How To Find A Job While Safeguarding Your Personal Data

Recently, when I changed jobs I had a chance to practice identity protection habits during the application and interview process. Given the current identity theft problem, it is important for job seekers to disclose enough information to get the interview (and job), but not disclose too much information.

Yes, it is possible to disclose too much information.

The Identity theft Resource Center advises consumers not to disclose the following on your resume or an application form:

• "Your Social Security Number (SSN)
• Date of birth (DOB)
• Marital status
• The year you graduated from various schools and the school name. The school name is a personal choice issue. By knowing what school you attended and graduation date, a thief could discover more about you via alumni lists. An option is to just list your degree and subject or area of specialty.
• Professional license number
• Sex – it is against the law for them to ask you for this information
• Age- it is unlawful for an employer to ask for this information
• Disabilities – unless the job specifies a request to describe any physical limitations, you should not offer this information up front
• The reason why you left a past employer
• Hobbies
• EIN (taxpayer id number if you use that as an alternate to the SSN)
• Driver’s license number
• Any of the above information can be provided to an interested employer in person upon request. Keep in mind, a resume only opens the door to an interview. Jobs are not offered based on resume or application information."

The reality is that not all companies, human resource departments, and employment agencies adequately protect the sensitive data on your resume. You don't know who might see your resume and for how long the company will archive your resume. If you get the interview (or the job offer), you can always disclose the additional information as needed later.

I chose to include on my resume the school names and graduation years, since I sent my resume directly  to the hiring manager. i did not use a job search web site. If I had, then I would have included less information on my resume. Since I have a freeze on my credit reports, I will temporarily left that freeze when (and if) my new employer needs to complete a background check.