I have had three jobs in five years and most recently got fired from my last job after six months for political reasons, my boss wanted to promote someone already there to my position and had her report even the slightest errors on my work so they could use that to get rid of me.
I stayed late, came in early while others spent their day on EBAY & social networking websites.
Now I have to explain leaving a job after six months, the company I worked for previously let me go after just two years but that was because the company closed. I don’t have references from that organization so I am even more SOL

On 10-21-09 I became a class (i) Felon in the state of Wisconsin, due to child support arrears, (less than $30,000. mind you.) Also, since 2004 I have spent 12 months, on and off, incarcerated in a county jail, again, all due to the child support. I’m know you’re aware employers can access C.C.A.P. (Circuit Court of Appeals Portraits)I believe. My last child support stay I was just released from on 9-14-09, after 3-months. Prior to that I was homeless for 444 days in a mens shelter after a child support jail release of a 6 month June of 2007. However, I found work in a Coffee Shop just two blocks from the shelter I was housed at. Unfortunately, I was paid cash, worked my way up to being his asst. mgr. from just coming in and moping his floors a couple time a week for cash/food. I became a 30-35 hour a week ghost to the government of course because he never offered any information for at least filing a 1099 form. In fact, he told me not to tell anyone I worked there for money but just for food. This went on for 17 months, including one month after I got out of jail. He then had to let me go because he said he was probably closing the business and needed to cut overhead. Sorry for being long-winded but how do you tell employers this story? Any suggestions from that over-worked H.R. mind of yours would be helpful.

Please know that I was in the Telecom industry from 1980-2001 as a B to B salesperson, sales manager, state support director of support and also have good retail and retail management in the wireless industry. In addition I won several awards for sales and letters of recommendation as a sales and support manager from at least three regional/national recognized telecommunication companies.

This is tough for me. I have a stayed prison sentenced and I’m on probation for the next 4 years. If I can’t find employment soon that stay can be revoked by my Probation Officer and I will be sent to state prison for 5 years. Not really feeling warm an fuzzy about that… go figure!

Sincerely,
Mark (from Milwaukee, WI)

P.S. I have already paid child support in the amount of $216,852.87, before all 3 of my kids became majority age in this state. I used to have great paying jobs. It’s the gaps (which were somewhat explained above) that are killing my job opportunities. HELP!!!!!!!!

“i have a problem. i have never worked, im 23 and i have been out of school for 7 years now. what do i put on application forms for the PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT bit??? any help appreciated.”

Response:

If you live in Chicago, IL, look in the phone book for an organization named ‘Jewish Vocational Services.’ JVS is a non-denominational organization that assists those who have spotty work histories. Also, JVS offers training in work skills. I trained there to learn secretarial skills in 1993. At that time, they also offered nurse’s assistant training. I was even provided a travel stipend to take pubic buses daily on my round trips daily during the work week from home to JVS. Look them up, and give them a try.

If you can’t find out your own job history, if you have to spend the time and money calling tax offices and collecting W2s to figure out when you worked where, what makes you think an employer is able to find out this information?

Criminal background checks are one thing. If you’re an ex-con, you can’t really get away with lying on your resume about that, but if you have a spotty job history, LIE. LIE THROUGH YOUR TEETH. LIE LIKE CRAZY. Even if they catch you, all they can do is not offer the position. If you tell the truth, you aren’t getting the job anyway, so you have absolutely nothing to lose.

And as far as credit goes, lots of people have bad credit right now. The economy is falling apart.

It sucks to lie, but it sucks a lot more to be unemployed and homeless. If you can find a friend who’s in a position to help you fabricate a job history (let’s say he’s the manager of a restaurant), great. If not, then you ran your own business teaching salsa lessons or something. Just make shit up. Survive.

– Former HR guy who’s seen his share of BS resumes.

From 1-1999 To 3-2001
Stay at home mom.

From 5-2001 To 10-2004
Self employed: Child Care and Housekeeping

References: Leave those you babysat for or cleaned house for,watched their house while away,their animals,whatever it is.

Youwho Beckett
phone number: 123-456-7890
address: 123 Underway Crossing…….

Reason for Leaving:
Need more hours,need better paying job,need steady job,need insurance,need to work outside of home,… whatever the reason.

If you have babysat,cleaned a friends home,drove children to and from school,was a pet sitter,took care of 60 year old grandma with a broken hip,… anything you have done while relocating,getting married,and having children to stay home with apply it to your application. Any courses you took,regardless if it is CPR,Child Care Provider certificate,… whatever it is apply it to your application. Good Luck.

Is there anything I can say to this employer to rectify this lie? I am devastated by this current event. If anyone has any advice I would really appreciate it!
ps
The State I got my GED in is not the state that
I quit school in so they do not know at this point that I have a GED

No company has the right to ask for your SS# unless you have been offered the position. It is illegal to use it for anything other than employment services (paycheck/taxes.) I will not apply to a company that ask for my SS#. This seems to be more prevalent these day..and what’s even worse is that some companies don’t list who they are; they just want you to send them your resume and other personal information without you getting to know who they are….Look at the online job search sections. There needs to be tighter laws that say prospective employers must identify who they are, where the job is located, an street address and phone number. When I am searching for a job, I hate to see all that wasted space online. From what I understand from a friend that works in a bank right now, they are not really looking for new employees as much as they want to see what kind of people are out there looking for jobs….in otherwords, they have no intentions of hiring anyone new. My suggestion to everyone – save your resume and interview time for companies that legitimate and give you all the information about them that you ask for.