BG check- old internships, nobody remembers me Forum

[Anonymous User]

For 2 of my summer internships from college I'm concerned I may have background check issues. Both are in the public sector, and both were from 4-6 years ago. Regarding the first internship the legislator I worked for is no longer in office. Am I supposed to track down the private phone numbers and contact information for people I worked with? I only remember one of their names.

And then for the 2nd one my supervisor no longer works for the legislator. There was only one other employee in the office that summer, and I don't remember his name. I am 100% confident the legislator himself does not remember me because I literally met him once during the summer (he was never in the office). Since I don't think anybody from the office would remember me, and since I didn't get the sense this place had any sort of formal intern record-keeping system, I'm worried I may be screwed.

Please don't quote if possible, thanks.

[ArtistOfManliness]

I'd just put down the main office. Legislative offices know that their interns are likely to go on to be lawyers, or other professionals who need background checks, so I would be shocked if there were no record-keeping system. Shocked, I tell you.

[SFSpartan]

Do you mean the background check for C&F? Just put down the information you have. I don't quite remember the C&F form for CA (and don't know how other states do it), but I vaguely recall being able to check a box to signify that my former supervisor didn't work there any more.

[Anonymous User]

Do you mean the background check for C&F? Just put down the information you have. I don't quite remember the C&F form for CA (and don't know how other states do it), but I vaguely recall being able to check a box to signify that my former supervisor didn't work there any more.

I am concerned about the background check done for incoming SAs

[Anonymous User]

Do you mean the background check for C&F? Just put down the information you have. I don't quite remember the C&F form for CA (and don't know how other states do it), but I vaguely recall being able to check a box to signify that my former supervisor didn't work there any more.

I am concerned about the background check done for incoming SAs

Do the background checks for SAs actually entail them contacting previous internships?

[SFSpartan]

Do you mean the background check for C&F? Just put down the information you have. I don't quite remember the C&F form for CA (and don't know how other states do it), but I vaguely recall being able to check a box to signify that my former supervisor didn't work there any more.

I am concerned about the background check done for incoming SAs

Your firm isn't going to ding you from a background check because of this. Also, I've never heard of a background check that required prospective employees to contact their past employers (the only time I had to list a previous employer was as part of a conflict check - and even that was more focused on the clients I had worked for, rather than the firm(s) I'd worked at).

Do what AOM said and list their main office - they (or whoever ran HR for reps in your state) likely did keep records.

[BmoreOrLess]

I wouldn't worry about this. You can't really 'fail' background checks for general employment purposes; the background check company just gives your firm the information they find or can't find. If they can't track down anyone that can confirm you worked there, the background check company will just tell your employer that they cannot confirm you worked there. Your firm can then choose to ignore the discrepancy (likely in this case for old internships) if they want.

I'm willing to bet the absolute worst-case scenario here is that your firm asks you to explain the discrepancy, for which you have a good explanation.