ShiftlessBadger

And the Travesty of HR Continues

I am sure everyone cares a lot about this (eyerolling), but it consumes my daily life, so read on, or not.

Yesterday while I was saving babies' lives at work, I was called by Patty. Patty was running a background check on me about the job I applied for (see here) and have heard nothing about since (even though was assured I would have an answer by last Friday). I have to assume that is a good thing, because why pay the money to run a background check on me if you don't want to hire me?

Patty was calling because she had some problems finding my old boss. She said the “phones were down” at my old company, from here on our refered to as Making America Fatter, Inc. (MAFI). When I called MAFI the phones seemed to be in perfect working order and I got my bosses new number straight away. Patty also was concerned that she couldn't contact my last boss (my last job was in Japan). Patty was concerned that “everytime I dial, I get a strange tone”. Dear Patty: when dialing overseas, you have to use the international dialing code. It's 011. Put in front of the other numbers. That is all.

Patty was delighted that she could now call Japan. She was concerned however when I explained that it was tomorrow in Japan, and she would have to call after midnight or before ten am to reach my company during normal business hours.

I have no problem helping Patty out, but just one question: Do you NORMALLY ask the people who are being checked to help with the checking? Isn't that kind of counterintuitive? I thought background checks were supposed to be conducted in the background. Nothing like coming right out and saying “nope, we really don't believe a word you said.” Good thing that little problem with Japanese immigration will never appear on a public record. Who could have known porn would be such a big deal to the people who invented cartoon sex videos?