Does your Credit Score = No Job?

Let’s put it straight out there: background checks are necessary for all new hires. However, what about credit checks?  A company’s decision to run a credit check should depend on the position that an applicant is applying for, well at least it should be.

In the hiring world, some believe that if a person has bad credit, then they are considered an unsavory character and therefore, won’t perform well or may even steal from the company.

Time after time, employers reject qualified candidates for positions because of what shows up on their credit report, such as: divorce, foreclosure, credit card debt, bankruptcy, job loss, and even outstanding large loans.  These decisions hurt minorities and women more than any other class!

Oh!… and lets not forget about your Facebook pictures or Twitter statuses. The type of pictures or writings youpost on online-social networks will be considered part of your background check.

A favorable credit check is necessary if an individual is hired to handle large amounts of money and/or confidential information. Yes,in this case a credit check should be performed.  However, using a credit report to deny a qualified candidate who will be hired for a clerk position at a shipping company is nothing short of asinine.

Plus, it reeks of discrimination.

So, what if you decide, “I am going to refuse a credit check?”  Simply put, you will not be hired.

Luckily, legislators agree that change about how a company implements credit checks for hiring practices are needed.

January 2011, Congressman Steve Cohen of Tennessee introduced legislation, “the Equal Employment for All Act” (H.R. 321) ,to prohibit the use of a credit check when it comes to hiring practices.  The Congressman states,

“Using a job applicant’s credit history to deny employment is not fair because personal credit history is not an accurate predictor of job performance.” Congressman Cohen also said,  “We should be doing everything in our power to help people find jobs during these tough economic times – not hinder them.”

With an economy that has left millions of Americans unemployed, more attention needs to be focused on this issue so that the vicious cycle of high unemployment can come to an end.

Stay Positive.

Joveline

The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, positions or strategies of Holland Turner Media Group, or any employee thereof. Holland Turner Media Group reserves the right to delete, edit, or alter content in any manner it sees fit or deems unacceptable.

Coping with Termination and Unemployment

Coping with Termination and Unemployment

As a National Executive Recruiter, I talk to at least 70+ people a week about different career opportunities for companies. One minute, I could be asking a Programming Analyst about his Java experience then the next moment an Administrative Assistant about her typing skills.

While speaking with various job candidates, I surprisingly turn into a life coach or counselor. Candidates ask many questions from: “Are there jobs in South Florida?” to “Do you think I should leave my current position for x, y, and z reason?”

However, the top two questions that I consistently receive are:  

1)   I was terminated or laid off! How do I explain this?”  

2)   I haven’t worked in more than 6 months, what should I do to be competitive in the job market? 

For this blog, I will discuss the first question: 1)  I was terminated/laid off/framed. How do I explain this?”

As most of us are aware, the unemployment rate has a five-finger, death grip on the African American community, which stands at 16.2% and probably 20% if we count employees who are stuck in part-time, low paying, or volunteer positions.

Then add the grief of being fired from a position or/and not finding work within six months… to be honest, I can not think of too many other things that can truly crush your soul when it comes to your career. 

If you are framed (aka set-up) and forced to quit or terminated just remember, it happens to the best of us!  I promise it certainly does. Remember you are not the first person to face this situation and this may not be your last.

So when interviewing with potential new employers, keep it positive and brief.

Personally, I strongly recommend not going into a dissertation about the circumstances and what ever you do, DO NOT talk bad about your former employer – EVER!

I recommend bringing up the termination before you are asked about it and turning the conversation into a positive.  This is not easy by any means.  You may need to write down your thoughts and practice.

Here are two examples to help you get started:

1.     “The company was great but the job description was not what I expected so, the manager and I decided that I should move on. However, while in the position I have received written references from….” 

Or 

2.     “Even though the company has relocated to X,Y,Z state or country, I was the most successful customer service representative.  I won Employee of the Month…..”

Keep it Short, Simple, and Sweet….Sweet meaning end the statement with something positive.  Something you learned, won, or even written references from your previous employer.  

Stay Positive!

Joveline 

The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, positions or strategies of Holland Turner Media Group, or any employee thereof. Holland Turner Media Group reserves the right to delete, edit, or alter content in any manner it sees fit or deems unacceptable.

Why is Occupy Wall Street Necessary?

As an descendent of Black American Slaves, I am always down for a well-thought out, controversial, minority against all odds protest to showcase inequalities within America.

Like most of the country, I didn’t pay the Occupy Wall Street protest any mind until I noticed that the group was growing in size. 

Apparently, most major media outlets also ignored the group as well.  For example, one early Sunday morning in August, while watching the, "Wall Street Journal," the host, Maria Bartiromo briefly mentioned that a group was protesting budget cuts on Wall Street. 

Not much else was mentioned about the group until….

September 1, 2011, when around 10 protestors were arrested for disorderly conduct and later released without charge.  

Just over one month later, Occupy Wall Street has spread to Europe, Australia, and even Japan.

Occupy Wall Street consists of multi-racial, multi-cultural, and multi-generational Americans who feel that capitalism has failed.  Like similar protests across Europe, Occupy Wall Street represents revolt against failed banking regulation, failed government, and failed justice.

According to occupywallst.org, “Occupy Wall Street is a horizontally organized resistance movement employing the revolutionary Arab Spring tactic to restore democracy in America. We use a tool known as a "people's assembly" to facilitate collective decision making in an open, participatory and non-binding manner. We call ours the NYC General Assembly and we welcome people from all colors, genders and beliefs to attend our daily assemblies.”

Hopefully this movement will reawaken our social consciousness and bring attention to the need to transform our communities and redefine an economy that has not functioned properly in the past 30 years.

For example:

1. The top 1 percent of Americans possesses more wealth than the entire bottom 90 percent.
2. In the Bush expansion from 2002 to 2007, 65 percent of economic gains went to the richest 1 percent.
3. According to the Central Intelligence Agency, the United States is more unequal as a society than either Tunisia or Egypt when it comes to income inequality.

The Occupy Wall Street movement is absolutely critical in bringing to light the issues that face our nation.  This movement should not be victimized as a “leftist, young hippie movement” but instead a revolution for Equality within a country that has catered to Wall Street.

Stay Positive.

Joveline

The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, positions or strategies of Holland Turner Media Group, or any employee thereof. Holland Turner Media Group reserves the right to delete, edit, or alter content in any manner it sees fit or deems unacceptable.