Question about pending background check!!!

Nurses General Nursing

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I am a new grad who just got two unofficial job offers with pending background and reference check. I am not worried about the criminal background check because there is really nothing on my record, but the previous work history check is kinda cause me a concern. Prior attending the nursing program I had 3 different jobs...the first one was for the food service company which I worked for them for a full year, the second job was at the private college as an admin staff, and the last job was at the community college while I was finishing the pre-reqs as a part time student worker.

When I filled out the applications online, I only put down my second job since I worked there the longest (2.5 years). The reason I didn't put the first one down was due to its shut down and no valid company info and address were available. The last job as a student worker at the college was only temporarily (like 4 or 5 months long) and the instructor who hired me was already retired before I even graduated from the nursing program.

The question or concern I have is that would the employers find out about my other two past employments that weren't listed on the applications and think that I lied? And if they did, would it affect my chance of being hired?

I didn't mean to lie or hire anything but wasn't sure at that time if I need to put it down as per the reason stated above. And during the interview, none of the interviewers had asked my about my previous experiences they only asked me about my clinical experiences. That's why I forgot to mention about it.

And now...I am waiting for the background check result and I am so worried that this might come back and bite me.

I know it may sound silly, but I am extremely worried because I really want a job. So, anyone has any answers, advice or suggestions for me? Thank you so much for all the reply in advance.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

I wouldn't worry about it. If the issue comes up, just tell em the truth about why you omitted it. The purpose of the BG check as well as all of the other pre-employment stuff is to make sure they WANT to hire you, not to find a reason NOT to hire you. Does that make sense?

As long as you are not on any sex offender lists, or federal or state do not hire lists and such, you should be fine.

If it bothers you that much, just call them up now and explain it to them. But you should be fine.

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

The background company just checks criminal background, verifies licenses/education and calls the numbers you list for previous employers. They ask the employers what the dates of employment are and if they would rehire you. They really don't go further and investigate what you haven't listed. I just had a background check as well and listed 2 jobs that have since been closed. I listed the 2 manager's cell phone numbers to reference and they only called those numbers. I think you'll be okay. I definitely feel your pain waiting for your background check to clear even if you don't have a shady past...I felt the same way despite knowing I had nothing to hide.

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Here is the thing tho. I have my previous career hx way back. Some agencies (ad) I worked for have been bought out several times and no existing personnel from the days I was there. I tracked down the holding company who maintains HR records for these. If asked I provide infor for this holding company in PA for a job I held in Chicago. Now, your jobs were not of this type, but, for the future it is important to keep that and reup it. It is expected, and has been now regardless of the bad economy and all the change.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

I wouldn't worry about it, especially for the one that you can't even locate because it's OOB! Many of us who are older have never put down the fast food joint-type jobs we had as college kids at a traditional age. It's too far back and irrelevant to our careers now. (Traditional age college kids would want to put that on there, though.)

If you don't get this job, the next time you fill out an application, you might want to include the college work-study job. Just put down the name of the college and the appropriate HR office or financial aid office number.

Anyway, the background check only looks for criminal history and possibly credit history for some employers; there is no super-duper database of all places that everyone in the US has worked, except for the SS Admin that only knows your income per year.

In short, for your situation, they can't find out where you worked if you never told them where you worked.

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Most places aren't that extensive in their background checks. I will say that when I went to work for a bank at one time they did go into all that. I still got the job but it was crazy how much info they had. I had a tendency to bounce around when I was young and honestly can't tell you everyone that I worked for. Some were just temporary too. The bank had come up with everyone I had ever worked for, including a place I had only been to for one day. I don't know how they get all that.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
Most places aren't that extensive in their background checks. I will say that when I went to work for a bank at one time they did go into all that. I still got the job but it was crazy how much info they had. I had a tendency to bounce around when I was young and honestly can't tell you everyone that I worked for. Some were just temporary too. The bank had come up with everyone I had ever worked for, including a place I had only been to for one day. I don't know how they get all that.

Okey-dokey then. Maybe there is a super-duper database. :D

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Specializes in ICU, ER.
they can't find out where you worked if you never told them where you worked
.

Many employers do credit checks (including some hospitals) and some of these reports do list previous employers.

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Thanks you all for the reply...I really appreciate it :-)

So...should I proactively call the HR to let them know about this to show my genuineness or just wait to see if any issue comes up or not and then deal with it if it does?

Anyway...one of the employers when I filled out an app online. On the work history section, it only required me to list the relevant job experience though.

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Now? I'd just let it be and wait.

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One more question please if I may....so how long do I expect to hear back from them whether or not I pass the background check...any idea?

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

For sure wait & see! For my background check, they started it on a Monday (I know this because my previous mgr texted me telling me they had contacted her) and I had a job offer by Wed afternoon. It just depends on how quick they can reach your previous employer, etc. On that Tuesday, I had the background check company call me letting me know they were having trouble contacting one of my employers and asked if I had additional contact info for them.

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