Previously I discussed the importance of education verification.  Now let's turn our attention to employment verification.

Most verification companies will stay away from contacting your current employer as not to jeopardize your employment.  They will however contact past employers provided on your resume.  It is important to note that with the advent of the internet along with verification services data housed through the work number or any other verification line will be returned and entered into the report, providing even more data to the prospective employer.  Keeping this in mind, it is important that you provide all of the places where you have been employed, even for just a short time.

You may choose to provide employment dates on your resume that have been exaggerated so as to not show a gap in employment.  This will also come to light during the employment verification process.  It is important not to have gaps in employment, but employers understand that from time to time this may occur.  If it does, it is up to you to be honest and upfront about the reasons why, not to try and hide it.  People leave employers for a number of reasons: layoffs occur, company closures, as do family/personal reasons.  People also get terminated, though most hope this never happens to them.

When writing your resume, it is important to be upfront and honest.  Employers want to know the circumstances surrounding your reasons for leaving.  If it is due to termination, let them know; if it is to better your self, let them know.  Most employers like to see a steady trend of improvement in your career.  If you are no longer employed because the company closed, it's always a good idea to supply the employer with a reference that could verify your position.  It is important not to have too many employers showing that you have jumped from job to job.  This puts up a red flag to an employer who may think you are not the type of person to stay in one place for too long.

Also, concerns potentially arise if you have been at your same employer in the same position for 15+ years.  Employers are looking for people that are motivated to better themselves, and being stuck in one place for a long time does not portray that type of person.  When providing information regarding your current or past compensation it is important to provide the correct amount.  More and more, employers are requesting a copy of your W-2 to verify that the compensation you have reported is correct.

Now I realize that there are many times that you have sent your resume in for a specific position, knowing full well you are capable of doing the job but never getting an interview.  I understand how frustrating it is, but this should not cause you to lie on your resume or exaggerate the truth.  It is better to be upfront and honest, then to get hired under false pretenses only to get terminated a short time later because you have misrepresented yourself.

Employment is the most important part of any person.  Unless you are a self-made millionaire and do not need to work like the rest of us, you need a job.  Your employment history is just as important as your credit report. In order to secure a better position with better income, your past employment needs to show that you are worth the risk.  Even if you have had issues in the past, it's never too late to correct them for the future. J ust know that with more and more companies conducting background screens, it's important to provide this potential new employer with an honest look of your background.  If anything comes back, that you have omitted or stretched the truth, it may be a red flag to the employer as to your integrity.

With each and every finalist candidate that we present to our clients, we also provide a complete background check.  Our background checks are provided by our parent company, BackTrack Inc.  All reports provided include employment verification, education verification, social security trace report, motor vehicle report, reference checking and criminal records searches.

Come back often to view more interview tips and techniques that will assist you in your interviewing process.

About our author:  Lisa Sprowls is a Filtration Recruiter. She works on many sales, engineering, executive and management level positions serving the search and recruitment needs of both large and small manufacturers and distributors in the Filtration, Water & Wastewater, Separations and Environmental Industries.

To learn more about Recruiter Solutions International, visit http://www.rsipeople.com/filtration or contact Lisa at 800-992-3875 ext. 313.

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