NExt Question: to notify or not to notify???

[odanelli]

Thanks for the responses on my 1st question. So here's the new one. 1 of the applications has a check box for "Contact Employer." I'm torn on how to mark this. Here's the problem:

1) The insurance industry is similar to the banking industry. We are often responsible for large sums of money, in which case often the company would assume terminate someone rather than have ta person stay and run the risk of theft.

After over 5.5 years, my manager and company know me better, but it could be a problem.

2) The other problem is this, I know that I may(probable) get a "few" rejections along the way, in which case, I'd hate to raise the flags if it may be a while before I left the business.

I also have extreme respect for my manager. I almost feel like I am letting him down. All be it I am the proprietor, my manager is very much like a mentor, that has "had my back" many a time. I know he knows about my families history w/law enforcement, he happens to have a family member who works for a federal agency, and I know he knows how difficult of a year it was.

Thoughts? :confused:

[md123]

Keep in mind that even if you check the box saying that you do not want your current employer contacted, they probably still will get contacted by your background investigator if your application makes it that far with any given employer. Some BI's might respect your request, but others may not as a matter of thoroughness.

If you talk to the person at your employer which the BI is most likely to contact (or contact first) then that might be advisable for several reasons. The most important being that this mentor will not feel screwed if he hears it from you first.

[chewy]

I agree with md. If you mark no they may wonder why you don't want your employer contacted (thinking maybe your not a good employee..etc) and will want to find out why. As far as the mentor thing, I'm sure he would understand. It's not as though your going to a competator insurance company, your getting into LE which is a completely different line of work. He may surprise you and show even more respect for your decision.

[odanelli]

Thanks Chewy and MD. I figured as much. I don't want to give the impression that I have something to hide. My concern is that corporate may decide that they are worried about commingling of funds and such. Kinda like a bank that doesn't want 2 weeks notice. "...You're looking fo a job...will have security be your escort...to the front door" I have seen it happen.

Not sure if they would let me go that fast, especially after over 5 years, but it's possible. Then again, if they know it's for potential Law Enforcement, I would hope that corporate would know that I will continue to keep my integrity, and ethics whether I get an offer or not.

[acreature]

If they cut you for applying for a Job, then you would have a good lawsuit.

[mcsap]

If you check no it looks like you have something to HIDE. Regardless of whether you do or not. Impress your new employer, not your hopefully former one.

[nyhopefull]

That is not true. I checked no and expained to my investigator that my job could be in jeopardy if they were contacted. They fully understand these situations. I, too, felt bad about not telling my boss, but you need to do what is best for you. I told my boss after I was hired and while he was not thrilled, he understood. I was in the accounting field, so I can understand where you are coming from.

[Joeyd6]

Trust me folks.....in the NYPD you can check whatever you want. There is contact made to verify you work there. Period. You can explain away why you have aproblem and do not want them to, and that just gives the BI a heads up. But you can not be placed on teh qualified list withoutthat contcat being made and info exchanged.

Remember, most departmenst want verification you work or worked there and some info on attendance and evaluations. That info is usually given out by Human Resources......not your supervisor. When a supervisor gets a request that info, it is usually forwarded to the human resources or clerical staff. That is why when an application asks for a mailing address of an employer, you give the main address. Example: Work for Sears at the local mall. Well you put down that you work at store #1234 in the John Q. Mall as a .....etc. Then where the address goes, you call Sears and get the HR address, whihc is Hoffman Estates, Chicago.

[corporal716]

Most likely they are not going to contact anyone until they get into your background investigation. When that starts there is no way around them contacting your employer.

[Chgojock007]

Check notify your current employer, it's not like you're seeking employment with a rival insurance company. LE is a tottally different ballgame and they will understand that. If you check no, as it has been stated above, your BI will probably do so anyway and it may appear that you're hiding something when you're not.

Good luck

[mxwelch]

It's an individual call. I let a previous employer know everything that was going on and about three months later when it looked like I might get an offer they trumped up some old rule in the company handguide that just about everybody in the company, including my supervisor, had broken and terminated me. It turned out that I didn't get the offer and now must explain in great detail the event to every dept I apply with. I had been with the company for 10 years with excellent reviews and commendations for the whole time. It can be a problem though. If you don't check contact it might seem like your'e trying to hide something. If you check contact then you could open yourself up to retribution.

[spitfire]

I faced the same dilemma when I was going through the process for the dept. I now work for.

In the end, I decided to tell my boss because I knew she would find out eventually & she'd take it better from me rather than getting a call from a BI. In hindsight, me telling her had it's pro's & con's, but worked out okay.

On the flip side though, I've known people from the academy who told their boss & really ended up regretting it, for various reasons. You just gotta go with your gut.

[Ranger__101]

The only difference that makes is at what point they'll contact your current for former employer.

If you check contact your application goes alot faster since they can contact all the employers before you get an offer.

If you check don't contact your application gets held up and you have to really score high for them to give you an offer and then contact your former employer for verification.

Either way if you get far enough in the process your employers, friends, neighbors, family, and any one else they know will get contacted.

Generally most people check the don't contact box if they are changing jobs and have not told their current employer so that if they don't get the offer their current employer won't know and can't hold that against them.

[leowonderer]

I did not read the first question but let me say something from experience. I told my boss right away that I was thinking about being a police officer. He was very suportive and I also informed him that it would take some serious time before I could even possibly be hired. I am a very good employee with the company and they are giving me a good recomendation.

I also had a former employee some 6 years ago that I quit from. The boss did not like me because I pointed out some safety problems that he did not want to fix due to cost. He could not have fired me it ould have been against the law. I did not put do not call on my BI list. I told my BI what the situation was and it seemed like he understood.

I also told my current boss about the situation and it did not lose me the job.

[retdetsgt]

It's against the law for them, at least in Oregon, to check with your employer if you asked them not too. I think it's also federal, but I'm can't prove it at this point. I think it has to do with civil rights protection.

Now they may say at some point that they have to have permission or else they will drop your application, but I don't think they can do it w/o your permission.