A question to think about

[Bidin~Time]

An acquaintance applies for a job at your place of employment. Although you haven't worked with this person in a few years, you know of some incidents from way back when that indicates their integrity is/was questionable. One incident in particular caused a huge legal issue. Your manager asks if you know this person, and what your opinion is of the person. Your opinion is not very high, you personally think hiring them would be a huge mistake. However, you concede to yourself that maybe this person learned from their mistakes, you can hope age and maturity may have made them a different person, but you don't know since you've had no contact. How do you answer the manager's direct question?

 

[Not Normal]

Pretty much how you stated it there. Tell him you know they fucked up, and cost the other company money, but you don't know if they've changed or not.

Also, people don't change.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I had the problem you describe. The person was someone I knew intimately as a former patient. She was all over me like a cheap suit when she saw me, and my boss wanted to know did I know her. Uh, yes. I hinted they should toss this fish back. They hired her anyway, and she was a disaster because she wouldn't comply with the policies. Lied about her time, brought her child to dangerous places, lied about her car mileage. She needed the money and had no reliable childcare. But that's not the state's problem. I didn't spill the beans on her (she had major issues when I worked with her, and it was commendable how she overcame them and got a college degree), I simply said I wouldn't hire her.

 

[Pookie]

History is a great predictor of the future. Yeah, some people change but old habits have a way of reappearing. I'd tell the manager what you know. If the manager wants to take a chance on the person having changed, that's on the manager then if it fails.

 

[Bidin~Time]

So, the consensus seems to be that leopards don't really change their spots?

 

[Pookie]

So, the consensus seems to be that leopards don't really change their spots?

It's hard to change your nature permanently.

 

[JohnnySavage]

"I worked with this person in the past, and I don't think I should say anything."

 

[bronzeage]

So, the consensus seems to be that leopards don't really change their spots?

Pain is the only thing that changes people. This makes things complicated, because people who are numb to pain, can't change. This can be caused by drugs, alcohol, or in most cases, a really thick skull.

There are lots of people in the world who placidly endure situations which would send most of us screaming into the dark, simply because it doesn't bother them. They go from one fuck up to the next.

 

[chillywilly2]

You have no idea or opinion on her, she didn't put your name on the aplication as a reference.
If you offer a bad opinion of her and she doesn't get hired it can come back and haunt you.
Plus, its none of your business.

 

[Bidin~Time]

It's hard to change your nature permanently.

I hope this person grew out of their stupid.

 

[Bidin~Time]

You have no idea or opinion on her, she didn't put your name on the aplication as a reference.
If you offer a bad opinion of her and she doesn't get hired it can come back and haunt you.
Plus, its none of your business.

I am very diplomatic. Plus it wasn't me who was asked the question.

 

[MaryanneB]

I was once asked about a surgeon who wanted to open a practice where I had moved to. I said "I understand his wife is very nice".
The doc I was scrubbed with asked again and I answered the same way. He got a little pissy and started to say something and the other doc on the case said "I think she already answered the question".
In medicine, I really couldn't say that the man was the worst cardiovascular surgeon I had ever worked with but I got my thoughts heard.
There's always a way to get things out.

 

[Noor]

Having been in this situation before my opinion would be that I don't feel this person is right for this organization.

 

[RobDownSouth]

been there, done that.

You're putting your own professional reputation on the line to vouch for someone sketchy.

My response: I like the guy personally, professionally he is a trainwreck.

That way, your professional credibility is covered.

 

[Lord Pmann]

I think you handled it well. I was asked to sign for someone's professional engineering license as a reference once who I didn't think was quite on par. However, the questions were very specific and I couldn't necessarily say that his practices regarding engineering and safety were problematic, so I actually did give him an adequate reference.

Your situation sounds like it could cause a problem for the company, as he has done it before. I think you handled it properly.

 

[Tathagata]

So, the consensus seems to be that leopards don't really change their spots?

I think people change all the time. If by nothing else but time. I certainly wouldn't do the things today I did at 20. I don't think the same.

 

[Hypoxia]

I think people change all the time. If by nothing else but time. I certainly wouldn't do the things today I did at 20. I don't think the same.

Quite so. I've made a few substantial personal transformations in my life. But to do so, I became a light-bulb joke.

Q: How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Just one, but the lightbulb must really WANT to change. ​

So the question about the past acquaintance would be: Have they shown a firm willingness to change? Have they admitted past weaknesses and moved to change and improve? Or do they carry their same old attitudes? If they haven't matured, watch out.

 

[Riles]

I think it's bad form to bring up someones' history like this. It isn't up to you to do the employees homework for them and it leaves you in a compromised position.

I would simply say that you have a history with this individual and it would behoove the company to be thorough in their fact checking, etc.

 

[Miles Long]

I think it's bad form to bring up someones' history like this. It isn't up to you to do the employees homework for them and it leaves you in a compromised position.

I would simply say that you have a history with this individual and it would behoove the company to be thorough in their fact checking, etc.

Plus it gives you the chance to use the word "behoove".

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Pain is the only thing that changes people. This makes things complicated, because people who are numb to pain, can't change. This can be caused by drugs, alcohol, or in most cases, a really thick skull.

There are lots of people in the world who placidly endure situations which would send most of us screaming into the dark, simply because it doesn't bother them. They go from one fuck up to the next.

You just earned my WTF Award for the week.

 

[Que]

been there, done that.

You're putting your own professional reputation on the line to vouch for someone sketchy.

My response: I like the guy personally, professionally he is a trainwreck.

That way, your professional credibility is covered.

Wonder how they will word the response when your current employer is asked about you, what with all of the NSFW language and illegal downloading on the company computers...

..as an IT guy.

 

[RobDownSouth]

He follows me everywhere...

Wonder how they will word the response when your current employer is asked about you, what with all of the NSFW language and illegal downloading on the company computers...

..as an IT guy.

You never did tell us how visitation weekend went last Saturday.

I presume it was the usual disaster, since you have been far bitchier than usual.

 

[Pookie]

Wonder how they will word the response when your current employer is asked about you, what with all of the NSFW language and illegal downloading on the company computers...

..as an IT guy.

Wrong browser?

 

[Que]

You never did tell us how visitation weekend went last Saturday.

I presume it was the usual disaster, since you have been far bitchier than usual.

You sure do sound autobiographical when you make up back-stories for other people.

Wrong browser?

Delighted you noticed the eyer reference!

 

[Pookie]

Delighted you noticed the eyer reference!

Well you did mention not long ago that you had some well crafted alts ...