Question: I'm a senior-level
finance professional who's job hunting for the first time in 20 years.
Several years ago, I pled guilty to a domestic-violence charge.
Background searches are standard practice at my level, and my record is
causing me to be rejected for jobs I could do easily. Any advice?
Answer:
This question is timely in the aftermath of the firing of HBO Inc.
Chief Executive Officer Chris Albrecht last month. Mr. Albrecht
admitted to a misdemeanor battery charge following a highly publicized
altercation with his girlfriend in Las Vegas. He lost his job after it
was revealed that HBO had paid to settle a prior incident in 1991
involving a woman who worked for Mr. Albrecht in Los Angeles.
With Mr. Albrecht heading to a rehab center, he may have kept his job
had this been an isolated incident. But companies that might keep an
employee following one offense often can't justify retaining someone
who does the same thing again.
And employers are willing to consider candidates with criminal
backgrounds, says Lee Hill, CEO of Informed Network Corp., a background
checking firm in Houston, Texas. "Most companies live in the real world
and often deal with problems like this," he says. "Not that many have
zero tolerance for such things."
The exception is when the crime is related to your job function. For
instance, it's hard for finance executives, such as you, to find work
in their fields if they've committed a financially-related crime.
To get hired, the task you face is the same as for any other highly
qualified candidate with a criminal background -- whether it's drunk
driving, substance abuse or another charge: You must convince hiring
managers it won't happen again.
This is a balancing act that requires you to discuss your situation
frankly and with humility with a potential employer before it requests
a background check, says Jeff Hawn, managing partner of PrincetonOne
Search, an executive recruiting firm in Skillman, N.J.. The last thing
you want is for companies to learn about your past from someone else,
says Mr. Hawn.
"We've had people with misdemeanor or felony backgrounds hired by
premium corporations with very strict hiring standards because they
managed the process," he says.
Mr. Hawn suggests disclosing your record after the first interview,
assuming it goes well. Don't say anything prior to the visit because
then "it's too easy for the company to say 'You aren't worth our time,'
" the recruiter says. But after a good interview, the company has a
reason to try to work things out.
If you wait until after you've had several interviews or company-paid
trips to meet other executives, the employer may feel as though it's
been thrown a curve ball and "they won't appreciate it," Mr. Hawn says.
In bringing up the issue, he suggests saying something like, "My
interest is piqued. I would like to share something about my past,
which was an isolated incident.' "
"The admission must be accompanied by a succinct and honest answer
about where you were at this time in your life and what you've done to
change," says Mr. Hill. Take responsibility and explain why it won't
happen again and if possible, provide names of referrals who can
discuss your character and qualifications.
Mr. Hill says client companies often call him to ask for more details
about candidates who have disclosed criminal deeds that occurred
earlier in their lives. "My impression is that they are more willing
and open minded to hiring someone who comes forward than a person who
hasn't disclosed it," he says.
![View Lee Hill [Lee@informednetworks.com]'s profile on LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/img/webpromo/btn_viewmy_160x25.gif){kind=small}
