job application question: anything embarrassing in background

[meateater]

i posted before about previously not getting a job and felt better after the feedback I got. THANK YOU.

A question I expect to see on future job applications is whether there is anything in my background that would be embarrassing to the company if publicly known.

A similar question was on the job application / background check I filled out for the job I didn't get. At the time, I didn't really consider whether I should put the bankrupty down, the application had asked about whether my taxes had been paid, criminal convictions, and all sorts of other stuff, but nothing specifically about bankruptcy. Now I'm thinking I may have been perceived as dishonest, in reality, I'd be really embarrassed if my friends, coworkers, family found out. The company just handed the forms to me on the spot before interview, and I was not really prepared for the question.

But for the future, how do I answer a question about whether there's anything embarrassing in my background if publicly known? My bankruptcy is a public record, so its not exactly not publicly known (just not known by people who know me).

[forgotten]

I don't see how an employee filing bankruptcy could be considered embarrassing to the company.

Imagine two headlines in the paper:
Employee at xyz, inc. was found to have beat up homeless people for sport and killed small woodland creatures on youtube.

Employee at xyz, inc was discovered to have filed bankruptcy last year.

First one, embarrassing. Do you really think anyone would care about the second headline at all?

[Flamingo]

You need to answer any employment questions honestly; if you don't and they check rigiht away, you probably will not get the job and if you are hired and they find out later you were dishonest you can get fired. When you sign your application, you allow them to check all your credit, background, former employment, school and other records.

The one question you may encounter that you need to answer honestly is "Have you ever filed bankruptcy." I have never seen a question on an application specifically stating anything close to what you indicate and I've worked with in the past and still work closely with HR issues - is there anything in your background that would be embarrassing to the company? Usually you are just asked about any arrests and if you filed bankruptcy.

[frogger]

Usually you are just asked about any arrests and if you filed bankruptcy.

That's the ones that I've seen.

As to embarrassing, what is embarrassing to you vs someone else could really be open to speculation.

Some might be "embarrassed" about filing for bk and would answer yes. Me, I would not. I'm not embarrassed at all.

[backtoschool]

I do not believe a job application question would be as vague as to ask you about "embarrassing" things in your past. Perhaps your drunken karaoke night out with your buddies would be "embarrassing" to the company. I do not think you have to put a description of that night on your job application, and I do not think that the company is looking for that information.

As to bankruptcy affecting job searches, well we have discussed this many times before on this board. Financial companies and insurance companies will often ask about bankruptcies and screen people out for bankruptcies. But there are always exceptions to even that trend. I just started a new job yesterday (I am in California for training for two weeks as I write this....) and my credit was pulled and the company is a Venture Capital fund and and investment firm, and I still received a job offer. I do not work directly with money though, so ymmv.

[Tom_Mi]

Our BK7 discharged in April. My wife's credit is about 550.

But in Nov, she landed a WONDERFUL job at an insurance company (corporate office) here in town. Professional-level position in their life-insurance dept.

I was scared "to death" for 2 weeks after her interview, praying, biting my nails, and spent 200 checking her credit daily for evidence of soft pulls etc.

I think they only checked her criminal, because I never saw a soft pull. So I guess it depends on the job, but just keep applying and hope for the best.