Now that's what I call vetting: Want a job in the Obama Admin? Be prepared to tell all of your business

The Obama Administration is showing folks how vetting is done! There are over 8,000 positions available for qualified applicants. And just so you know, "Qualified" includes the following:

The questionnaire includes 63 requests for personal and professional records, some covering applicants’ spouses and grown children as well, that are forcing job-seekers to rummage from basements to attics, in shoe boxes, diaries and computer archives to document both their achievements and missteps.

Only the smallest details are excluded; traffic tickets carrying fines of less than $50 need not be reported, the application says. Applicants are asked whether they or anyone in their family owns a gun. They must include any e-mail that might embarrass the president-elect, along with any blog posts and links to their Facebook pages.

The application also asks applicants to “please list all aliases or ‘handles’ you have used to communicate on the Internet.” Source: New York Times

The bottom line is that the Obama Administration is taking what some might call extreme measures to prevent any potential scandals that might embarrass the Administration. Given all of the many scandals we've seen in the past, I cannot blame them for making sure that they have checked the list, and checked it twice.

Ultimately what this means is that you need to seriously think twice about submitting an application if you have done any of the following in the past (Note - this is not an exhaustive list):

1. Posted questionable photos of yourself on MySpace, Facebook, or any other social networking site.
2. Posted anything online, or written anything in print that could be considered controversial or otherwise embarrassing.
3. Had an extramarital affair
4. Employed illegal immigrants in your home or business
5. Have an arrest record, or been convicted of any crimes
   

My advice to those who think that this application process is too intrusive? Don't apply and seek employment elsewhere!

For those of you who would still like to apply, please visit www.change.gov in order to complete a letter of interest online.

Good luck!