Interview process was straight forward, and very typical - talk with a member of the team, size each other up in terms of technical ability, and gel with personalities. Briefly talk with the team manager in a 2nd round, and if both like you - it's pretty much a done deal.
Now comes the completely horrible part, and after I've had enough - I rescinded their offer, I have better uses of my time, much less completely unnecessary invasion into my personal / professional life. Mind you this was merely a contract job that was scheduled to last about a year, at a below average rate.
Drug Screen - fine, we all know what this means though.
Background Check - fine, whatever.
Employment Verification - 7 years worth of it.
FBI Fingerprints - I had to dig for this one, broker / dealers are subjected to it - to which then they just apply the "well everyone has to" card, seems excessive given the background check already.
Now comes when it becomes just asinine. Have any of you worked for a start-up or a company that was dissolved as a result of the implosion in 2008? Who hasn't. However, since they can't call anyone just to "verify you worked for them" mind you, they insisted on the following: your personal IRS Transcript, W2, or paystubs.
1) The IRS only keeps that information available for 4 years.
2) Who keeps paystubs or paper W2's other than hoarders going that far back.
3) How is any of that relevant to the job being offered - it isn't. Would it matter if I made a $1, or $1M?
Reasonable digital paperwork like contracts, job offer paperwork, and even timesheets don't count. Considering anyone with even a tiny fraction of a brain would come to a logical conclusion, it was the Great Recession after all, and it stands to be reasonable that they did the work, why would it matter if the last month worked was March or April, much less how does this have any bearing on what we want this person to do today?
Oh yeah, it doesn't.
This is the type of place that would insist on your Facebook password, or DNA sample if it were legal to make it a pre-condition to employment. Those kind of policies are company wide pervasive, and if you like being micro-managed without an ounce of trust - this is the perfect place for you.