How Can I Prove My First Job Was Legitimate When Background Checks Raise Doubts?

I have started my career with a small company consisting of 8-10 employees and worked there for 1 year. That company is not fake; it's a small company and has been around for approximately 15 years. After that, I joined another company and worked there for 3 years. Now, as I am trying to change jobs and undergoing background verification, the verification team is saying that my first company is not replying to emails from the company domain but rather sending from Gmail. This situation makes them question the authenticity of the company. How can I convince them that it is not fake but just a small company? What steps can I take if they insist that it is a fake company?

Your insights would be invaluable to me.

Give the address and physical location of your old company. Give the names of some top employees there who know you and can speak about your work there. Just because a company replies using a Gmail domain does not mean the company is fake.

Thanks Nathrao,

Thank you for your quick reply. I have already provided them with the physical location, and they are planning to visit the old company this week. However, my old company is closed for the entire week due to Diwali vacation. Will this impact the verification process if the office is closed at the time of physical verification? Do I need to inform them that the company is closed for this week?

Thanks in advance,

Take proactive action to inform about Diwali vacation. Cross-check whether the verifying agency has physically visited or not. What type of documentary evidence have you produced - salary slip, bank statement of your salary, etc?

I don't have a bank statement; my salary was very low there, actually. However, I have provided a relieving letter as per their requirement. They have not asked me for any other document other than the relieving letter. I will inform them proactively about the Diwali vacation.

Thanks, Nathrao. I can't thank you enough for your time and effort. I feel a bit more relaxed now.

It is always easy when you speak or submit what is truth and honest employment details. Get your former boss/manager to speak and be a reference for you.

Things will work out.

The HR of your company should not remain passive in their verification process, limited only to sending emails. If there is no response, they should consider physically visiting the company for confirmation, instead of jumping to conclusions about the authenticity of your previous employer.

Dear JRP1414,

I agree with the views expressed by our senior member, Mr. Nathrao. Try to locate all written evidence such as salary slips, appointment letters, PF details (if any), ESI details, any photographic evidence, and experience certificates (if not available, try to obtain one).

All of these documents will be useful for you in future employments or job changes.

V. Raghunathan

You can even take a hard copy of the verification form and go to your previous company to get the verification done. After that, submit the report to the HR Department.

Verification of Company Authenticity

Is your first company a Private Limited Company, Partnership, or Proprietorship? If it's a Pvt Ltd Company, go to the MCA website and search for the name of this company. You should get the results with the active Directors and their DIN Codes. Just take a screenshot of this and mail it to the new company's HR team.

You mentioned 'verification team is saying...'. Does the team belong to the company or an agency? Usually, contact numbers along with the email IDs are asked for background checks. Haven't you provided your earlier boss's or MD's contact number?

Regards,
TS