Filed under: Executive, Professional | Tags: background check, HR, nonprofit
Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been watching a drama unfold at a highly visible nonprofit in my county. I’d like to share what’s happened with you because there’s a lot to be learned from the situation.
Here’s the scene: the ED of the nonprofit had a court case pending in Southern California. It appears that he was caught in an FBI sting for molesting a young lady who was underage, with a felony charge the result. Further complicating the situation, the Board of Directors didn’t make sure a background check was done on the ED.
Bottom line?
If you’re a candidate, please don’t think that you can move from one county to another – heck, even from one state to another – and leave your legal problems behind. Particularly if you’re interviewing for a position that requires you to be in the public spotlight, know that your name will be visible everywhere. Most organizations will do a thorough background check – including a check on your degrees and possibly even your driving record.
Don’t kid yourself – if you’ve got something in your background, it’s only a matter of time – you can be sure it won’t remain hidden. At that point, it doesn’t matter if you’ve been employed for 25 days or 25 years. The end of the story is termination.
If you’re a member of the Board or make the hiring decision, remember that it never matters how nice the appearance is. Even feedback from references isn’t the same as a full background check. Trust, but verify. Always verify. If the individual you’re hiring comes in contact with children and you haven’t properly vetted them, you’ve just left your organization open for a lawsuit.
The organization in question is possibly in for further damage. We’re nearly a third of the way into the last quarter of the year. Why is that important? Because nonprofits campaign for donations at this time of year and there’s potential for donors to give elsewhere.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Regardless of what’s happening during your job search, keep in mind that the only person who can really stop you is yourself.
Are you rolling your eyes? Stick with me here…
Of course the various people interviewing you during the process have input. And when you speak with the supervisor, you know their vote will be huge. Even the receptionist and security people may weigh in on you – no kidding. I’ve known clients who’ve told me the wrong word to the admin got them torpedoed. But then, you knew that.
So how can I say it’s up to you?
Because what someone else does has no bearing whatever on how you conduct yourself.
It’s impossible to know what will happen in advance, so you’ll always do the preparation. You’ll treat everyone you meet with respect. You’ll be attentive and understand that filling a job is much harder now, and the stakes are higher for people involved in making the decision.
Be real and present your best self. HR people and managers can spot a fake a mile away. Think of HR as the first line of protection for a company. They’re paid to keep the organization productive. What they’re really hoping for with each interview is finding that rarest of candidates – a person who has integrity, social skills, technical chops and dedicated work ethic.
Give it to everyone you meet by being consistent, considerate and demonstrating yourself and your skill with every encounter.
