I'm currently applying for a job as a Police Dispatcher in Sacramento, California. Overall, I don't think I have much to worry about in terms of the background investigation. There are, however, a few things I'm concerned about.
- My contract at my most recent job was not renewed. The reasons were mostly budgetary, but there were some personality conflicts and misunderstandings that contributed to my being chosen for the chopping block. I think I'll be given a positive recommendation, but just how positive depends on whom the investigator speaks to. My direct supervisor would likely give me an unequivocally positive recommendation, whereas his boss would probably have some negative things to say.
- I'm not on good terms with my mother, for various reasons, and haven't spoken to her in a while. I don't know what she'd say about me if they contacted her; she can be a bit vindictive.
- My credit isn't great. I made some mistakes a while back, and have two fairly serious delinquencies on my record. It's been clean for the past couple of years, however, and over the past year I've taken out an auto loan and some low-limit credit cards and have paid them on time consistently.
- My only illegal drug use was a couple puffs of marijuana in college, in 1996. However, last year I experimented with Salvia Divinorum, which is a hallucinogen. Salvia isn't illegal, and can be purchased over the counter at head shops or over the internet. I got mild closed-eye visuals and a slight feeling of motion from it, but nothing else, and haven't done it since (though I still have some left). I don't know whether or not I should mention that I tried it -- there is a question on the personal history form about "any other dangerous drugs," which seems a bit vague and subjective. I'm inclined to mention it just to be safe -- after all, I didn't break the law by doing this -- but I don't know how that will be seen by investigators.
To those who conduct background investigations, or those who have been through one before: would any of these factors raise a serious red flag? Should I be concerned about my chances?
Any negative comments certainly raise "red flags" subject to explanation of course. What this BI looks for is 1-honesty. 2-absence of criminal activity. 3-character.
With the exception of drug dealing, just about everything else can be dealt with as long as #1 and #3 are cemented in place.
Other BI folks may have a different take. All Agencies are not alike certainly.
Good luck
Wasn't Salvia Divinorum the famous painter who did this work:
(http://images.marketworks.com/hi/50/49711/D115.jpg)
Okay, bad joke....I kid, I kid!!!
alterego
Good one.