Are You Hiring Terrorists?
Now, more than ever, it is essential that you verify every piece of information on a job application.
THOUSANDS of terrorists call the United States home. It has been estimated
that hundreds of terrorist sleeper cells are scattered throughout our country,
waiting for orders and instructions. For the weeks or months or years they may
have to wait, all of these people need money to survive, and their income is not
solely provided by their terrorist groups.
Many, if not most, hold jobs in America. Their employers are potential
targets of terrorist attacks directed against the company and its people,
facilities, and computer systems. Even if these companies are not specifically
targeted, they are indirectly (although unknowingly) supporting our enemies by
providing a source of income for terrorists.
What kinds of jobs are there for mad bombers, you might ask. The answer is
surprising to many people. Terrorist organizations have become increasingly
sophisticated, and they rely on the services of members who have a broad range
of skills and experience. Between Osama bin Laden and the guy who plants the
bomb is an army of people who provide specialized skills and expertise. Every
terrorist group relies on such people as accountants, computer experts,
recruiters, logistics specialists, attorneys, fund raisers, even cooks. All of
these people have the types of skills that employers are looking for, and it is
likely that most terrorists in sleeper cells are now holding jobs in our
country.
Business owners, executives, human resources departments, and hiring managers
should be aware some job candidates they are interviewing could be terrorists.
In addition to your company's standard screening and hiring procedures (skill
testing, interviews, etc.), there are some things you can do to guard against
unwittingly hiring our enemies.
Job Applications: Be an Investigator
A terrorist will almost
certainly lie on his job application. Now, more than ever, it is essential that
you verify every piece of information on that application. Call the Human
Resources departments of all previous employers and see whether the applicant's
stated dates of employment and job titles match what he told you. If possible,
talk to the applicant's supervisor at each of his previous jobs. If there are
irregularities here, the person may be lying to protect his true identity. (Of
course, he may be lying merely to make himself look good. In either case, he's
not the kind of employee you want.)
Verify his educational achievements. If he lists attendance at a high school,
call that school to see whether he actually attended. If he tells you he was
enrolled in college, call the college's registrar for verification. The same
goes for trade and vocational schools, as well as seminars, workshops,
continuing education, etc.
Check out professional associations and social groups he lists (anything from
the American Society of Mechanical Engineers to the Boy Scouts).
We all know lots of people are not entirely truthful when they apply for
jobs. What we are looking for here is the person who is not just lying, but
trying to create a false identity that hides his true motives. It is imperative
you do all you can to ensure the job applicant is actually who he says he
is.
Background Investigations
If your company does not do background
investigations as part of your pre-employment screening procedure, you should
start today. Don't let the cost scare you away. Competent companies charge as
little as $25 for a service that includes a report of a person's criminal
history, driving records, credit history, Social Security number verification,
and other important information. This information should be matched against that
given in the applicant's employment application, and it should also be
considered on its own.
What to Look For in the Job Interview
One of the scariest things
about terrorists is that they look just like you and me. While they might be
evil, terrorists are not crazy. Indeed, terrorist recruiters seek out people who
are reasonably intelligent and who don't stand out in a crowd. These are members
who won't jeopardize the group itself. Thus, a terrorist sitting across the desk
from you will look and sound just like any other job candidate.
While psychologists have not yet found a terrorist personality profile, there
are a number of traits most terrorists have in common. It is important to be
aware of them and to use interview questions that will give you a hint the
person might be a threat.
Most terrorists possess the following traits:
- They are loners.
- They are dissatisfied with their lives.
- They have low self-esteem.
- They are true believers.
- They are antisocial.
- They lack pity or remorse.
- They have grievances against our country and our allies.
- They are tremendously loyal to their terrorist groups.
You should ask questions during the interview that tell you whether or not
the applicant possesses most or all of these traits. For example, a question
that gives us an idea of self-esteem might be, "What accomplishments are you
most proud of?" A person with low self-esteem is not truly proud of anything
he's done and will have to work hard to think of an answer. Take note of long
pauses here.
To see whether the person is dissatisfied with his life, you might ask, "What
are the three things you like most about your life?" A terrorist will have to
work hard just to come up with one or two things. A good question to gauge
antisocial motivation would be, "Are there some kinds of people you just don't
like?" Beware of the applicant who has a long list of these people or who
describes people like you and your employees and co-workers.
Questions should be developed for all of the above traits. If an applicant
shows indications of possessing most of them, you may be interviewing a
terrorist. While not all people who share these traits are terrorists, all
terrorists share them. In times like these, it's better to be safe than
sorry.
The vast majority of people who apply for jobs with your company will not be
terrorists. That should not stop you from being alert and aware. Even though
most people at airports don't have evil intentions, everyone who intends to
board an aircraft is carefully screened. As long as there is a terrorist threat
to our country, we must continue to be vigilant in all aspects of our lives.
This article originally appeared in the January 2004 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.