Monday, October 17, 2011

Avoid Criminal Record - Get Good Job

As one of the world's foremost experts on criminal background checks, Steven Brownstein should be listened to.

Brownstein catches us off guard with, "It amazes me how young people today are not taught more than just good morals.  They should be taught not to get caught."

Being taught g ood morals is somewhat disputable these days. But not getting caught?

"Hey, he continues, "I mean don't commit the cirme to begin with and keep your trash off of social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.  I can't begin, well, yes I can, tell you how many background checking firms are offering WebSite and Internat based searches designed to trip you up."

Brownstein's words ring the bit of wisdom he does profess.  A recent Google search of "facebook background check" came back in seconds with more than 106 million results; the top ones being companies offering Facebook and Twitter checks.

Brownstein quite seriously suggests, "Keep a low profile on the Internet or you'll end up paying for it with job offer refusals or lower pay. And criminal records?  Come on.  We all know it's public record.  Get caught drinking underage, pulling off some stupid party prank that gets you busted, the list of idiotic things we do can only get you the same result - unemployed."

Some states have drafted and passed laws disallowing use of certain criminal records, even going so far as to declassify them as criminal making them lesser offenses called violations.  These violations are in turn not usuable in making an employment decision.

"Maybe in some other world," adds Brownstein, "not this one. Get a criminal record, even a minor one, whatever you may call it, 'violation, misdemeanor, ordinance offense, and you think the HR department is going to ignore that?  Especially when there are tens of more applicants that come up clean?"

We're afraid we have to agree with Brownstein.  The best bet woud be to walk the straight and narrow and keep your life off the social networks.  But what a boring life.  There's got to be some better way.


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