Do employers ever check for a high school diploma?
I don't have any experience with them but what I have learned in my own job search is that any company that asks you to agree for a background check with your application will indeed be looking to verify your educational background (among other things). Most companies will not accept faxed copies, from the candidate. The typical employer will require a copy directly from the school, with the school seal on it, in order to verify its authentication. A smaller company, may accept copies from you. But if the BNSF railroad is government, or unionized, etc. they will only accept it from the educational institution, and if so; expect to pay a fee for such services.
Why do employers ask for a high school diploma in application when they don't actually care about it?
Managers are looking for credentials that prove you have completed the requirements for a high school or college education. Diplomas are forms of certifications that represent years of tested knowledge and performance. Companies do not look earlier than high school (or college if you have a college degree) because your HS or college accomplishments reflect your accumulated accomplishments in education up to your highest degree. Managers are, therefore, most interested in how you can apply your accumulated skills to help their organization.
Can you lie about employment on a rental application?
People lie all of the time. However, this lie is easy to figure out. Most will verify employment though HR and of course actually look at your credit report. Your employer is listed on the report.
Do you think that it is appropriate for employers to research applicants' backgrounds? Credit history?
Absolutely. It is appropriate for an employer to research an applicant's background and credit history to the extent that it could affect the individual's job performance if hired. There should be clear guidelines as to how that information is used, of course. But employers do have a right to know what kind of person they are hiring.
What can prospective employers legally ask about my employment history?
It is perfectly legal for prospective employers to question your employment history at length. If you lie on your application or to the interviewer you will quickly be eliminated from the competition. It is not true that employers can only ask your start date and end date. What can an employer really say about you if you were fired with or without cause? It depends. It depends on the organization and/or the state you live in. Some organizations believe in full disclosure and will tell all. And there are other organizations who will only verify dates of employment, salary and whether you are rehirable. There are many people who believe that an employer will never know they were fired. But that is a mistake. You are deceiving yourself if you think that an organization won’t find out. If you don’t prep your references properly, that is one way that I have seen a company find out. Also, good HR people know how to ask good questions. All they need is to get a sense that something happened. The other way an organization will “assume” termination is when they ask “would you rehire him/her?” There is a lot in the statement, “He is not eligible for rehire!” If an organization shares that you are not rehireable, they may not give details, but it will leave the HR representative with an opportunity to fill in the blanks and make assumptions. Can your previous employer tell another organization you are not rehireable? Absolutely! How do you know whether that information will be given to another organization? ASK! Before you vacate the premises of your organization, ask questions. Find out what their policy is concerning employment verification. If you are already gone and you don’t know what they will say. Call the HR department and ask. They will share their policy with you. Don’t assume. Don’t ask others to lie for you. If you have been fired, find a way to assess what happened. Take ownership for your part of what happened. Once you own your part, and can objectively assess the situation, you will be able to discuss it with a hiring manager. People get new jobs everyday, well… almost every day. Those who have been fired and those who haven’t. It is definitely more difficult to get a job when you have been fired, but it is not impossible.