Our cook made a joke to one of the waiters about honing…
““Our cook made a joke to one of the waiters about honing his cooking skills in prison. The waiter asked what he’d been serving time for, and he said, ‘Murder.’” “I bet that put an end to the conversation real fast. And yes, you can fire him,” Brooke had said. “Obviously, he lied on his employment application.” All of Sterling’s employees, regardless of job position, were required to answer whether they’d ever been convicted of a crime involving “violence, deceit, or theft.” Pretty safe to say that murder qualified. Ten minutes later, the manager had called her back. “Um . . . what if he didn’t exactly lie? I just double-checked his application, and as it turns out, he did check the box for having been convicted of a crime.” Brooke had paused at that. “And then the next question, where we ask what crime he’d been convicted for, what did he write?” “Uh . . . ‘second-degree murder.’” “I see. Just a crazy suggestion here, Cory, but you might want to start reading these applications a little more closely before making employment offers.” “Please don’t fire me.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A manager discovers a job applicant concealed a serious crime, prompting a review of hiring practices.
In simple terms: A hiring mistake reveals hidden criminal history, urging careful background checks.
Key Takeaway
Verify applicant details thoroughly before hiring.
Themes
integrity
employment
background checks
Mood
cautious
concerned
Type
advisory
warning
When to use this quote
- restaurant hiring
- HR policies
- employee screening
Key Concepts
ethical hiring
risk management
Questions to Reflect On
- How can companies improve application verification?
- What are the risks of overlooking background details?
A Different Perspective
Potential legal liabilities if the crime is not disclosed.