AIBU to think that I might be in a lot of trouble?

[SeekingEmployment]

So I am a young mum and I have just got an offer for my first proper, full time job. Yay! Very pleased about it :)

Everything has been really brilliant so far but I am concerned about one aspect of the process to come. The dreaded background check.

I had done an informal internship in a foreign country around 5 years ago. This was a very valuable learning experience for me but I think it might land me in some trouble because it is virtually impossible to verify.

Since it was unpaid and temporary I was told that there would be no records kept of me. This is what the norm was for the organisation in that country when I was working there. I have no idea what they do presently since it has been five years. I was just given an official certificate of completion and sent on my way.

The 2 people I worked for have now moved on from the company but I do have their contact details. I have no idea if this will suffice but the only thing I can provide are the contact details of the two people I worked under and the original certificate.

If they go via the normal route and contact the HR department of the company, they will not find me on the records.

I have spoken about this work experience in detail in all my interviews as well.
I am worried that they will call the company's HR and HR will just say sorry we don't know this person and my employer will assume I was lying.

Just how much trouble could this land me into? I am looking at it as a potential disaster because they might think I am lying (which I am definitely not!) Maybe someone with more experience can shed some light on this sort of situation.

I employed someone who had described previously working at a company which, when it was checked, denied that he had been an employee there. It turned out that the company was owned by a relative (and he had been clear at interview that he had got that job due to the relative). Reading between the lines, the company had probably not declared him on their books and so the relative was backtracking as she was worried about getting in trouble.

We took the view that if the company had not declared this guy it was not his fault, and that he had been honest and disclosed everything at interview. So he got the job. It sounds like you are in the same position.

I work for a large multinational and all references are checked and pursued, but if something like this comes up, proceeding is at the discretion of the manager who is doing the hiring. So as you've been offered the job already, hopefully this won't be a deal breaker even if it comes to light.

Don't worry-you've told the truth and your evidence backs that up

I once referenced a candidate coming out of a large multinational. Like most businesses that size their hr referencing was run from a contact centre. Who sent me a headed paper, fully official reference confirming that I, rather than the candidate, had indeed worked for them. I could have used that for so many things! Being honest, I told them but getting the replacement was a bloody nightmare! They were neither apologetic, grateful I'd been honest nor helpful.

Hahahaha

This story made my day, MsPickle!!! I cannot believe they did that! This is the funniest thing I have read all month.