Verity journal

Background Screening

Time is a funny thing – it passes both too fast and too slowly, and the next thing you know, we’re in the second half of 2019. And with it, comes that beast unleashing a new torrent of anxiety and worry into the world: University graduation season.

Yes, we know, we know. Even though the unemployment rate in Malaysia as of May 2019 was a steady 3.3%, there is no end to the horror stories we hear from people also on the lookout for work, be they a former colleague, a recent fellow graduate, or your cousin’s father-in-law’s niece’s husband.

While we all shudder sympathetically when we hear a ‘bad interview’ story, there are definitely ways to improve your odds at making an impact that is both positive and long-lasting in the eyes of your potential employer:

Google is your friend

Sometimes the phrase is said in disdain, but with the constant wealth of information at your fingertips, there is no excuse to step into a room unprepared. Employers aren’t just looking for someone to warm a seat from 9-to-5 – they’re looking for human assets who will be focused on achievement and growth that the company can invest in. Doing your homework in getting to know the company and its structure and focus assures your interviewer that:

1. You know what you’re in for
2. You like to be prepared and you’ll put in the effort for it
3. You are interested in having a real relationship with the company

I mean, you wouldn’t go on a Tinder date without having done some basic vetting via texting first, would you? The same works for job hunting – you’re both looking for The Right One, and the effort should be the same.

Don’t be afraid of questions

It appears to be almost a Malaysian tradition that when one is prompted, “Do you have any questions?”, one shall always reply with silence.

While that is not a harmful strategy when one is an audience in a public forum, it is most definitely not the way to go in a job interview. No matter how desperate you are for a job, you must remember that the need goes both ways, or you wouldn’t be sitting in that interview. The company you’re meeting is just as keen as you are to hire you.

Once again, let’s use the analogy of the date – asking the right questions can mean a world of difference between a long-lasting relationship and a nightmare of a break-up. Here are a few to get you thinking of what you should ask:

1. How well do you know the company?
2. What are the job expectations in your role – which teams will you work closely with, and is your reporting line clear and discreet, or is it more flexible?
3. How will your performance be measured, and by whom?

The plus sign in all this is that asking questions impresses upon your employer some of the points previously mentioned, which are that you’ve done your research and you’re ready to invest and grow within the company. Now you look smart AND resourceful! Wins all around!

Make yourself the choice that makes sense

Look, you can be flashy and a smart aleck and charm the pants off everyone you meet, but when it comes to the workplace, there is also another huge plus: trustworthiness.

There is no point in a company investing their time and money in an employee, only for the employee to leech off them or worse, stab them in the back. Unfortunately, white collar crimes run rampant – every industry has a few sordid tales to tell about employees gone rogue.

But how can one PROVE workplace integrity, especially within a 45-minute-to-one-hour timespan?

An obvious solution is to produce a document of legal standing which shows how clean you truly are. Verity Intelligence provides a self-check service that  – with your explicit permission – runs a check on your available records and data, which includes your criminal records. It’s a service that’s quick, easy to understand, and makes you stand out from other candidates, and you can learn more at https://www.verityplusonline.com/.

“At Verity Intelligence, our entire process complies with the Malaysian Personal Data Protection Act as we are very serious about regulatory compliance and respecting the privacy of individuals. The information we obtain, screen or verify from is also publicly and legally available.”