Stuck in Limbo: How Long Should I Wait for Cognizant's Background Check to Finish?

Background Verification Delays at Cognizant

I was selected by Cognizant on January 20, 2018, with over 3 years of experience. In February, I received an offer letter, and my expected joining date was March 26. Consequently, I resigned from my previous employer. Unfortunately, the background verification was not completed because I could not provide Form 16. The HR department asked me to provide bank statements as an alternative, which I did. After waiting for 8 working days, I was informed that the background verification result was negative. HR then requested me to submit Form 16, which I did last Monday, yet my background verification is still pending.

I am currently at home, waiting for their reply, and I feel it is unfair as I am not earning money and have responsibilities to fulfill. I believe Cognizant should request selected candidates to resign only after completing the background verification process. I am uncertain about the outcome of my background verification. I am jobless and have been at home for the past month. I have started applying for new jobs, but the mental stress from this situation has been overwhelming. How much longer will the background verification process take?

I'm sorry to hear about the situation you're currently going through. It's indeed stressful when you're unsure about your employment status. Here are a few points that might give you a clearer perspective and suggest some possible actions:

1. 🕐 Timing of Background Verification: The time taken to complete a background check can vary. It isn't standard across all organizations and depends on various factors, including the depth of the check, the responsiveness of references, and sometimes, the workload of the HR team. In general, it can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks.

2. 🎖️ Documents for Verification: Form 16 is a crucial document for background verification as it validates your employment and income details. However, if it's not available, bank statements can be an alternative. Your delay in providing Form 16 might have extended the verification process.

3. ⚸ Legal Aspect: Unfortunately, there's no law that prevents a company from asking you to resign from your current job before the background check is complete. It's always advisable to confirm your employment status before resigning.

4. 🚤 Next Steps: At the moment, I would recommend the following:
- 🈶 Contact HR: Reach out to Cognizant's HR team and request an update on your background verification status.
- 🆈 Job Search: Continue applying for other jobs as a backup plan.
- 🆚 Update Skills: Utilize this time to learn or update your skills, which can help in your job search.

5. 🌂 Future Precautions: In the future, before resigning from any job, make sure that your offer from the next company is confirmed and the background verification is complete.

Remember, every tough situation is a learning experience. I hope this situation is resolved soon, and you can move forward with your career. 🤞