Background check issue IB Full Time
Looking for some advice from anyone who's been through a UK IB/FCA-regulated background check.
I have a conditional offer and HireRight is struggling to verify an unpaid, informal startup advisory role that I disclosed on my CV. It wasn't employment, I wasn't paid, and there was never a contract, payslips or tax documentation.
The founder is now unwilling to provide any written confirmation or reference. He isn't claiming the work didn't happen, he just doesn't want to formally confirm anything.
I have plenty of evidence that the work was real (financial models, work product, messages, etc.), but HireRight says those aren't acceptable for employment verification.
I've explained the situation to both HireRight and the bank and clarified that this was an informal unpaid collaboration rather than employment.
Has anyone seen an offer rescinded in a situation like this, where the issue was verification rather than dishonesty? Curious how banks typically handle these cases.
***I do have prior written correspondence where he indicated he would be willing to confirm my involvement and provide references if needed, but when the background check actually started he decided not to participate.
Might be an issue - what did the bank say after you said it was an unpaid internship?
Usually you still need to provide proof - Why can't the person provide reference you worked there?
Thanks @Analyst 1 in IB - Cov. in IB - Cov and @WSoMonkey93 I haven't heard back from the bank yet as it's the weekend, so I'm still waiting and honestly a bit anxious. I really like the team and the role so I'd be very disappointed if the offer got rescinded over this. The issue isn't proving that the work happened. I have TONS of evidence.
The founder's official position is that he doesn't want to provide any written confirmation or reference for legal/tax reasons that would make him accountable in the future. Ironically I do have messages where he indicated he would be willing to confirm my involvement and provide references if needed, but when the background check actually started he decided not to participate.
It wasn't really an internship. It was more of an informal unpaid startup advisory/support role that I did part-time for about two years. I did it both while unemployed and later while working full-time. I helped launch the business and then stayed involved in an advisory/oversight capacity, which is exactly how I described it in interviews. I took it on to get exposure to something more entrepreneurial and help fill a gap on my CV. The startup wasn't profitable, so there was never any compensation and we never felt the need for a formal contract. At the time, the founder was very positive about my contribution and willing to provide references.
I know I did the work and can prove it, so I haven't fabricated anything. My concern is simply that this is a bank and an FCA-regulated role, so they may have to follow stricter verification requirements.
I'll keep you posted.
Not an issue. Say it wasn’t a formal employment. HireRight will simply add this to the logs they give the firm. There is absolutely no issue here.
do u have to add unpaid employment to these
I've heard mixed views. Some people say not to include unpaid work because it wasn't formal employment.
A friend left an unpaid experience off his bachground check for that reason(which was on his CV). During the background check, HR asked about it he explained it was unpaid and there were no consequences, they just told him to include it next time.
If it's unpaid but supported by a contract or formal documentation/letter, you should be fine.
TBF if I'd known the founder would refuse to confirm references, I would have listed it under Activities or Startup Projects rather than Professional Experience. Hard-to-verify unpaid advisory work is less messy than hard-to-verify employment.
You’ll be good bro don’t worry. Happened to me and you just have to clarify it with your bank
Actually been in a similar boat to you recently RE background checks. I had something come up for verification of academic tutoring that I did in my spare time and I had to get confirmation from the old platform where they clarified what type of employment it was - it can be tricky or easy to forget if its something you did a while go but I think as long as you explain (genuine error if you've forgotten what contract/employment type it was) it's fine- you've explained it fairly well so really don't see the issue here, as long as you spell it out to HR / HireRight. Don't stress and congrats on the role
Maybe explain to the founder that your job offer is going to get rescinded if he doesn't provide a reference which he agreed to do
why wont the founder just confirm you did free work for him????
He was happy to take all the work and value I brought, but now that my offer is at risk, he doesn't give a fuck. He knows what's happening and what this could cost me, yet he's choosing to throw me under the bus. Our relationship cooled down, and apparently that's enough for him to stop caring.
At least in the US you'd be very confident that the offer is safe. Maybe UK has different customs. In the US it's pretty standard for 'alternative employment situations' (startup work, unpaid work, externships/internships at smaller companies etc etc) to cause wrinkles in the background check, and the employer is accustomed to getting back a background check report that has these small holes in it. The employer knows that the background check company is too robotic/dumb to apply common sense, so the employer either ignores the wrinkles or calls the candidate to smooth them out.
Unless UK is different culturally on that sort of thing, I wouldn't worry about it.
Echoing this. Went through bg check and was called out for 2 diff things(one internship in a different country and one unpaid internship.) HR emailed me asking for some forms of proof and accepted screenshots of me being there. Hireright failing to verify just means they will kick it up to your bank who usually are alot more flexible in what constitutes verification
This is a non-issue.
Pretty much every year a few people make a post like this and it's not an issue.
HireRight's job is to provide a report to HR about what they could and couldn't verify. They don't make the decisions about hiring you. HR will make the decision with the report from HireRight.
You're not the first or last student to do under the table work and have it on their CV.
Had this issue before with a Spring Week… just call their number and explain the issue and if possible add some form of email where your offer for the internship was in
An alternative point of view bc I was in this situation at a top BB - HR threatened to push my start date until I could get my work verified by the founder (despite me already signing my lease). It was fucked up and I stressed out abt it hella but eventually it got sorted out. Just saying the “it’ll definitely be fine” crowd might be talking out of their ass
Thanks for sharing. Just to clarify, did the founder eventually verify the work, or was it resolved through alternative documentation? The situation is messy, happy to hear you solved it.
In my case, the relationship with the founder has cooled down significantly and, when the background check started, he effectively decided not to support the verification process. He knows this could put my offer at risk, but doesn't seem particularly concerned about it.
So I'm curious how your situation was ultimately resolved.
Hey I’m in a very similar situation but different backstory can you dm me please
I had the exact same thing happen to me. Hireright absolutely sucks. I called my employer’s HR and then they verified my employment with no issue.
I recently had to complete a HireRight and went through something similar. Given that I'm a new grad, one of my internship experiences was through my school (a research position). It was unpaid but it was still substantial work, so it was on my resume. However, I wasn't able to provide a W2 or any documentation.
I reached out to both HireRight and my recruiter and told them that it was an unpaid position and shared the contact of my PI. However, my PI says that he was never contacted and my background check cleared without issue.
My understanding of these background checks is that they are less of a tool to verify the exact details of your previous employment and more of an effort to check if you have some sort of criminal history (or if there are major issues). I think you should be fine given that my PI was never contacted.
Don't fret! Congrats on the new role!
Background check sign off ultimately sits with team head if any issues. It’s not HR deciding you won’t be joining
We had similar situations and the MD just signed off. I’m sure this can be resolved
Quick update in case it's helpful for anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation.
HR got back to me and confirmed that because the work was unpaid it did not need to be verified by HireRight. They cancelled that specific verification request and are proceeding without it.
Thanks everyone for your responses advice and support throughout this process. It was genuinely appreciated
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