Working for Obama- I have a few skeletons in my closet - does that mean I can't work for him?

[Anonymous]

Nothing major but yes, lots of late bills, probably at some point had a cleaning woman I didn't pay taxes on, IRS problems once or twice b/c we were starting our own business and the taxes were insanely high. Does this mean that I shouldn't apply to work for him? I am afraid that if I get a job that the media will look up my less than perfect background and make it public and embarrass me and my family. Is that being paranoid. It would be a lower level job. I actually have this concern for other non-obama jobs as well. What is fair game with the media?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is fair game with the media?

Everything. But if you are low level you will probably never be on their (the media's) radar, right?

If you need a security clearance, however, you might have some issues, or at a minimum "some splaining to do"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing major but yes, lots of late bills, probably at some point had a cleaning woman I didn't pay taxes on, IRS problems once or twice b/c we were starting our own business and the taxes were insanely high. Does this mean that I shouldn't apply to work for him? I am afraid that if I get a job that the media will look up my less than perfect background and make it public and embarrass me and my family. Is that being paranoid. It would be a lower level job. I actually have this concern for other non-obama jobs as well. What is fair game with the media?

It's not only the media. You need to disclose all of this in your application. In fact, they even asked more senior applicants about any emails or blog postings that could be embarrassing to the administration.

If you are like most Americans and have some credit glitches, just make sure that you've addressed them properly, and then disclose them promptly.

[Anonymous]

Agree with PP that for low-level job, no one will care. It will be asked or addressed on a security clearance app, however, if you are low-level, your clearance will be low--ie. maybe not even "secret" or top-secret or above ie. "code word"--for those clearances you get much more scrutiny. When in doubt, disclose. Better to be honest than be caught in a lie.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't give OP much of a security clearance or credit rating. Wow. If she gets what she wants, what kind of incentive is it for those of us who work hard to pay our taxes and bills on time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't give OP much of a security clearance or credit rating. Wow. If she gets what she wants, what kind of incentive is it for those of us who work hard to pay our taxes and bills on time.

oh boy are you one of those people that goes around judging everyone else and comparing to make yourself feel better? who cares about what i am doing. just keep the focus on yourself! we had extensive medical bills which made it difficult to keep up. also for a start up business, the taxes are incredibly high because we had to pay taxes on our office which we were paying a mortgage on as well....

[Anonymous]

In a previous administration, my husband started out as a GS 12, and he had to undergo a lengthy (but low-level) security clearance that even included late-paid parking tickets from when he was in law school. They interviewed all our old neighbors. If there is any sort of security clearance involved, I don't think that OP would make the cut. Just my two cents...but The New York Times recently ran a fascinating front-page story that OP should google. It was about how Obama's appointees will undergo the most rigorous scrutiny ever.

[Anonymous]

wondering if the high level of scrutiny is for all political appointees though? I looked at the multiple page questionnaire the Obama transition team created - it does contain a lot of questions. I can't believe that everyone they have hired so far is squeaky clean though...but why even think about background checks when even getting your resume looked at will be a challenge I think something like 350,000 people submitted resumes for political jobs.

[Anonymous]

My husband worked in the last administration and on the Hill and we had to do a financial disclosure statement every year once he was over $100k salary. And we made darn sure we did everything on our taxes as conservatively as possible, including paying all taxes on our legal housecleaner. I frankly wouldn't try to get a job in the administration without a clean tax record. I don't think late payments are as big a deal if you paid them off.

[Anonymous]

I think you should apply, OP. There are hundreds of appointees to any new administration, and only a few of them receive the media scrutiny of Geithner or Daschle. These are very high profile jobs requiring confirmation. They'd have trouble hiring anyone in the Federal government if an illegal nanny or unpaid taxes on a housekeeper (not to mention yard workers) somewhere in their past eliminated them from consideration. As long as you've paid your taxes, not cheated on them, I think you'll be OK. The media will have no interest in you unless you are applying for a very high level position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing major but yes, lots of late bills, probably at some point had a cleaning woman I didn't pay taxes on, IRS problems once or twice b/c we were starting our own business and the taxes were insanely high. Does this mean that I shouldn't apply to work for him? I am afraid that if I get a job that the media will look up my less than perfect background and make it public and embarrass me and my family. Is that being paranoid. It would be a lower level job. I actually have this concern for other non-obama jobs as well. What is fair game with the media?

This is the problematic piece, in all likelihood.

Most political appointments are not filled through resume submissions, you know. The media will only scrutinize Cabinet- and sub-cabinet-level appointments, so that's probably not likely to happen to you. But to be blunt, if you expect to get a political appointment without knowing someone, that's very unlikely to happen. If you're talking about a civil service job, the difficulty will involve only security clearances. But most positions don't involve a security clearance.

[Anonymous]

13:40 again. You mentioned other jobs too and I'd add that many employers now do credit checks and background checks as part of their screening process. You need to be completely forthright in applying for any job.

[Anonymous]

You're joking, OP, right? Haven't you been watching the news? Apparently, anything goes in the Obama administration..... You don't expect a little thing like tax problems to derail people as brilliant and gifted as yourself and your fellow administration colleagues, do you?

[Anonymous]

You're joking, OP, right? Haven't you been watching the news? Apparently, anything goes in the Obama administration..... You don't expect a little thing like tax problems to derail people as brilliant and gifted as yourself and your fellow administration colleagues, do you?

Haven't you been watching the news? Two high level appointments - including one cabinet-level appointment - were withdrawn because of tax problems. President Obama went on five networks to say he screwed up by proposing people with tax problems. How you can construe that to mean "anything goes" beats me.

[Anonymous]

OP - so long as you're really really good at something, you can separate yourself from the rest of us plebeains, and you address the president by his first name, then do not worry about paying taxes (or just the ones you feel like).

But hec, even Joe the Plumber (another tax evader) got a job as a reporter. Go figure. So, there is hope for you.

There is something out there OP, don't worry. If not, I'll look for you in the unemployment line.