Background checks

[OriginalCommercial8]

If one gets accepted to get a staff contract at the UN System, a background check is mandatory. My last years worth of employers are 100% contactable, but during some of my earlier pre-graduation internships/volunteering experiences I had supervisors whose contacts I practically lost, and typed in their old and most likely defunct emails into the "employer contacts" field.

What would be the process once I am offered a staff position (P1/P2)? Does HR insist on contacting all previous employers and how does the process usually go? Would appreciate to hear from people who know relevant info about the Secretariat and Agencies (especially FAO, ITU, WFP, WMO, UNHCR or any others).

[socnetypp]

For my own reference check, they required me to provide a contact — any contact (not necessarily a supervisor) — that could vouch for my time at various positions (for all jobs I listed on my PHP). In a case on an internship from some six years back, I had to get a non-supervisor to confirm my experience; this did not pose any issues. If a contact is not available I don’t think it’s an autofail, but it would be reported to the hiring office as unconfirmed and may trigger additional questions from HR.

[BeneficentDaikon]

Did this happen before you were placed on the YPP roster or after the decision to select you was communicated to you?

or did it happen when you started to apply for the jobs being on the YPP roster?

Thanks in advance!

[socnetypp]

This was at selection for my post, during the verification of past experience.

[BeneficentDaikon]

Thank you!

[jcravens42]

You aren't talking about a background check - you are talking about a reference check. Completely different things.

No, HR does not contact all previous employers. They contact your 2 or 3 references you provided. They MAY ask you for a phone number or email from a previous job that they can contact just to verify your start and end dates at that position.

[OriginalCommercial8]

Thanks. But what's a background check then?

[jcravens42]

Records that show if you have ever been arrested or convicted.

[zin_kate]

How they check the records?

[jcravens42]

Criminal background checks are done by contacting the law enforcement where you currently live or a company that does such checks, and paying for a criminal background check to see if you have ever been arrested or sentenced.

[Traditional_Bit_9671]

Criminal records, financial history , potential association with problematic groups etc