Feeling Trapped by Past Job Details in EPFO History: How Can I Move Forward in My Career?

Hi all, I graduated from college with a good GPA in 2020 and joined Company A in June 2020, where I worked for 1 year and 1 month. After a 6-month probation period, I became permanent. Subsequently, I received an offer from Company B on August 17th, asking me to join on the 23rd of the same month. I informed HR that I would resign and pay the amount for not serving the notice period. However, she mentioned that the company doesn't provide a relieving letter if I leave without serving notice.

At that time, I was unaware of a relieving letter, EPFO history, BGV, etc. Consequently, I sent a resignation email on the 17th, completed all formalities, and joined the new company on the 23rd. I received an FNF settlement letter from them, and there was no overlap in EPFO history dates. As I lack a relieving letter from Company A, I have not included it in my resume or experience. I have now been with Company B for 2.5 years. Recently, I received an offer from Company C, and they conducted a BGV through a third party. They sent me a form where I provided my UAN, PAN, Aadhaar, experience, and college details. Company A's information appears in the EPFO history for seven months, causing me to feel anxious.

Concerns and Questions

Several questions plague my mind daily, leading to feelings of depression and suicidal thoughts:

- Will they discover this and retract the offer?
- What if I join a new company, and they uncover this situation? Will I face immediate termination? I am the sole breadwinner and lack assets/skills to switch industries.
- Does this mark the end of my career?
- Should I cease switching roles? What if I face job loss here?

Please advise me. Do all companies scrutinize EPFO histories? Kindly recommend companies to avoid if you have any insights.

Seeking Solutions

How can I rectify this error? I was inexperienced in the industry and did not anticipate the repercussions on my entire career.

Is this the end?

If you had worked for more than one year in Company A, why did you conceal it in your CV? If they ask about a relieving letter, you can say that you did not possess it because you did not serve the required notice period. You can tell the employer about all the duties you were performing in Company A. Whether issuing a relieving letter or not is the headache of the employer, and you do not have any role in it. If you do not have a document to show that you worked at a specific company, such as Company A, a good HR person will not terminate you. However, they may ask for clarification as to why you did not mention the experience at Company A. Ideally, they should have asked you this question during the interview, such as:

"You graduated in 2020, but you only started your career in 2021, after waiting for over a year. Did you not have any opportunities?"

To which you could respond:

"No, immediately after college, I joined a company named Company A. I did not include the name because they did not provide me with an experience certificate due to not serving the required notice period. When I received a better offer that required an immediate start, I resigned, and it was mutually accepted. I also received my final settlement."

Usually, the above response would be convincing to an HR professional. For the reporting manager, what matters most is your performance. Therefore, there is no need to worry. It's important to understand that a background verification agency is not a statutory body investigating your criminal record. In my thirty years of service across various organizations, I have never used such an agency to check an employee's background. I consider the candidate's statements during the interview as crucial. If an HR professional cannot understand a candidate's perspective, they are not suitable for the role. However, many employees make similar mistakes. Be confident in stating that you left Company A due to not liking the HR environment. It's common knowledge that employees leave managers, not organizations. Assert that you are competent and highly employable.

If the background verification agency discovers your employment at Company A, you can explain that you omitted it from your CV as you lacked documentation to prove it. This is not a wrongdoing, so stay positive. Everything will be fine.