Can employer find out when I last worked?

jonjon1977

Hi,

I'm hoping someone can help me with a problem I'm having. I was made redundant 7 years ago. Went on jobseekers allowance for about 1 year and then needed to go on the sick benefit (cancer and when I bet that, depression). I'm back on jobseekers allowance for the previous 3 years but because of the recession and no doubt the amount of time I've been out of work am having great difficulty getting a job.

A friend recommended that I change my CV saying I was self-employed for much of that 7 years (the first 5) in the field my career was in. Now, I know all about the risks of lying to a new employer and it's not about lying regarding my experience (I'm totally up-to-date on industry developments and practices) but I'm getting increasingly desperate. I want to know is there any way a new employer can find out from revenue or social welfare or any official governmental avenue when I last officially worked? Apparently they can under some new change somewhere but can't if you say you were self-employed, but is this correct does anyone know?

Procrastastudy

Depending on the job they may or may not employ an agency that specialises in various methods to check you out - including simply getting you to sign a declaration that to allow them to do various searches.

There are other methods open to you such as internships, education, or simply being honest and upfront and selling it the best you can. I wouldn't lie if it where me it may come back to bite you in the behind.

Citizen2011

Hi, I appreciate the difficulty you are in.
No, they have no access to Revenue files whatsoever and are not in a position to ask you to sign a declaration giving them authorisation to look at your Revenue history. I would agree that it's not a good idea to lie. As mark Twain said """If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything""""
I don't know the specifics of your business but if you claim to have been self employed for x years they might expect you to have a number of potential clients that you could bring to the new job. Or that you have built up a network of contacts.
I think the lie could just potentially spiral and it might just take up so much of your attention or focus when you could be putting that energy into a new role and proving yourself that way.

leeomurchu

I'd assume you're in a trade if you're planning on saying you've been self employed for 7 years.

I've done this on my cv out of work 3 years now and nothing on the horizon i can't see the harm in telling a white lie but i wouldn't say you were a company director or somethin.

I did it just incase a future employer might think I've been doin sweet fa the last while. I bet even employers can have a bad view of people on welfare not that I get feck all off them but that's another story

jonjon1977

Thanks all for the feedback, it's much appreciated!

I've obviously been telling potential employers the truth for too long since they run a mile from a ex-cancer patient and someone who suffered from a mental illness. They must be terrified of either condition coming back. I mean I'd rather lie by saying I was self-employed for a large chuck of that time than telling the truth - it's got me nowhere so far. This isn't as much of a free choice as people imply - I need work badly so need to change something. Internships and education are not the problem, in fact, they'd just push the problem along even further, it's finding full-time employment asap that I need.

The field I've worked in quite niche and is rather solitary so most of them fears about contacts etc wouldn't be a big issue. Also, I wouldn't necessarily need to work in that specific field - in fact it maybe best not too. As I said in the original post I just need to know if a potential employer can find out through some official channel and that doesn't seem to be the case - unless anyone else knows different (?).

I've heard about them agencies and I don't think I'd want to work for any company that would request an employer checking that much into my life.

Procrastastudy

To clarify - I'm not suggesting that some 'economies' with the truth might not be appropriate. Having gone though a rough patch myself it's not something I tell employers.

jonjon1977

Procrastastudy wrote: »

To clarify - I'm not suggesting that some 'economies' with the truth might not be appropriate. Having gone though a rough patch myself it's not something I tell employers.

Yes, I understand what you are saying. I missed about 3 years in total due to cancer and depression so even that gap needs to be bridged with something, and the truth isn't working.

The Big Red Button

jonjon1977 wrote: »

I missed about 3 years in total due to cancer and depression so even that gap needs to be bridged with something, and the truth isn't working.

I don't see why you need to mention the cancer or depression? Or, if you do for some reason need to mention it, just say that you were unwell - no need to go into specifics - but that you are in full health now.

Instead of bringing your illness into it, why not just tell the truth - that your role was made redundant, explaining the reasons why, and that you have been unable to find work since, but that you have been doing bla-bla-bla in the meantime in order to develop your skills and stay up-to-date with industry developments.

I definitely wouldn't lie that you were self-employed - as it would be your most recent work experience on your CV, you'd be ask dozens of questions about it in the interview, it would be extremely difficult to keep up the lie - especially long-term, if you were offered the job!

Just tell the truth - but be selective about what bits you tell them!

jonjon1977

Thanks Chatterpillar for the advice. I've other people saying it'll be better to lie just to get my foot in the door - with that under my belt it maybe easier moving on from there. Regardless, it's a decision that's big and I need to weight everything up.

I don't necessarily agree or disagree with anyone's point of view (I understand it all). The nature of the thread was just an exploratory query about if it's possible for a new employer to find out (while not even necessarily looking) when I last was in employment. If I decide to go down the lie or partial lie route I don't want a situation were I said I was self-employed if even for a few years and then they receive some official document for something or other that shows when I was actually last employed. I could 'happily' land on my own sword if it was discovered due to any other secondary stupidity on my part!! I know employers need to fill out revenue documentation for new employees, I should look into that.