Joined: 01 Jun 2011
Online Status: Offline Posts: 8
Posted: 18 May 2012 at 01:43 | IP Logged
You all have been helpful in the past, thought I would
get your opinion on a little dilemma I am facing.
Currently working for a Big 4, but looking to transfer
cities and firms. Had a little too much fun in high
school and college which led to a pretty extensive
background, fortunately everything has always got
dismissed. Nonetheless, there are a lot of blemishes.
Had to plead my case to current employer's General
Counsel days before starting (that's a whole other
subject, why do big 4's give offers BEFORE doing
background checks?!).
Anyways, with an interview on the horizon, how would you
go about handling this situation? Do you:
1) Interview, show them the best you got, and not say
anything until after an offer is made, if that happens to
be the case?
or
2) Interview, but be upfront and inform them that if I
make it far enough along, they will be seeing an ugly
background?
I lean more toward option 2 because I hate misleading
people, but I feel that being honest with people that
don't know me at all won't score me any points...it will
just make it easier for them to say, "Next candidate."
My mom and gf say option 1. Dad is on the fence.
Any suggestions?
Appreciate any input. And don't worry, I haven't killed
anybody.
Joined: 20 Aug 2011 Location: United States
Online Status: Offline Posts: 162
Posted: 18 May 2012 at 17:03 | IP Logged
I vote for option one. Just like we're not judged based on meritocracy, we won't be rewarded for our honesty most of the time. Or at least I haven't found it that way.
Joined: 21 Jun 2010
Online Status: Offline Posts: 191
Posted: 06 Jun 2012 at 16:56 | IP Logged
In public accounting, a firm is held to the highest standards of ethics, as you handling other people's, and in the case of the Big 4, publicly traded company's money. You are seeing sensitive information, and your ethics and independence is essentially what you are selling. If there's anything that you think could look bad, it will look bad.
I say, roll the dice and hope they don't uncover it. No reason to be a hero.
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