Restaurant Backround Checks

Hello, LTH Forum. I have a question. When simply applying for a job as a general server or bar-back at restaurants around the city (where I don't know anyone in the restaurant), what are the chances of a background check being conducted? That is, one detailed enough to verify or denounce previous employment and dates I listed on my application?

I'm looking for restaurants that would just let me start working and prove myself rather than require complex background checks, drug tests, and such......or is that not really a plausible way to get hired?

I wonder why, if you're looking for a restaurant that will "just let me start working and prove yourself", you see the need to lie on your application? Just be upfront and ask for a tryout so you can prove yourself. Maybe offer to intern or stage for a short time so they can see the quality of your work.

Although some interviewers might use the terms interchangeably, checking references and a background check are two different things. Ordinarily a background check serves to confirm that you can work legally in this country - your citizenship or residency is checked with a govt database; your previous employers aren't contacted. A background check can also include a check for a criminal record, although there are limits to how much employers can discriminate in hiring based on this.

I doubt there's any uniformity in how places approach this issue. I'd imagine that the more corporate places are more dilgent about background checks but that's just a guess.

=R=

Kind of have to disagree with what is posted above. Background checks typically include criminal checks and employment, education, driving record and license verifications, depending on what is required for the particular job. If an employer is using an e-verify system (not widespread in Illinois except amongst large national employers since it's not being piloted here), they will verify social security numbers--otherwise, most employers only do a visual ID check to determine whether an individual has legal work status. And that is only done after hire--it's not legal to do it before.

No matter how good you are as an employee, if you lie on your application/resume and it is discovered, it is likely that you will be fired. Do not take this risk. If you do not want a current employer contacted because you don't want them to know you are looking, that's one thing - you can ask that when you apply. But do not lie, it is a bad idea. Employment gaps can be explained, with this economy it is not at all unexpected.

Sorry about the late response guys. I'm happy to see some feedback, though.

Basically what I am trying to do is say I worked under the table for someone out of state that would be hard to contact (such as a place that went out of business recently) instead of telling a manager I have no experience which I fear would lead to me getting shut down. I don't want to straight up lie on the application (a legal document) and I'm trying to figure out if I would be required to put that on the application for the manager to believe it. In the context of background checks/reference checks/etc. I'm still unsure as to whether or not this restaurant I worked "under the table" for would be expected to show up with a legal background check, and that is my concern. I'd rather be able to just be knowledgeable about what's required and able to prove it rather than have my resume, application, background scrutinized and what have you.

stevez wrote:I wonder why, if you're looking for a restaurant that will "just let me start working and prove yourself", you see the need to lie on your application? Just be upfront and ask for a tryout so you can prove yourself. Maybe offer to intern or stage for a short time so they can see the quality of your work.

I'm going to try this.

Depending on the size and level of professionalism of the restaurant, your "tryout" might not be allowed because, frankly, it's not legal to allow someone to work for free unless it's a true internship, which means no real work. Likewise, if the restaurant does a real background check with a 3rd party vendor, they can find out all kinds of things from running your SSN. They might find out. They might not.

I'd probably try to figure out a way to get some kind of experience legitimately before I resorted to that. Casual places, chains, caterers, etc. all hire a lot of less-experienced staff and expect to train them--some actually prefer it. If you can show that you've been responsible, have a track record of great attendance wherever you've worked and a good personality, you'd be surprised how far that will take you. Also, just hanging out there regularly, getting to know people at all levels, letting them know how much you want to work there and finding out what they require for various positions would be a good way to go. If it's a place that's too expensive or formal for you to do that, it's likely not a realistic option for someone with no experience.

boudreaulicious wrote:Depending on the size and level of professionalism of the restaurant, your "tryout" might not be allowed because, frankly, it's not legal to allow someone to work for free unless it's a true internship, which means no real work. Likewise, if the restaurant does a real background check with a 3rd party vendor, they can find out all kinds of things from running your SSN. They might find out. They might not.

I'd probably try to figure out a way to get some kind of experience legitimately before I resorted to that. Casual places, chains, caterers, etc. all hire a lot of less-experienced staff and expect to train them--some actually prefer it. If you can show that you've been responsible, have a track record of great attendance wherever you've worked and a good personality, you'd be surprised how far that will take you. Also, just hanging out there regularly, getting to know people at all levels, letting them know how much you want to work there and finding out what they require for various positions would be a good way to go. If it's a place that's too expensive or formal for you to do that, it's likely not a realistic option for someone with no experience.

Tell that to all the places "hiring" college students for unpaid internships /threadjack

If you lack experience, say so. An honest "I can learn the job, and I'm willing to prove it.", will carry you 90% of the way with a restaurateur who's interested in how a server "feels". Most of the job in a service capacity in a restaurant/bar is personality. If you don't have that, try something else.

Again, be honest with what you do and do not know. Working under the table is all well and good, but telling a prospective employer that, if it isn't true, will only elevate his expectation of how fast you should pick up the job. Less experience = slower learning curve. If your lack of experience is not what the owner/manager is looking for, you're better off not wasting either your own time, or his. Some of my best staff started without experience, and some of my other great ones had plenty. The end result is, how effectively can you learn the system you're working within, and how can you convey that into value for you, the employer in question, and the clientele you're to be servicing. That pretty much all depends upon your initiative.

As an employer of 30 people, I can say that resume's, while of a certain value, offer little more than what a prospective worker wants you to see as their prospective boss. References on the resume can be easily produced. Background checks are costly, and must be weighed in hand with the value the prospective worker is intended to produce. The greater the responsibility of the position in question, the more valuable the background check is. I just need to know that a prospect can work legally. After that, it's all about training and seeing if he/she can stand up and do the job. If so, other opportunities for growth within the company are opened to the ones who want more responsibility. Much better in my opinion to cultivate accountability for the job at hand rather than worry about the circumstances of why your last employer may or may not have let you go. Everybody has a right to work, but they don't have the right to keep a job they don't do properly.

Opportunity is available to take and either keep, or lose, for ANY motivated individual who wants to work, in ANY economy.

Good luck in your search.

'Cutter