Requests for information before hire make job candidate uneasy

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Dear Joan:

I am unemployed and 51 years young. My previous employer outsourced my job and several hundred other employees. Loyalty, dedication, always being available and having business ethics no longer exist.

I have two questions:

First: On two occasions I have applied to an advertised position offered by an employment agency. Several months later, I received calls from them and “passed” the telephone interview. Appointments were made. I completed 30 minutes of paper work and then was called to meet with the interviewer. Within five minutes I became puzzled and confused from the questions being directed towards me.

On both occasions I finally had to ask, “What job are you talking about?” These agencies both pulled the “bait and switch” scam with me. I was being interviewed for a job of much lesser qualifications and pay. No one could explain where the position was that I applied for originally. I even had a printed copy of the position! One employer even said that they had never seen that job before! Your thoughts please.

Second: Prior to filling out an application, employers have asked me to bring two forms of ID, Social Security card and $100.00 for a background check! Do you see something wrong here? The picture ID I totally understand, the SS# is not necessary at this moment. The Payroll Department is the only organization that needs your SS number. Plus, should one not get the job, who knows what will be done with all of your personal information? Previous addresses and current addresses, telephone number, schools attended employment history…have you had your identity stolen yet? I have. Your thoughts please.

Answer:

Employment/staffing agencies are in the business of finding people for jobs. I have heard of situations where a fictitious job is advertised to gather a fresh pool of candidates to try to market.  Perhaps this is what happened to you.

Another possibility is that the original job was filled and the agency went back through the original candidates to try to match them to other jobs. Since the original job was posted so many months earlier, it’s possible that the personnel involved truly didn’t remember the specific job, or turnover at the agency caused the gap in recollections.  However, I admit it does seem suspicious. They should have records of all jobs that have been advertised, whether they were filled or not.

The shrinking labor pool is likely going to drive more organizations to get “creative” when it comes to recruiting. Beware of sending your resume to any organization without first getting assurances that they won’t be flooding the marketplace with it. You want them to be selective and screen potential opportunities so you aren’t wasting your time on a wild goose chase…and looking desperate and indiscriminate to employers who keep getting your resume for more than one posted job.

In the end, networking is still your best bet for landing a job that’s right for you. No one but you will have your best interests at heart.

Regarding your second question about personal information, I wouldn’t give my Social Security information out—as you said, it’s not necessary at this stage. I have only heard of individuals shelling out for their own background checks in situations where they would be self-employed, independent sales reps for a company. Sometimes these organizations require that the individual pay for background checks as well as for licenses (required for selling insurance, for example), largely because they run through so many recruits before they make a hire. In addition, many of the people they hire wash out soon after they are hired, so they are cranking through hundreds of people each year—an expensive proposition.

I can understand your hesitance, given your identity theft experience. If you feel uncomfortable relinquishing this information, simply tell the interviewer that you’ve had your identity stolen and you’ve resolved never to give that information out until you are hired. If they pressure you, tactfully decline and explain that you are more than willing to share the necessary information if an offer is extended, so they can do a proper reference check. If they continue to pressure you after this reasonable request, walk away.

Your comments regarding less loyalty in the business world I have to agree with—that goes for both sides, the employer and the employee. Marketplace factors have made one job for life a thing of the past. However, I must take issue with your comment “business ethics no longer exist.” The companies such as Enron make the news but I believe they are the exception. From my experience, most employers are genuine in trying to be fair employers and ethical businesses. As the labor shortage continues to worsen over the next ten years, if they don’t treat people well, they are going to be in trouble when they try to hire and keep the best.

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