"Go to www.google.com and search for by his name; you'll find what I did. A message he posted on a discussion service where he talked about sizable trading losses. We can't let him anywhere near our systems or anywhere near our trading models."
And from there I learned a valuable lesson.
As a junior recruiter, back in The Stone Ages, I lost two hires for matters that might seem personal--one was an officer with a bank who, shortly after she joined, had penned several pornographic books; the other was a computer consultant who, apparently not long before accepting a position with the consulting firm I introduced her to, had posed for two magazines that were released two weeks after she joined her no employer (how they discovered the photo shoot and magazines was never asked, of course).
With the recent NFL draft highlighting a drive toward great athleticism and character resulting from recent bad episodes involving players, it begs the question of whether your firm is doing anything of even a marginal basis to check a person's background prior to their joining your firm.
Does your firm engage in a background check?
Do you use Google to search for old resumes that are inconsistent with the one you received?
Have you been surprised by anything that appears on their web page or social network site page?
If you have, have you asked the person about anything that you've found?
To be clear, I am not suggesting that your firm turn into the second coming of the KGB. I am suggesting that character is impoprtant in your new hires is important and that question marks need to be investigated before something occurs later that will be an incredible headache for everyone.
Jeff Altman
The Big Game Hunter
Concepts in Staffing
thebiggamehunter@cisny.com
© 2007 all rights reserved.
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter, is Managing Director with Concepts in Staffing, a New York search firm, He has successfully assisted many corporations identify management leaders and staff in many disciplines since 1971. He is a certified leader of the ManKind Project, a not for profit organization that assists men with life issues, and a practicing psychotherapist.
To receive a daily digest of positions emailed to you, search for openings that The Big Game Hunter is working on, to use Jeff’s free job lead search engine, Job Search Universe, to subscribe to Jeff’s free job hunting ezine, “Head Hunt Your Next Job, or his staffing ezine, “Natural Selection”, or to learn about his VIP program, go to http://www.jeffaltman.com. Job Search Universe is also available at www.jobsearchuniverse.com To add your firm’s career page to “The Universe” email the url to jobsearchuniverse@gmail.com.
If you would like Jeff and his firm to assist you with hiring staff, or if you would like help with a strategic job change, send an email to him at thebiggamehunter@cisny.com (If you’re looking for a new position, include your resume).
If you have a question that you would like me to answer pertaining to job hunting or hiring, email it to him at:
thebiggamehunter@gmail.com
