background checks can also include whether you screwed the CP's daughter...

o crap, i did that

 

If an airline finds out that you omitted any employer, they will assume that you got fired for stealing (or something like that) and they will promptly fire you for lying on your application. This is 100% guaranteed.

Don't omit residential addresses or employers just because it's a nuisance to list them all.

 

Does he know about it?

 

This is a personal anecdote of what happened to someone I wanted to hire. We tell all candidates that there will be a background check and reference check before anyone gets a final offer. At the interview, we even joke about it by saying that "unless you are running from the FBI or you are the Texas Chainsaw massacre person, you probably have nothing to worry about." The good candidates have said "well, you might find a parking ticket in there."

This particular young woman did not say anything. The background check came back with two hits. I was very disappointed in her because she is what we lawyers and judges call "less than forthcoming." If there is something in your background, we will know it. If she was hiding this hoping we won't find out, she's more naive than I suspected.

I am not telling you guys what you should say at your regional interview; I am only telling you what happened in my world.

 

I've wondered about background checks too, and have a few questions:

1) Often I've worked 2-3 jobs at a time and omit then on the application, since they take up too much space and are irrelevant to the job. Good or bad?

2) Speeding tickets: I've had a few, most never made it onto my DMV record since I went to traffic school. Do I still have to list them? Some were over 7 years ago.

3) What kind of information can the airline obtain regarding previous employers? If you were terminated at a job (I assume everyone has), should you even bother listing it....or just say you quit? I know honesty is important, but will a prospective employer even find out in the first place?

 

Due to the PRIA, airlines are more likely to get past employment details from companies where you were employed as a pilot. If you were doing non-flying work at a non-aviation company it is harder for an airline to get the details.

1) You should basically list ALL jobs. If you got paid in cash (no W-2 or 1099) you could probably get away with not mentioning it, but I would just list everything on a sperate sheet if needed.

2) I think that a traffic ticket that was resolved by traffic school does not count, but I would read the fine print on the application and take it literally.

3) Honesty is the key. The problem with not listing something is that if they find out later you WILL be fired. They don't usually do background checks until you start training, so you've already quit your old job. Most airline new hire classes lose one pilot 2-3 weeks into the program due to something they didn't report on their background form.

Better to take a chance not getting hired in the first place than to get fired from a 121 job for falsifying your background...that will immediately and PERMANENTLY end your airline career.

If you have a background issue that you need to explain, discuss it briefly and succinctly, take FULL responsibility (even if it wasn't your fault), and tell the interviewer what you learned. Then move on to the next subject.

 

Do a background check on yourself, that should answer your questions, and it will help with you with dates, locations, etc. I had a ticket that was taken care of with traffic school, did not show up on State DMV records, or NDR; but it did show in a backgrond check.

 

Thanks for the advice, I'd rather not risk limiting my chances of getting hired, but it's probably better to be honest in the beginning like you said.

 

What I didnt list or wasn't sure about, I talked to the HR lady about when I handed in my application... there's some freelance web design I did when i was 18 that I wasn't sure if I ever did a W-2 or 1099 for... so I told her and she said she'd just make a note of it and that it wouldn't be a big deal. I think they'd care a lot more if they caught something that you were trying to hide that's bad -- not a simple mistake or something minor like that. I'm curious to see what my background check shows up...

 

Does anyone know if you have a goverment security clearance (Secret, TS, or SCI) do you still need the background check? Since the FBI does those clearances I wonder if they hook you up.

Thanks for the info,

TToad