A sociologist from University of Missouri, Richard Rosenfeld, said to the New York Times, "Every recession since the late '50s has been associated with an increase in crime and, in particular, property crime and robbery, which would be most responsive to changes in economic conditions. There is a year lag between the economic change and crime rates."
An accurate prediction, stories are now sweeping across the country noting incidents of repair fraud and theft. Imposters may be knocking on your door, offering electric repairs or services you really don’t need and others may just be sneaking in to your home and stealing anything they deem valuable.
If you hire a service worker, nanny or babysitter, contractor or subcontractor, or even go on a date during this time it is highly recommended that you obtain a background check on anyone you don’t know as an added security. But also watch out for those you do know as economic recessions are notorious for creating first-time offenders.
Not sure how to get a background check on these people?
The most accurate background check you can obtain via the internet is “applicant supplied” and one that searches criminal history at the county level, previous employment, and professional licenses. However, stay away from the “instant background check,” as these services do not contain accurate information.
What is an “applicant supplied” background check? The person who desires to work for you or date you obtains the background check on their own and provides you, an employer, a landlord, etc. with access to the background check. This system is intended to allow job seekers and all other consumers to control their personal information and verify the accuracy of credit and criminal background checks before others view them. However, it comes in handy for consumers in common, informal situations with others who pose a risk or threat.
Here at MyBackgroundCheck.com, we have special programs that protect you, the consumer. We provide one of the only “applicant supplied” background check portals on the web and it’s simple to use. You ask the person to go to the website and order the specific background check package you want to review. Once they place their order and the background check is complete, they will receive a special code to give you. You use the code to access the background check via the web on our secure server. These background checks cannot be altered and they are the most current and accurate in the industry.
If the person doesn’t agree to get a background check, take my advice and send them on their way.
Call our customer service department for more personalized information about applicant-supplied background checks at 800-300-1821 or visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com .
*We welcome relevant comments and questions from consumers, experts, and human resources professionals. Please do not submit comments with advertisements as they will not be posted publicly. Thanks for visiting our blog!
An article in the Denver Post warns college graduates about the risks of embellishing resumes during the economic downturn. It’s true that the job market is more competitive than ever, the country is experiencing a serious economic crisis, and many companies are laying off or going through acquisitions. To put it lightly, it’s a tough road ahead for anyone seeking employment. However, falsifying your resume is not the answer.
Most employers conduct background checks today (80%) and, although many resumes are not thoroughly checked (according to the Post’s article), you will run the risk of the employer discovering that you misrepresented yourself. Losing a job over something as serious as resume fraud could be detrimental to your career, as most employers check employment references even if they are not conducting other types of background checks.
If there is something that may put you behind on a candidate list, be honest and keep searching for the right job for you. Please read these articles in our newsrooms on job seeking and background checks: http://www.mybackgroundcheck.com/newsroom/category/Featured-Articles.aspx.
Graduates can benefit from ordering their own background check before an employer sees it. Inaccuracies on background checks are common and it is wise to correct them before job seeking. MyBackgroundCheck.com offers services that help you manage employment references, criminal background checks, and credit reports, giving you the control to invite employers and others to view your reports over our secure server. These services can help you maintain accurate public information as well as prevent identity theft, the fastest growing crime in America.
*We welcome relevant comments and questions from consumers, experts, and human resources professionals. Please do not submit comments with advertisements as they will not be posted publicly. Thanks for visiting our blog!
In an era of data breaches and a trend in stolen identity crime rings, it seems no one is secure. A story published today in ConsumerAffairs.com brings the reality of identity theft home to one woman, Suzanne Finch, who has been struggling for over a year to determine the source of a data breach that has altered her life dramatically.
Finch found that a data breach into Citibank’s servers may have been the cause of her personal information being used to open accounts and make purchases she never authorized. But Citibank isn’t admitting to the breach or the cause of the fraud against Finch. For anyone discovering their identity has been stolen, this story is one that leads to no resolve or hope…and government laws that do little to protect identity theft victims.
The only way for individuals to protect their identity is to take control of their personal information. Monitoring your own background checks and credit reports help keep you aware of what is happening to your your accounts before the crime spirals into an uncontrollable dark hole of uncertainty. In a world where good credit is needed to purchase almost anything, or even to obtain some jobs, Americans need to take measures to limit access to their accounts and personal information.
In some cases, stolen identities are used to commit crimes, giving identity theft victims a criminal record. With some 80% of employers conducting background checks, you may not know about this until you apply for a job or get pulled over by a police officer for accidentally running a stop sign.
Please visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com for resources and information on taking total control of your personal information.
*We welcome relevant comments and questions from consumers, experts, and human resources professionals. Please do not submit comments with advertisements as they will not be posted publicly. Thanks for visiting our blog!
Today, the CEO of our company received an email from the Arrested Development Foundation (ADF) publicizing their “Project New Vote.” He thought it was a joke (maybe because its name parodies the band Arrested Development), but, with further research , found it was an organization that assists criminal offenders in expunging criminal records, finding employment , and exercising their rights to vote under certain state laws.
I’m not so sure I want any major criminals choosing my next president or voting on propositions that could sway toward lenient criminal laws, but apparently the legislators in 39 states believe they should be given that right after serving their time. ADF has a portal where ex-offenders can find out if they are eligible to vote in their state, which depends on the crime, the time served, and the extent of their criminal records.
I checked out the website at http://www.arrestfoundation.org/index.htm , which argues that there is a great deal of nonviolent offenders or people who have had a run in with the law at some point, but have been rehabilitated. They also state that the way hiring managers deal with background checks is discriminatory to those with criminal records, reporting that most employers make their hiring decision based on the background check before the applicant has a chance to explain the crime or make the case that they have been rehabilitated. ADF also believes that hiring ex-offenders will decrease the rate of recidivism and reduce the overall crime rate.
Here’s my take on ADF’s position…
People who make mistakes pay for them in one way or another and those who truly want to change their lives after crime naturally must try harder than law abiding citizens to get a job. But that is the additional price they pay for the crimes they committed, whether it’s right or wrong. Those of us who have never broken the law should be given preference above those who have. Why should an employer simply trust every applicant with a criminal record and give ex-offenders a chance? It must be on a case-by-case basis and depending on the position in relation to the crime. I wouldn’t hire a two-time thief to run a cash register, for instance.
If you have a criminal record you know is going to show up on a background check, you will have to go the extra mile in contacting the hiring manager and convincing him or her that you are a changed person and deserve a chance at a job or career, but you can feel confident that you have the right to vote (if allowed in your state).
I would advise those with criminal records to go to our MyBackgroundCheck.com newsroom where there are two helpful articles on how background checks affect job seekers and explore other resources throughout the site.
Industry experts, ex-offenders, concerned citizens, and HR people are welcome to post comments to this with thoughts on these issues.
*We welcome relevant comments and questions from consumers, experts, and human resources professionals. Please do not submit comments with advertisements as they will not be posted publicly. Thanks for visiting our blog!
A few months ago, ComputerUser.com published this article I wrote and I thought posting it here on our blog would make it more accessible to the general public. The world of job seeking will continue to change as technology becomes more human resources friendly and the media is sensationalizing the use of Google and social networking sites to screen candidates. Pursuing a career today is a world of fierce competition and every aspect of your life could be poured onto a hiring manager's desk. The good news is that you can get ahead knowing what is in your background check before the employer does and using social network sites responsibly.
This article gives you insight into the new job seeker's world, what employers can see about you, and what they might do with the information - and some good advice on how to get around the mistakes of the past.
Enjoy and Learn...
http://www.mybackgroundcheck.com/newsroom/post/2008/08/25/Job-Seekers-Beware-Employers-Can-See-All.aspx
After reading, you will want to get your own background check on www.mybackgroundcheck.com.
*We welcome relevant comments and questions from consumers, experts, and human resources professionals. Please do not submit comments with advertisements as they will not be posted publicly. Thanks for visiting our blog!