Need advice about a job

[sho]

Any assistance on what I can do, should do would be greatly appreciated.  Here is the situation.   About 2 months ago, a former boss recruited me to her new company.   It was a significant pay raise and improved benefits.  I went through the process, interviewed, was offered the position, and accepted pending my background check.   I was supposed to start 7/9, on 6/29 they call and advise me they are having issues verifying my education, apparently my degree wasn't updated in some national database.   I called the school, advise them of the situation, request transcripts, send it to my new company and the third party company doing my background check.   They received verification on 7/5 and the third party company updated them on 7/6.  I show up on my first day, and was told that they haven't finalized my background check and once that's done, they will get back to me.  I have confirmed with their  HR later that day that they have received all the corrected information and she would have someone reach out to me.   Since then, there's been no contact, HR lady's VM is full, I don't have her email.  Emailing my former boss, she's telling me that everyone in the department is frustrated and tells me to keep working with the HR lady.   With the fact that I have a signed offer letter, and have passed the background check now, do I have any options besides looking for new job?   I quit my last job to start this one and now am just sitting waiting.   Do I start applying elsewhere and hope I can find something quick or press the issue with this new company?

 

[Thanks_Tom RR]

Do I start applying elsewhere and hope I can find something quick or press the issue with this new company?

Sorry to hear about this frustrating situation. I would pursue both opinions you outline. Depending on the nature of your relationship with your former/prospective boss, you may have another conversation specifically about your difficulty interacting with their company's HR women. If anything, you may be able to get an email address to direct your inquiries toward. Still, there is no harm re-opening your job search to create alternative opinions.

 

[Minnesota_husker]

Any assistance on what I can do, should do would be greatly appreciated.  Here is the situation.   About 2 months ago, a former boss recruited me to her new company.   It was a significant pay raise and improved benefits.  I went through the process, interviewed, was offered the position, and accepted pending my background check.   I was supposed to start 7/9, on 6/29 they call and advise me they are having issues verifying my education, apparently my degree wasn't updated in some national database.   I called the school, advise them of the situation, request transcripts, send it to my new company and the third party company doing my background check.   They received verification on 7/5 and the third party company updated them on 7/6.  I show up on my first day, and was told that they haven't finalized my background check and once that's done, they will get back to me.  I have confirmed with their  HR later that day that they have received all the corrected information and she would have someone reach out to me.   Since then, there's been no contact, HR lady's VM is full, I don't have her email.  Emailing my former boss, she's telling me that everyone in the department is frustrated and tells me to keep working with the HR lady.   With the fact that I have a signed offer letter, and have passed the background check now, do I have any options besides looking for new job?   I quit my last job to start this one and now am just sitting waiting.   Do I start applying elsewhere and hope I can find something quick or press the issue with this new company?

YIKES.

I am in HR. I do all the hiring and so I can tell you that lady is messing up big. Technically you would have a potential case since you quit your other job in good faith and you met their background requirements.

I suggest emailing the HR gal and keep everything in writing just in case. While you might have a leg to stand on, might not be worth your time however reputation is big for companies. If this falls through I would broadcast it on Google, Glassdoor and Indeed in the reviews of a company. It is not ok what she is doing in the slightest.

Education verification is not usually a game changer for us unless we have concerns. It is technically a way to decline someone, but also not something that is a "no-go" like a Felony could be. That varies by company. 

I suggest going to the office and asking to speak with either HR gal or potentially her Manager for an updated. If you have have the managers email and know the HR gals name, you might be able to figure out her email address. 

Reputation for companies is huge. While it might not be worth going down the legal route, you did technically quit a job in good faith and you followed through on all your requirements.

Feel free to message me if you have more specifics. This is what I do day in and day out. While companies vary, I am happy to share my thoughts. 

If this is how they treat there employees, you might want to getting a new job either way. 

 

[teachercd]

Start looking...shoot even when you have a nice job you should be looking.

Also, some HR people are impossible to deal with, you might be dealing with one of them.

I would also tell your new boss that "Hey...I have bills to pay like everyone else, when this all works out I will assume that I will receive the money as if I started on the original start date"

 

[krc1995]

When your new boss replied ”everyone’s frustrated” what is she frustrated about?  

Is it possible that the HR manager is on vacation or on a business trip?  I know that when you are eager and maybe even desperate to start a new job, a day or two can feel like a month but in my experience most of these things work out just not as fast as we would like.  

 

[BigRedBuster]

That stinks.

I would definitely contact, in a very professional way, the HR person's boss and inquire as to what it would take to move this forward....while explaining everything that has been happening.  Explain that you really want to work for this company and want this job but, at this point, you have no job and it is forcing you to open up your job search for other opportunities.  If they can get their problems figured out before you find a different opportunity, you would still love to join their company.

HR is there to get good talent into the company.  If the woman who hired you really wants you (which sounds like she does), then HR should be doing what it takes to get this figured out.

PS....I would have a similar conversation with the woman who hired you.  Let her know that this is leaving you with no options but to look elsewhere.

 

[sho]

When your new boss replied ”everyone’s frustrated” what is she frustrated about?  

Is it possible that the HR manager is on vacation or on a business trip?  I know that when you are eager and maybe even desperate to start a new job, a day or two can feel like a month but in my experience most of these things work out just not as fast as we would like.  

"everyone's frustrated" refers to the team in Omaha, apparently I'm the 3rd candidate (not just for this position) that has had some transcript issues and has created delays.  My former boss was saying they had hired someone, and a similar situation occurred where they couldn't verify education, and the applicant's school has since closed and has doesn't know how to even begin to get her info updated.  I graduated 20 years ago, this is the first time education verification has ever been an issue.  Either it's not something done regularly or the third party they use is awful. 

And the HR lady from VA called me back this afternoon and told that since they cannot verify my education, and that I could have faked my official transcripts, that I have failed my background check for lying on my resume.   I am beyond upset.  Apparently my old school sent me the transcripts, but according to this HR lady, has not updated the database, and they need to move forward and I am no longer a candidate.  The thing that irritates me the most, my work experience, I have all the qualifications that would be needed, but because their legal team views that I 'lied' on my resume, they took a hard pass.

 

[B.B. Hemingway]

Start looking...shoot even when you have a nice job you should be looking.

Yep, you should never stop looking to improve your lot in life. 

 

[Xmas32]

"everyone's frustrated" refers to the team in Omaha, apparently I'm the 3rd candidate (not just for this position) that has had some transcript issues and has created delays.  My former boss was saying they had hired someone, and a similar situation occurred where they couldn't verify education, and the applicant's school has since closed and has doesn't know how to even begin to get her info updated.  I graduated 20 years ago, this is the first time education verification has ever been an issue.  Either it's not something done regularly or the third party they use is awful. 

And the HR lady from VA called me back this afternoon and told that since they cannot verify my education, and that I could have faked my official transcripts, that I have failed my background check for lying on my resume.   I am beyond upset.  Apparently my old school sent me the transcripts, but according to this HR lady, has not updated the database, and they need to move forward and I am no longer a candidate.  The thing that irritates me the most, my work experience, I have all the qualifications that would be needed, but because their legal team views that I 'lied' on my resume, they took a hard pass.

Wow.  Just wow.  I'm terribly sorry to hear about your situation @sho.  The national database they are most likely referring to is the National Student Clearinghouse, http://www.studentclearinghouse.org/  they are the 'go to' for college education.  The line about you faking your official transcript is a bold statement by the HR individual.  In my opinion you still have a couple avenues you could pursue.  One would be to contact your potential future boss and physically show up and present your degree.  Another option would be to call your former school, find out who in the registars office handles education verification and have those people speak via phone.

I'll level with you, the fact that 3 candidates have all had issues verifying education is absolutely mind blowing.  Something is rotten in Denmark in regards to the 3rd party firm that is doing the background verifications.  

 

[huKSer]

I'm no HR person, but once you are 5 years plus out of college your job experience should be way more important than your education.  If you have credentials - teacher, lawyer, doctor, tradesman, etc - the transcript doesn't matter but the credential does.  

Sounds like a company you don't want to be apart of.

 

[krc1995]

this sucks.  Seems strange that every candidate has transcript issues.  Better get your resume out there.  

 

[Cdog923]

"everyone's frustrated" refers to the team in Omaha, apparently I'm the 3rd candidate (not just for this position) that has had some transcript issues and has created delays.  My former boss was saying they had hired someone, and a similar situation occurred where they couldn't verify education, and the applicant's school has since closed and has doesn't know how to even begin to get her info updated.  I graduated 20 years ago, this is the first time education verification has ever been an issue.  Either it's not something done regularly or the third party they use is awful. 

And the HR lady from VA called me back this afternoon and told that since they cannot verify my education, and that I could have faked my official transcripts, that I have failed my background check for lying on my resume.   I am beyond upset.  Apparently my old school sent me the transcripts, but according to this HR lady, has not updated the database, and they need to move forward and I am no longer a candidate.  The thing that irritates me the most, my work experience, I have all the qualifications that would be needed, but because their legal team views that I 'lied' on my resume, they took a hard pass.

May I ask, what line of work are you in? 

 

[teachercd]

Dude, this is why so many people hate HR (not you Minnesota Husker), because they are worthless at what they do.  You verified it for them, what more do they want, video footage of you in class 20 years ago.

 

[Making Chimichangas]

Dude, this is why so many people hate HR (not you Minnesota Husker), because they are worthless at what they do.  You verified it for them, what more do they want, video footage of you in class 20 years ago.

I get what you're saying, but I think (and I could absolutely be wrong) the owner of this business is the real villain here.  I think she jumped the gun and offered a position, probably based on acquiring some new lucrative deal, and the deal fell through.  When the deal fell through, she told the HR person to find a way to cancel the hire.  That is why the HR person took days to get back to @sho...the HR person needed time to come up with an excuse.  When HR person decided to use the transcripts being "possibly faked" that was when HR person called Sho back and informed him of the rescinded offer.  Again, I have no idea what really happened here, but I have been around long enough to know how the world works.

And @sho...I don't have any practical advice for you, but I did want to express my condolences because I know what you're going through.  I hope things work out for you.

 

[teachercd]

I get what you're saying, but I think (and I could absolutely be wrong) the owner of this business is the real villain here.  I think she jumped the gun and offered a position, probably based on acquiring some new lucrative deal, and the deal fell through.  When the deal fell through, she told the HR person to find a way to cancel the hire.  That is why the HR person took days to get back to @sho...the HR person needed time to come up with an excuse.  When HR person decided to use the transcripts being "possibly faked" that was when HR person called Sho back and informed him of the rescinded offer.  Again, I have no idea what really happened here, but I have been around long enough to know how the world works.

And @sho...I don't have any practical advice for you, but I did want to express my condolences because I know what you're going through.  I hope things work out for you.

Hmmm, interesting!  

HR people are notorious for taking forever to get back to people so I didn't really think along the lines of your thoughts but you could be right.