HSBC Background Verification for contract role - Employment gaps

[tysa]

Hi,
I applied for a job at HSBC and there is a good chance that I will get an offer.
However I am a bit anxious as in my previous role (not the current company which I am leaving), there is a gap in employment.
As in, I had to leave the company officially for urgent family reasons and go back to Europe for a few months. I still worked for them remotely but unofficially. This was right before COVID.

I had planned to comeback to HK earlier and resume my role officially in the same company, but due to COVID, that kept on getting delayed as flights would be cancelled and there was a lot of uncertainty.

Finally I was able to return after around 5 months and then had to start with the VISA process again, which took like more than a month (again due to covid).
After officially rejoining and resettling back in HK, I got another offer and left after a couple of months to join my current company.

Leaving me with a ~6+ month gap in official terms (as in the company can only officially provide the 2 sets of employment dates , not including the remote work I did. I think they are protecting themselves from potential legal troubles)

So my question is, what would happen when the background verification would start ? Would they ask for my CV(with employment gap mentioned) and other documents again and just verify those ? Or will they delve deeper into the apparent employment gap ? Would that cause issues ?

I have never really worked in a corporate before. I do not intend to lie but I have heard horror stories about hsbc.. https://geoexpat.com/forum/63/thread347421.html

I currently have another offer and I don't want to reject that and then have my verification fail , causing me to be essentially jobless in a foreign country.

So I'd be really grateful if someone who has been through the process or knows about it, could share their experience

Thank you!

[vyral_143]

So my question is, what would happen when the background verification would start ? Would they ask for my CV(with employment gap mentioned) and other documents again and just verify those ? Or will they delve deeper into the apparent employment gap ? Would that cause issues ?

If you have already mentioned about gap during interview, then you do not need to worry. BGC is just to make sure what information you have provided is correct. This can be verified with all the documents (emails, PDFs, scanned copies, etc) acting as proofs.

[Giggsy]

A background check usually entails that everything you provided is true.

Normally they are only able to check your educational qualifications, professional qualifications etc.

Employment history depends on whether your previous employers comply, which usually they may or may not, and unlikely in a timely manner. If you have provided them with work references, I doubt they will dig any deeper.

It may also include a check to see whether you have a criminal background etc.

Nothing to worry about.

[tysa]

If you have already mentioned about gap during interview, then you do not need to worry. BGC is just to make sure what information you have provided is correct. This can be verified with all the documents (emails, PDFs, scanned copies, etc) acting as proofs.

It wasn't explicitly mentioned during the interview as the interview was quite short and it focused mostly on my current role and other technical questions. That's why I am worried. And on my CV initially submitted, the part time role is not explicitly mentioned (as I was still working for the same company)

I had conveyed about the gap during the application of my current role and they understood the reasons. But with HSBC , I did not get a chance to mention it.

Sorry that I didn't mention this in the original post, this is crucial information.

[tysa]

A background check usually entails that everything you provided is true.

Normally they are only able to check your educational qualifications, professional qualifications etc.

Employment history depends on whether your previous employers comply, which usually they may or may not, and unlikely in a timely manner. If you have provided them with work references, I doubt they will dig any deeper.

It may also include a check to see whether you have a criminal background etc.

Nothing to worry about.

Thanks for your reply. I had heard that HSBC hires First Advantage to do a very thourough background check that can take upto a month. And I have read that many people got rejected on the basis of it.

I don't have anything to hide but I am still worried about it

[chuckster007]

I don't have anything to hide but I am still worried about it

Sit back, relax and open a cold one to enjoy, worrying about it now does sweet FA

[Giggsy]

Thanks for your reply. I had heard that HSBC hires First Advantage to do a very thourough background check that can take upto a month. And I have read that many people got rejected on the basis of it.

I don't have anything to hide but I am still worried about it

If you have no criminal record, or financial indiscretions you should have no worries.

[bdw]

You are worried about a gap in employment for family/COVID reasons TWO JOBS AGO? What kind of dumbfuck employer would care about this? Oh wait... I forgot this is HSBC. hahaha your screwed

[tysa]

You are worried about a gap in employment for family/COVID reasons TWO JOBS AGO? What kind of dumbfuck employer would care about this? Oh wait... I forgot this is HSBC. hahaha your screwed

You think so ? That's what I feared. I don't think the hiring manager would care about this (I worked in that role for a total of around 24 months,only 6 of which aren't accountable via employment records as they were done remotely) .

But I have heard that corporate HR can be tricky in such situations as they make their decisions based on surface information and yet have a final say in the matter.

[tysa]

If you have no criminal record, or financial indiscretions you should have no worries.

I really hope you are right. They have offered me the job officially now. I am only worried about my "apparent" gaps. Out of the 2+ years that I worked in that company, I cannot offically prove in any way that I was working for them for that 6 month period I had to leave hk.

I think my previous employer knew what they were doing back at that time and they made sure they are legally safe when I worked for them.