly constitutes due diligence in background evaluation of a prospective candidate. Of course, Schmidt’s search for past criminality would fail to include the crime he is himself abetting. My qualms about Schmidt’s level of service are easily exacerbated by the thought that he faces competitors offering the same service…I’ve been too nervous to check.
Ideally, a bad reference is something that should be discussed with the recruiter, giving the job candidate an opportunity to explain details of that particular work experience. Surprisingly, that discussion may sometimes pique the interest of the interviewer when seeking a special job talent or curiosity about the candidate’s problem-solving style.
Since early childhood, we have been encouraged to telling the truth and generally for good reason. It is far more difficult to remember the details of a fabricated “fact” or story than to recall the truth. Being honest speaks to the basic character of a person. If you lie, what else would you do on that list of the Seven Deadly Sins? OK, so they’re not all deadly, but I like to know I am part of a team with colleagues whose moral standards are not compromised from the get-go. If they outright lied to get the job will they continue a style of prevarication to clients, customers, and co-workers? Can a colleague who lies in one instance ever be trusted?
Am I the only person bothered by this new trend that scoffs at truth?
0 comments:
Post a Comment