As an Indianapolis headhunter, I frequently ask my candidates questions such as "Have you ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor?" Or, "Why did you leave your last position?" Over the past five years I have spent as an executive recruiter, I have frequently experienced candidates who incorrectly or inadequately answer these questions.
This can be detrimental to any job search. Part of my job is to help my candidates address these questions and any issues in their past when applying for accounting jobs Indianapolis.
Lets first look at the criminal background question. First, most Indianapolis companies complete criminal background checks on prospective candidates so be prepared for this question. Just because you have been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony does not mean that a company will eliminate you as a candidate for a position (as long it is not something of a very serious nature). What most companies are looking for is honesty when answering this question. If you had a DUI in your past, then be honest about it. While it is definitely not something to be proud of, DUIs are one of the most common offenses and will typically not elimate a candidate for consideration for an Indianapolis finance job. What will elminate you from consideration is not disclosing the DUI (or other offense) when applying for Indianapolis job openings and a potential employer when asked this question.
The second important question is regarding why you left your previous position. If your position was elminated (again, which is extremely common in this economic environment), then disclose it. It will not elminate you from consideration for an Indianapolis job opening. Potential employers will call your previous employers to verify employment and your reasons for leaving. Employment laws typically prevent employers from providing significant detail surrounding this question. However, most employers will reach out their individual networks to see what others might know about your work history and performance. Executive headhunters like to call this "backdoor referencing" and it is often a great source of information on a candidate.
I think we are all ready for Tiger to directly address the current allegations in the media. Being direct and honest in your job search will enable any candidate to signifcantly improve their chances in the Central Indiana job market.
