Contingent Job Offers Overview: When you accept a job offer, be sure to understand any contingencies that may cause it to be withdrawn subsequently. For example, some companies perform background and reference checks, and these checks may not be completed by the time that you receive an offer, or even by the time that you actually start work. Negative results on such checks can cause the offer to be withdrawn, or you to be terminated if you already have started work.
False Statements: Putting anything untrue on your resume, on an employment application or on a company questionnaire is risky. If discovered by the company, this can lead to rescission of an offer or dismissal if you already have begun work.
Arrests, Convictions and Legal Actions: Companies commonly ask about past arrests, convictions and other legal actions against you. Minor traffic violations normally are specifically excluded from such inquiries. Accordingly, if you have any past brushes with the law that may impair your marketability as a job applicant, get advice from an attorney who specializes in employment law. Also look into the possibility of officially expunging arrest records.
If you are seeking employment in a state other than the one in which you reside, be sure that the attorney understands relevant law in both states, as well as applicable federal laws. You should know precisely what biographical details the prospective employer legally can inquire about, and what you should do if you are asked an illegal question. Bear in mind that an employer may reject you for refusal to answer an illegal question, using the pretext that you were unsuitable for other reasons.
Credit Checks: Some companies conduct credit checks on potential hires. While there is conflicting evidence about its predictive power, some firms believe that someone with a poor credit history is likely to be a problem employee. For younger applicants who do not have an established credit history, use of credit checks by an employer can present a barrier to being hired.
Fingerprinting: Be aware that many financial institutions, in accordance with regulatory policy, demand that employees be fingerprinted.
Erroneous Information: Background and credit checks at times come back with erroneous information that may place unwarranted blemishes on your record. Understand what redress you have if this happens to you.
Invasion of Privacy: If you believe that a prospective employer is trying to invade your personal privacy to an unwarranted degree, reconsider whether you want to work there. A company’s hiring practices often give important clues on how it treats its employees.
Changing Business Conditions: A common contingency is that business conditions can change very quickly after a job offer is extended. The company may start a round of layoffs that includes the job just offered to you. Alternatively, you may still have a job, but it may be radically different from what you thought you were getting. For all these reasons, and for the ones mentioned earlier, be careful to keep other options open for as long as you can. In particular, do not decline other job offers until you are certain that you actually will get the one that you prefer.
