Airport Security ???? (Vanity)

06/19/02 | Myself

[clamper1797]

Here's the story ... I got to the airport to fly to "an other state" for an interview. My flight was delayed so I started to go thru my pre-employment packet. I found in this packet a notice that the company not only wanted to drug test which I had grudgingly agreed to but they also wanted a credit report and a driving record. All this for a circuit design job which has NOTHING to do witn finance or driving. I called the company and asked the HR person, " what does credit and driving have to do with designing circuitry ???". The HR person said that they ask for that info from everybody. I said that when I applied for my government Top Secret clearance I was not asked for my credit report and driving record why do you need them. I also said that the only thing your company has not asked for is my voting record. I then told the HR lady that I could NOT work for a company that would ask such questions. What would your company do next ... read my email ... bug my office ??? I then cancelled the interview and gave my ticket back to the counter and asked for my bag that I checked in. The counter person took me out to the little baggage train ON THE TARMAC NEXT TO THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT GOING THRU SECURITY and helped me go thru all the bags on it to find mine. BTW I went thru the security gate with my 3 inch pocket knife and car keys IN MY POCKET. I meant to put them in my check-in bag but forgot.

[Glenn]

Well, aren't you special.

[clamper1797]

Correction ... BTW I went thru the security gate inside the terminal earlier with my 3 inch pocket knife and car keys IN MY POCKET.

[Cagey]

Ever notice that so many great novels have a "Tarmac" scene?

[mdittmar]

You got lucky,your obviously not a little grey haired old lady,that would have made them suspicious.

[OldFriend]

You obviously did the company a favor by not working there. Anyone who would 'forget' a knife in their pocket when attempting to board an aircraft is obviously not the most responsible person in the world.

Further, dream on if you think your credit history wasn't checked prior to getting top secret clearance.

[clamper1797]

thank you for your kind words ... the knife is hooked to my key chain and does not have a point or sharp edge

[TankerKC]

I said that when I applied for my government Top Secret clearance I was not asked for my credit report and driving record why do you need them.

The investigator may not have asked specifically, but you either signed a release so that they could get your credit report and driving record (among other things) themselves, or you did not get a TS clearance. In addition, they will ask you questions about driving and your finances during the interview. I just did my interview for my reinvestigation and they asked PLENTY of questions.

[clamper1797]

I got mine in 1982 ... probably don't have one now as I have not re-newed it

[clamper1797]

Also it was a "Nato Secret" clearance not "Top Secret" ... sorry about the mistake

[thatsnotnice]

…when I applied for my government Top Secret clearance I was not asked for my credit report and driving record …

Heh, my cousin went in the Marines around ’79. At some point later on (’81-ish) he underwent some sort of security clearance. I know that a woman who had been his elementary school teacher (’70-ish) and later his Sunday-school teacher (’73-ish) was interviewed regarding him and his family. At least that is what she told us. That’s going way back – I think they went back at least 10 years. My mom and dad were interviewed too even though they had only seen him about a dozen times on holidays.

I understand he also went through a “lifestyle audit” or some such thing, which was supposedly very personal and very thorough. Don’t know exactly what that is though.

[Marine Inspector]

His credit was checked, his driving record was checked, his voting record was checked, ect....

I had an SBI to my TS and believe me they checked everything, they just don't tell you or need to ask permission.

[Marine Inspector]

I just did my interview for my reinvestigation and they asked PLENTY of questions. Me too. It's such a pain.

[Marine Inspector]

It sounds like he was a Marine Security Guard.

I went through the same thing in 1990.

[clamper1797]

I did go thru a "lifestyle" audit. A couple of my friends were interviewed. But what I was refering to in the post is that I don't believe that it is right for just any company to go thru a candidates personal life like credit and driving records if it is NOT germaine to the position that they are applying for.

[THEUPMAN]

the knife is hooked to my key chain and does not have a point or sharp edge

hmmm I thought thats what a knife was ... u know ... point and sharp edge

[Marine Inspector]

Agreed, but I was referring to your comment about getting a clearance from the Government.

[MonroeDNA]

I got some bad news for you.

As part of your Top Secret clearance vetting, "they" already know:

1. All of your credit card transactions. All of them. Dating back to when you got your first credit card. Not just your rating, but every single transaction you have ever made. And what you bought, if it was listed on the receipt.

2. Who you worked for, day and night. Anyone who withdrew taxes from your paycheck.

3. What your teachers thought of you.

4. What your friends think of you.

5. Any criminal proceeding with you involved.

6. Home purchases.

7. Car purchases.

Scary, huh?

This is the clincher: I can get the all of the above except 3 and 4 on anyone in the world, for a fee, if I have your SS number of DOB.

And so can anyone in the world, with internet access and less than $100.

Guard yourself. Pay cash. Leave blanks in the application.

Date of Birth and Social Security numbers are 99% of the way anyone tracks you.

Whatever you do, don't ever transpose a couple digits on your SS#, or birthdate, or phone number. That is probably illegal to do so intentionally. Be very careful. If you did transpose numbers, and it was silly you, no jury would convict, but it would lead to chaos in the data base.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Clamper.....I have to disagree with you......I feel as an employer, I should be able to use whatever criteria I want to determine who I hire.........If I want an engineer, non smoker, family man with no history of drug abuse - that should be my decision......... and likewise, the government should not be able to tell me that I have to hire a female, of whatever race or ethnicity, because I have too many employees of some other "group".........do you not agree?

I think you are only looking at this from your view point....... the employer is a private enterprise - they should be able to hire whomever they wish and use whatever information they can legally obtain..........

[OldFriend]

How well I know!