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Background check(illness-extenuating circumstance) at Big4

Do the Big4 perform a background check for extenuating circumstance (such as illness)? They obviously perform a check for grades & work experience, but what if I mention illness as my extenuating circumstance during the exam?

What kind of proof will I need to provide for this?

Reply 1

Ice_Queen

Any extenuating circumstances should be accounted for in the grade (e.g. extra marks, extra time, deferred exams, etc.) so no, would be my guess.

Reply 2

browncargos

Ice_Queen

so no, would be my guess.

yeah, I am thinking on the same lines (guessing that they won't perform background checks for illness)
But they must have something in-place to ensure the authenticity, otherwise many people will start claiming it as a reason for having less marks (& not satisfying the entry requirements of 340 UCAS points).....!
I mean it's quite straightforward when they want to check your work-experience or univeristy grade because they can just inquire with the previous employer or at your university. But what about checking the illness...? Will I be required to prove it explicitly by showing medical records.....?

Reply 3

crazyb

They cannot ask to see your medical records, but they can ask for official confirmation that you were hospitalised/treated at... etc.

Employers are likely to reject you before this stage purely on the expectation that you have a greater chance of being ill in the future.

Best off, not to mention illness/extenuating circumstances - fill your cv with +ve points.

I was almost house-bound for 2 years and yet by 'twisting' the CV, I secured many interviews for sought-after grad. jobs. Once where I mentioned an illness, no reply!

Reply 4

browncargos

crazyb

Best off, not to mention illness/extenuating circumstances - fill your cv with +ve points.

yeah you are right, but what if I don't fullfill the entry requirement of 340 UCAS points? I was ill during the A level equivalent exam (which I took outside UK) and all the Big4 seem to be very strict on this entry requirement of A level, although I have a masters degree.
Now I wish to express the illess as the reason for not having a score equivalent to 340 UCAS points. But I am not sure on 2 things:-

1) How will they react to it (as you said they might just react negatively assuming that I might fall ill again in future)

2) More importantly, if they react positively & accept me, then what exactly will they check about it when they perform background checks/reference checks..?

Reply 5

e_clark

browncargos

Well really you should have applied for extenuating circumstances consideration at the time, and then they factor it into your grade and increase it by whatever amount they see fit. Unfortunately if you haven't done it at the time, there isn't much you can do about it now, its "tough" as such, and companies will not really be interested in you trying to persuade them why your grades are not as good as they should be. I know for a levels and my degree you have a certain period of time after the exam to register your special circumstances, then they review them before the results are published - after this its tough. So I'm sorry but I don't think its going to do you much good unless you have like something that shows you were in hospital during exams or something.

Reply 6

*mini*

Hi,
Ive applied to one of the Big4, though it is for an internship, and I mentioned I had extenuating circumstances for my uni exams. They sent me an email asking whether my circumstances had affected any other periods of my education. I explained the situation to them, in my case it had done because my circumstances were an on going thing. They approved my application, and I am now at the online tests stage. They will most likely expect some sort of verification, for example, a letter from university, welfare tutur, or your GP as confirmation.