Refused me job ..aibu to feel like giving up?

[reddeadalive]

I'm 33 and my job history is mainly customer service.
In the last 11 years my mum had cancer and has passed away in September.
I kept taking breaks in my employment to look after her.
My last job was 2016
I applied for a call centre and got offered the job.
Told them my previous history but couldn't remember exact dates.
They did a Experian employment check and refused the offer.
Saying there were too many gaps in my employment.
I feel really really low.
In a ideal world my mum wouldn't have been ill and I wouldn't have had to keep leaving jobs.
Will I ever get a job again ?

If Experian are doing the pre-employment checks which Pinktonic described, then they write to your previous employers for the standard HR type info (start date, end date, role). Can you contact your previous employers for this info, if you don't know precisely.

You are asking a company to pay you a salary and to give you access to their systems and customers. You could really sabotage them once you are in the company. Please take this in the right spirit and be transparent and as honest as you can, even if it means chasing down the details.

Whatever you do, don't be defensive.

They are probably just making an excuse. Lockdown may mean that they have to furlough but instead they could give your job to them. So then someone rings and gives a crappy excuse like gaps in employment (which they will have known anyways from you CV before interview), mentions the Experian thing but actually, it isn't even connected.

On the positive side, at least they gave you a reason. It's a reason you can fix for next time.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

They are probably just making an excuse. Lockdown may mean that they have to furlough but instead they could give your job to them. So then someone rings and gives a crappy excuse like gaps in employment (which they will have known anyways from you CV before interview), mentions the Experian thing but actually, it isn't even connected.

This is unhelpful. They have probably conducted perfectly normal pre employment screening checks and found that the CV and the results of the checks don’t marry up. It is far better for the OP to understand that this sort of screening is commonplace and to get her CV up to scratch so the same thing doesn’t happen again. Someone has already posted a link to Experian pre employment screening so read it and understand. They can check your qualifications and your social media as well as your financial and criminal background and employment history.

Wow never heard of this scary big brother company Experian before. So creepy. Don't give up OP hopefully there are some decent employers out there who will see that taking time out to care for your sick mother is a good thing to do and give you a chance.

I've read the link regarding the Experian checking of employment and I still don't understand it.
On my cv I have the names of business and address details etc
So how can they see my start date /end date ? When I can't even see it ?
I don't understand
If I could access this info it would help me update my cv.
Or do Experian just ring my previous employers ?
I'm confused as the places I've worked at ..I've worked there so don't get it.

Surely I know my dates better than Experian?

But didn't you just say you "couldn't remember the exact dates"?

The difficulty with so many out of work is that discovering even the slightest inaccuracy's considered enough to put you in the "no" pile, but if you got this far it's pretty certain you'll find something sooner or later

Onwards and upwards, but do tell the truth on your CV and go from there

"Experian Employment Reference Checks validate a candidate’s employment history, confirming the position held, key responsibilities, the dates of employment and any additional training or qualifications received."

Where do they get this information from?

@Puzzledandpissedoff I know I worked at citi financial for example 03/2010 but I don't know the exact date...so how do Experian ? That's what's confusing me

Cross-posted with clolo. So this stuff isn't on file somewhere, Experian just calls up and verifies it?

@reddeadalive

I've read the link regarding the Experian checking of employment and I still don't understand it. On my cv I have the names of business and address details etc So how can they see my start date /end date ? When I can't even see it ? I don't understand If I could access this info it would help me update my cv. Or do Experian just ring my previous employers ? I'm confused as the places I've worked at ..I've worked there so don't get it.

They write to the employers you have put on your CV and check your dates match what the employer has.

@reddeadalive

So can anyone explain how Experian do this employment check ? The type my name Joe bloggs And all my history pops up ?

Experian are well known for credit score provision. However they offer an employee background checking service as well, it is not unusual for companies to use a reference checking service to follow up rather than utilise their own time.

So Experian would have taken all the dates you provided and checked them with the employers you named. They clearly found some discrepancies because you have made estimates, you mentioned for one you put “2017” this is not nearly accurate enough, it could be an entire year of difference.

For next time, dig out your old financial records and get at least month / year accuracy onto your CV. Somebody will understand why you have had gaps in the past and will be sympathetic to you.

@reddeadalive

I've read the link regarding the Experian checking of employment and I still don't understand it. On my cv I have the names of business and address details etc So how can they see my start date /end date ? When I can't even see it ? I don't understand If I could access this info it would help me update my cv. Or do Experian just ring my previous employers ? I'm confused as the places I've worked at ..I've worked there so don't get it.

OP i hope you don't feel this is hijacking your thread

I am also shocked to hear this - when did anyone consent to giving Experian that data? Or are they used to check it?

Re the caring

Have you tried any agencies. I have caring gaps, smaller period though, and there seem to be employers out there who understand and will look to give opps to a returner. Good luck

I don't know the exact date...so how do Experian?

I honestly don't know the full process, but it hardly matters. Clearly they are able to check, so with an employer who's likely to do this the only solution is to be straightforward

I am also shocked to hear this - when did anyone consent to giving Experian that data? Or are they used to check it?

They are used to check it. This won’t happen without the consent of the candidate.

I had no idea that such a thing even exists! I guess candidates have to give their consent otherwise I’d see it as an invasion or privacy that they could look at your credit score even.

@PinkTonic

I am also shocked to hear this - when did anyone consent to giving Experian that data? Or are they used to check it?

They are used to check it. This won’t happen without the consent of the candidate.

Oh - so a future employer might ask me "can we use an outside agency to validate the dates on your CV?"

[quote reddeadalive]@Puzzledandpissedoff I know I worked at citi financial for example 03/2010 but I don't know the exact date...so how do Experian ? That's what's confusing me [/quote]
OP, people have replied. Experian will write to your previous employers. You would have consented to your prospective employer obtaining pre-employee references. It will be a condition of employment and will be somewhere in the application form or letter of offer.

Ok that makes sense.
I thought it must be some data base out there that stores all the info on.

Oh - so a future employer might ask me "can we use an outside agency to validate the dates on your CV?"

I just got a new job and when they made the offer they said you’ll get an email from our screening provider please click on the link and follow the instructions. The first thing I had to do was sign the consent form.

Somebody will understand why you have had gaps in the past and will be sympathetic

Absolutely, yes - especially as OP clearly has a good reason

From long experience, "gaps" matter a lot less than being honest about them. Get that bit wrong and any employer with sense will wonder what else you've not been truthful about and how that'll turn out if they offer the job

You've said yourselves you don't know your exact employment dates. So if the dates on your CV don't match the records held by your previous employer(s), people are going to ask questions.

Ultimately, businesses are about making profit. It costs money to hire people and train them up - they want to know that any new employee is trustworthy, honest and has an employment history that matches up to their CV.

You need to look over your CV and make sure the dates are accurate. Get in touch with previous employers if you genuinely can't remember, and ask them to let you know your start/end dates.

One of my problems is my friends boyfriend rented a business and I worked there as a part time waitress but it was cash in hand type of work so I don't think I can put that down can I ?