Do Your Own Laundry

Remember the old saw about making sure to wear clean underwear in case you’re in an accident? Being prepared for sudden disclosure is a principle that should apply to your job search as well.

Putting your best foot forward in an interview is hard enough in the best of circumstances. Nobody’s perfect, and it always takes preparation to portray your career highs and lows in an honest but favorable light.

But what if you have some serious issues in your past: an arrest, tax trouble, association with a company mired in scandal? Even worse, what if the glitch in your record is something of which you’re unaware? At the senior level, extensive background checks are standard business – and most prospective employers will probably find the dirty laundry even if you don’t.

In this package, reporter Kevin Fogarty talks to the professional investigators your next employer will likely use to check up on you – and gets their advice on how to be prepared for the really tough questions those investigations may prompt.