How many of "them" are really checked?

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WV24fpspro

Well-known member
Through the employment process; how many people applying are checked out as thoroughly as they should be before being hired on? Does your station or employer really check everything on the application and a resume if it's provided?

I'd compare some of the employers out there to being on the same level as a local convenience store when it comes to checking out an applicant. I would never hire anyone for even a mop job without checking every specific detail; reguardless of how desperate the present staffing situatation may be.

In addition to checking out every detail on an application and a resume, I would also elect to run them through an extensive background and/or criminal history check, and a credit check. It's amazing on how many details are more than slightly exagurated.

I'd also elect to check out both personal and employer references. I would even attempt to match their employment history up to publicly available records which show what their earnings history, employment history, and even possible workmans comp hostory were.

I conclusion, and on a rather strange ending note: Once met a rather well seasoned network videographer who did have a previous criminal background. The supervisors and employer knew of this. He stated that he had sold them on the idea that he was much more unlikely to do anything at all in the future based upon the fact that IF he was caught he would stand to lose a lot more- ie a lot more time and fines than the average person. An interesting perspective, but he even sold me on it as well.

If one bad apple is able to make it though the screening process to become an employee; it can cause an incredible amount of damage to that company and it's employees.
 
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DVCPro50

Member
The station I work for does an extensive background check on its applicants. When I was hired every entry on my job application was checked out. As far as a credit check goes the station I work for does not conduct one. Also, no criminal background check is conducted. The only check done is a PA Motor Vehicles License check for any moving violations or DUI convictions.

At my station, if you have a DUI conviction you are forbidden from EVER operating company vehicles. I do believe that a criminal background check is a necessity but the union at my station would never agree to it. I'm not so sure about running a credit check, although I do think at some point every station will probably conduct one.

Usually a station can weed out applicants just by checking prior job postings on a resume. Criminal check a good idea. Credit check, don't think so.
 
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The Kid

Member
Forgive me for being young and nieve, but what good would a credit check do for an applicant other than add points onto their credit report?
 
SeattleShooter

SeattleShooter

Well-known member
Originally posted by The Kid:
Forgive me for being young and nieve, but what good would a credit check do for an applicant other than add points onto their credit report?
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One word. Responsibility.

A credit check tells a lot about a person. Not all places will do one. But it shows a bit about yourself.
 
Baltimore Shooter

Baltimore Shooter

Well-known member
Originally posted by SeattleShooter:
quote: Originally posted by The Kid:
Forgive me for being young and nieve, but what good would a credit check do for an applicant other than add points onto their credit report?
Click to expand...
One word. Responsibility.

A credit check tells a lot about a person. Not all places will do one. But it shows a bit about yourself.
Click to expand...
I think that's ridiculous. Here's why:

You have a great job - great pay, a guaranteed salary, overtime, etc. So you buy a house, a car, have some credit cards, etc., but you're living within your means. You have some money in savings. Then your job is eliminated.

Finding a new job in your field is difficult, maybe even impossible. Maybe you take a job at Home Depot just to pay the mortgage, while you have no choice but to let credit card and other bills slip. Those debtors make late payment reports to the credit bureaus and your credit score drops like a rock.

Replace the job example with a family illness or helping your elderly parents from losing thier house to foreclosure.

How's that for responsibility? Do the credit bureaus report all that? Doubt it. Responsibility...what bullsh*t.

Warren
 
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Run&Gun

Well-known member
Credit scores are kinda like "zero tollerance" policies in schools, there are no "extenuating circumstances" it's black and white, cut and dry, and as we all know, that doesn't always tell the whole story.

What if the penalty for killing someone was always death, no matter if you were defending yourself or not, just cut and dry, no explaining or trial or anything? Sure, you'd get the criminals, but you'd also get people just protecting their own lives or those of their loved ones from the ones intentionally doing harm. A little extreme, but you get the idea.

That being said, I believe in having good credit, because without it, your screwed in this day and age.
 
queen of blue

queen of blue

Well-known member
Ok .... how about if you are yourself a tremendously responsible person ..... but you have a spouse who couldn't give two hoots if they ever pay a bill?

I kicked him out two and a half years ago and my credit is STILL trashed. I'm slowly getting it back, but my credit report does NOT reflect my responsiblity level - it reflects his.
 
SeattleShooter

SeattleShooter

Well-known member
You know I am not saying that I agree with the point of a credit check. But to you, me, and a million others, a credit check does not show who we are…but to corporate America, they think it does. So in their eyes it is a form of reasonability, but to me a credit check means nothing to get a job. I am just looking through the eyes of corporate America when I say that.
 
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SAwood

Well-known member
how do you get the whole story about an applicants personality, character and ability to work with others? Now this is not a cop out or anything of the sort, but do you think that having a great attitude and a developing talent carries as much weight as twelve years in the biz and can't work with anyone for squat? I suppose that's what the reference are for, so are they actually used? Do people include them out of habit, or are they hoping the perspective empoyer will actually call them?

and by the way, my credit report is clean.....FINALLY!.
 
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NewsMan

Well-known member
Well, my wife and I entered a consolidation program, which reduced our credit standing until complete. The other option was bankruptcy. I would suggest that by taking the road we did, we are VERY responsible for tackling our own problems through hard work.
As for criminal check: I think a check up to five years is fine, but for the most part, I am against these. I'm a firm believer that if a person makes a criminal mistake and successfully completes hi/her sentence and probation, than their sentence is done. What you suggest is that someone who has had a run in with the law should not have a part in a society where one can make an honest living, which leads to the huge recitivism rate we have today. How long must one wait to have finally paid the piper?

[ November 14, 2004, 09:09 PM: Message edited by: NewsMan ]
 
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PhotoOp71

Member
I can understand the idea of responsibility but there are some circumstances that people can't avoid. I would not consider running a credit check on a potential photographer but that's just me.
 
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Todd Rogenthien

Well-known member
A credit check is B.S. My wife was listed by two different credit agencies as dead. It took her two years to get it straight. She also had never missed a car payment, but one credit agency listed her as 6 months behind. The credit agency wouldn't even accept letters from Chrysler saying that she had never been late. That one took almost a year and a half to clear. There are so many intangibles when it comes to credit and "responsibility". We rented a house we owned after being transfered and our renter was constantly late with the rent, which put us behind the 8 ball. She even went 4 months without paying. We eventually evicted her. We struggled through it, but is that "irresponsible" and should that prevent either one of us from getting a job?
 
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lenscracker

Member
Whizkid,
Ohio has a funny way of wording things.
Offense(s):
2907.323- Illegal Use of Minor in Nudity-Oriented Material or Performance
It kind of implies somewhere there is a legal use of ...

Anyway, as I recall from Business Admin class...
Credit checks: The corporate suits use credit checks to evaluate a pattern of reliability.
Odds of being checked
Average hourly worker: low
Supervisor: low to moderate depending on company
Department Manager: moderate depending on duties
General Manager: high
Mid level Executive: very high
Board Member: Securities and Exchange report

A state DMV report is most important. We almost hired an outstanding photog/editor, but had to reject him because too many points on the driving record. No DUI, just moving violation fines.

I ask the applicant to respond to a series of scenarios (dealing with a belligerent coworker, safety situations, prioritizing impossible workload, etc.) Related questions are asked of prior employers. A comparison gives me a good indication of probable performance and personality.
 
SeattleShooter

SeattleShooter

Well-known member
Originally posted by WHIZkid:
Whe hired this dude....

web page

Then we found this while doing a related story....
He is no longer with us.
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Do you know who lived down the street from me before I moved??? Just as bad as that dude.


Mary K. Letournau. I saw her a number of times at the 7-11 and the store.
 
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