Episode 66: Jamie Pelchat on Compliance, Operations, and Leading With Fairness

Jamie Pelchat started her career sticking barcodes on file folders after school. She ended up VP of Delivery Transformation at HireRight and a first-term member of the PBSA Board. 

In this episode of Behind the Screens, Les Rosen sits down with Jamie to talk about the winding, fascinating path between those two points.
 
In this episode you'll hear about:

1. How Jamie went from project manager to VP of Operations and Compliance at General Information Services, and what the merger with HireRight looked like from the inside

2. The career advice her mom passed down — and why "assertive, not aggressive" still shapes how she leads

3. Why fairness beats trying to make everyone happy, and how to take the emotion out of tough situations at work

4. The certifications Jamie didn't want to study for and is proudest of having, including a Nevada PI license that required flying out and appearing before a board in person

5. How an introvert used PBSA task forces to build real professional relationships and eventually land a seat on the board

6. Practical, no-cost ways for newcomers to grow in the background screening industry right now

7. Jamie's hobby: sailing a Catalina 250 on Lake Murray in South Carolina, and the fun fact that she won a few regattas back in the day

Subscribe so you never miss a conversation with a background screening pro.
Thanks to our sponsor, PreemploymentDirectory.com, publisher of Background Buzz and numerous other resources. And a special thanks to W. Barry Nixon.

Connect with US:

• Les Rosen- https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesterrosen/
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel- https://www.youtube.com/@BehindtheSCreens200

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Be honest, be fair, be firm, and that means, you know, not aggressive, but be assertive. Speak up to solve problems. And so not to just make a statement or to win an argument, but to solve problems.

SPEAKER_00 0:22

Welcome to Behind the Screens Conversations with Background Screening Pros. I'm Les Rosen, your host, and I'm excited to have you here. On this podcast, we chat with the people who know the background screening world inside and out. Executives, industry experts, legal pros, and more. We dive into their personal stories and insights to give you a real look at what's happening behind the scenes. Whether you work in the screening industry or are just curious, behind the screens bring you the real unfiltered conversations from the people who make it all happen. Stick around for stories you won't hear anywhere else. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another episode of Behind the Screens Conversations with Background Screening Pros. And as always, want to remind you that we are sponsored by Mr. W. Barry Nixon, the publisher of the Pre-Eemployment Directory. And we certainly are happy that he is supporting us in our podcast with people that are background screening pros. And today we have a poster person for a background screening pro, person who has been in positions of compliance and operations, director and vice president level of two major firms starting in 2002. So, boy, the very definition of a background screening professional and proving the old adage that no good deed goes unpunished. She is now in her first term as a member of the board of PBSA. We'll be talking about that. And it's my pleasure to welcome the program, Jamie Pelchat. Jamie, welcome to the program.

SPEAKER_01 2:06

Thank you, Les.

SPEAKER_00 2:08

We are very happy to have you. And let me ask you the first question: where are you talking to us from today? Where in the world are you?

SPEAKER_01 2:17

Well, I am talking to you from the great state of South Carolina. I am located just outside of the capital city of Columbia.

SPEAKER_00 2:27

Oh, that's great. And I mean, because you were with GIS, we'll get into that. I mean, that's why you started there and so forth. Okay. And South Carolina, are you are you that far from Savannah or Charleston?

SPEAKER_01 2:39

Or I'm about two hours from Charleston, a two-hour drive from Charleston, two-hour drive from the mountains up in Asheville, North Carolina. And Savannah is just a little bit farther, but all within driving distance. So it's a really, really nice place to be.

SPEAKER_00 2:56

Oh, that's great. Almost something you're describing a donut. Like all around you is great stuff. It's great stuff too. And I have to mention, because this is you know, I've love travel, that you just got back from one of my favorite places. So re-regale us. Where have you just been? Because I'm jealous.

SPEAKER_01 3:15

Well, I just got back from visiting Hawaii, and we had a great time while we were there. It was a little wet. They've been inundated with rain, to say the least. But nonetheless, it's so so beautiful, and we had a great time. And uh just love Hawaii.

SPEAKER_00 3:31

And then you're back here to the shock of the real world. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 3:36

That is absolutely right.

SPEAKER_00 3:41

Just do this, do that, you know, Christ, whatever, whatever. Oh boy. All right. So tell us about your current role. What are you currently doing? What do you like about it? What's interesting about it?

SPEAKER_01 3:52

Yeah. So I recently, very recently transitioned into a new role, vice president of delivery transformation. And I was in compliance for a long time before this new role, and then operations before that. And in this new role, I'm using my compliance and my operations experience a lot. And really to it's to help the business continue to drive automation and efficiencies, think about things in new ways, and especially where it can help us continue delivering high-quality background checks. So it's exciting. And I'd say the most interesting thing about this role at this point, it's the mind-numbing speed with which technology is changing and coming about in the these things that are going on in the industry and how we do have to look at things with a different lens. It's evolving so quickly. And and how it touches every single department and every single function. And so that's been really interesting to kind of get up to speed on some of these things. I'm excited and energized to be able to be working with so many different people across different functions and learning new things. So that's kind of what I'm doing right now.

SPEAKER_00 5:15

I have to tell you, I personally prefer retirement. But what you're doing sounds so fascinating because you are like on the tip of the spear. I mean, you are the cutting edge of the cutting edge. It sounds like.

SPEAKER_01 5:27

Yeah, certain, certainly trying to be. That is the goal.

SPEAKER_00 5:31

Well, and you mentioned that you had roles and I I think VP roles in compliance and operations. Tell us about your career path. How did you get from A to B? How did you get from where you started to where you are now?

SPEAKER_01 5:44

Well, it all started when I was about 12, babysitting. I'm just kidding, I won't go back that far. Oh, although actually it's true. Every role that one has, even as early as babysitting, has mattered, I think, in my career. I have learned something with every role that I have done. And so when I was a file clerk way back when, I was actually a part of technology then. I didn't really know it at the time, but when I look back on it now, it's kind of fascinating. I was a file clerk after school. And I participated in a project where barcoding had just come out. And so I literally stuck thousands of barcodes on the back of files and scanned them and then ran reports. And I didn't know what I was doing at the time. I just did, you know, I was just sticking things on these file folders. But like I said, later when I looked back, it's like that was really high tech at the time. And I had a role in that. So I thought I was very cool. But it's those kinds of things, you know. I've I've held many different jobs over the years through college. I've worked at several law firms, and eventually I landed this job as a project manager with this company that I found really intriguing. And it was a background screening company, the General Information Services. And I was ecstatic. I didn't know anything about it, but that didn't matter at the time. I was there to help drive the customizations and the integrations that the IT department was doing and working with the account managers and customer service to help drive those projects. Like I said, we were doing a lot of integrations at that time and a lot of customizations, and we really had to stay on point with it. And so I that's what I did. Obviously, I learned more than I ever thought I would about background screening and eventually moved over into the operations department so that I could kind of continue that work in working with the IT department to help build the systems that we needed to support what we were trying to do. And again, a lot of new technology at the time. You'll probably find this funny. One of my first jobs with GIS was to, or my first tasks, I would say, was working on a project for this thing called a national database. I didn't know what that meant at the time, again, but I was to really test it, analyze it, give my feedback, work with the developers. And my first feedback was this thing is crap. I don't know, you can never sell this. And I learned very quickly that that's not a good answer really to anything. Okay. And so I had to keep working until it wasn't crap. And it was even way better than that. And so I did that, but I learned so much. At that time, we had a very small IT department and a very close-knit group with the account managers and customer service. And so working with operations and yeah, that was a huge learning experience. And as we grew over the years, and again, you know, you keep learning more and more. That's what I started learning about all of the FCRA, the regulations. And then at some point, the company decided to carve out a distinct department for compliance. And, you know, those compliance-y things sometimes can get lost when you are trying to push out background screens super fast. And we knew that we couldn't just focus on turnaround time, we had to have an eye on quality. And so that's when we carved out that department and I moved over to the compliance department. At that time, it was it was one or two people, me reporting to our legal counsel and one other person that worked with me on policies and procedures at that time. So yeah, fast forward to today. We merged with Higher Right several years ago now. And I've kind of come full circle with this delivery transformation role. Again, working with operations and IT and the account managers to bring new solutions to the table. So yeah, that's my story on how I got here.

SPEAKER_00 10:21

What a path. And if I remember properly, your uh at one point at GIS before the merger, you were the vice president of operations, right?

SPEAKER_01 10:30

Yes, that's right.

SPEAKER_00 10:31

Yeah. That's right.

SPEAKER_01 10:32

Oh, that's great.

SPEAKER_00 10:33

So I'm gonna uh uh uh sort of just jump over a couple of questions, then we'll go back. But to just you know describing the fact that you you started in background screening around 2002 and you just stuck with it and stuck with it and stuck with it. I mean, it's obviously from listening to you, you could have gone to the end of the industry. What is it about background screening that that kept you motivated and kept you in that particular industry as opposed to looking around for something else to do?

unknown 11:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:00

Well, I really did find it fascinating in the beginning. I thought it was kind of cool to, you know, background screening. And and it didn't disappoint. Always something new, always something to learn, plenty of problems to solve. But I I really I I found it fascinating then. I I still do today. You know, never a dull moment. You've got these creative attorneys on one side, you got technology over here, and then just regulations throughout the states and the cities. And so there is always something going on. And uh, and while so many things stay the same, there are changes every day. Yeah. So it it just it has it is kept me fascinated. And so yeah, why why do anything else at this point? Because I I love it.

SPEAKER_00 11:53

And and I I think it sounds like you still do. I mean, it sounds like every every every every I would say every day is a challenge, but it's probably every 10 minutes, right? Right. That's about right, yeah. Something comes up. Right. So, you know, in in in in reviewing your career path, is there some early mentor or influencer you'd like to give a shout out to that that had an impact on on your career or the way you you you approach things or think about things?

SPEAKER_01 12:19

Yeah, I think, you know, for first I I have to mention my mom.

SPEAKER_00 12:24

So my mom Mom, I hope you're listening.

SPEAKER_01 12:28

Yeah, mom. My mom was a professional business leader throughout the 80s, 90s, and on. And at that time worked in a predominantly male industry. Right. And so it was a different time then. And not that our our time today doesn't have challenges, but it it had its unique challenges back then for for especially for a professional businesswoman. But my mom, my mom taught me to do my job, whatever it is, uh understand what my role is and and get it, you know, get it done. Be honest, be fair, be firm, and that means, you know, assertive, not aggressive, but be assertive, speak up to solve problems. And so not to just make a statement or to win an argument, but to solve problems. And that that's really what we're all here to do for our companies. And I've always, you know, kept that top of mind, and it hasn't hasn't led me in the wrong direction. And then, you know, and I I was always able to turn to her if something didn't sound right to me, or if I didn't think something was going the right way, or I I might be able to handle something better. She was always there at the other end of the phone, able to give me some advice. So that was very cool. Very cool.

SPEAKER_00 13:47

I I love that distinction you made, uh assertive versus aggressive. I mean, that is so key.

SPEAKER_01 13:54

Definitely a difference there, and I think it's important, you know, like I said, to be assertive, stick to your guns, but we don't have to be aggressive in doing that. Right. That can make a big difference in our personal relationships. And then at work, I would say Lori Webb, and many of you will know know Lori, but Lori really taught me the ins and outs of background screening and especially the operations side of the house. Her expertise and support, and I will say her high expectations of us that really pushed me to keep growing, keep learning, keep asking questions, and really driving towards solutions. And so those are skills that I mean I continue to use every day. So I I really did learn and learn a lot from Lori. And then I need to mention Chris Lemons, and I know many of you will know Chris as well. But Chris taught me, well, actually he continues to teach me, but always go back to the problem that it is we're trying to resolve and or solve for, and don't lose sight of the big picture. Whatever the issue is that we are facing, you know, break it down, walk through it, brainstorm, make suggestions, poke holes through your own suggestions. I mean, try to break your own suggestions and theories on things, listen to people because none of us knows it all. And together we can find solutions to most most anything. And I think many of you can relate to this too. Many that are listening, if you know Chris, you know he's super smart, but never does he make you feel like a dodo. And so I've always appreciated that over the years. He puts up with my dumb questions and answers them, and we go on our merry way. And and I know a lot of people feel that way too. So that's that's important to have that support and feel like you can ask whatever question that you need to ask, and you get good, solid advice without making you feel like a dodo.

SPEAKER_00 15:53

So well, that's great. Well, shout out to mom, Lori, and Chris. So that's that's fantastic. You know, it's such a great point, too, when you say you you take a problem because uh some problem that is seemingly small and insignificant is often a window into something that is lurking below the the the surface that someday will be a bigger problem, or is it a bigger problem than you know? And so it's uh so everything that comes across your desk is problematic. It's like, okay, what that that this can't be the first time it happened, and how we how have we been doing this before? So it uh it's always a voyage of discovery, and it and it's so it's you know continual improvement. So that's you know, great stuff. So with everything that you've described to us, what what's a uh an industry lesson or something you you've learned early on in your career that that has stuck with you? And we all have lots of lessons, but yeah, but give given that we're in a podcast, something that just comes top of mind that would be fun and interesting to share.

SPEAKER_01 16:50

Now you're you're right. There are there are probably well, lots and lots of lessons, but I think the the thing that comes top of mind for me is that while you can't make everybody happy all the time, you can be fair. And I I think that's important. And I found that, especially in working in a fast-paced environment like we do, you have to take the emotion out of it. When things happen, especially when something not so pleasant happens, those things are rare, or if somebody says something ugly, it it's rarely about you. And so I've learned to, I think, do a better job of listening to what the issue is. Again, and you know, not taking it personally, taking the emotion out of it. Listen to what the issue is, putting yourself in the other person's shoes, you know, what would I do if that had landed on my lap? Or what would I think if that had happened to me? And then, you know, what once you can kind of get through that, cut through all of that, then get on with it, move forward decisively, swiftly, and again fairly. I and I think that when when you do that, when you can take the emotion out of it and just focus on the tasks, you always can win that way. And and if nothing else, you'll be able to live with yourself and get a good night's sleep. You can take it, take it that that way. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:14

I mean, that's that's really great advice because you you you never know what's happening in someone else's life or the pressure they're under or you know, whatever, whatever. But the problem you can solve. I mean, whatever the you know, the operational or compliance issue is, you know, yeah. That's that's great advice. So with with everything you described, I I know you must have some proud moment or accomplishment that stands out and brings a smile to your face. What's something that you want to share with us that I hate to say that you're proud of? People don't want to be thought of as being, you know, egotistical or anything, but something that comes to mind that you say, gosh darn it, that worked out really well. I'm I'm really pleased with that.

SPEAKER_01 18:54

Well, and unless you're right, it it is it is hard to think of or come up with things that you're proud of and being humble. But I think what comes to my mind really is the it's more about growth for me. When I look back, I'm proud of myself for stepping outside of my comfort zone when I went after that certificate the first time. I hate taking tests. And then so going after that, you know, buckling down and doing it, getting that first certificate that I got in the industry, and then going on to get additional licenses and certifications. And again, hate taking tests, don't like to study, but I did it, and I'm I am proud that I did those things and I'm I'm I'm happy with that. Yeah, I was I was pretty stoked when I got the my first PI license. It was out of Nevada. And if anybody's had had to do that, it is it is not an easy test. Fly out there, take the test. No, it wasn't easy, it was horrible.

SPEAKER_00 20:00

And then you had to fly back and appear in front of the board in person.

SPEAKER_01 20:04

Yes, and and then that wait, uh yeah, it was horrible. But no, when I got home after getting that, my my husband had a nice dinner for me and he bought me that little Magnum PI matchbox Ferrari. And I thought that that was cute. It was all worth it to get that uh little Ferrari, but yeah, that was an accomplishment. And like I said, just stepping outside my comfort zone and doing those things even when I didn't want to. I'm glad that I did that. And that's great.

SPEAKER_00 20:33

And you've mentioned other certificates.

SPEAKER_01 20:35

Well, I've got the FCRA advanced certificate and yeah, and a GRC certificate, and the other certificate that I have that I was pretty proud of is the CIPP. It's the certified information privacy professional for the U.S. And that was another one that that I went after, and again, had to study for that, had to take a test. And so yeah, it's continuous learning. It's you know, it's not definitely not a uh a one and done in this industry. There's always more to learn that that can help us along in our roles.

SPEAKER_00 21:14

Well, congratulations. And none of those are easy to come by. And uh, and I agree with you. I you know, after taking the bar exam like a million years ago, I I hate tests, and I even taking a driving test freaks me out. I don't have a like, oh my god, I don't want to do that. And and I I remember right when I got my California PI, I was nervous, you know, even though I was a lawyer and you know knew a bunch of stuff. It's like like I it's like wow. I was you know, they sit there and they score it right in front of me. It's like, oh my god, and I you know, talk about butterflies and it turned out okay, but that's I know you feel like you're in eighth grade again. Exactly. I think you're in the principal's office. It's like, oh well, congratulations and all that. I mean, none of that is easy to come by, so that's that's really fun. So as a you know, I I guess you know, sort of a titan of operations and and compliance and and your time in the industry and the responsible positions you've had, you've now topped that off with a role in PBSA on the board. So tell us about the influence PBSA has has had on your career and and what you've done and how you got to the board and how all that's working out.

SPEAKER_01 22:36

Yeah, no, my my experience with PBSA has been really great because again, that's another area that I think just I've been able to grow, uh again, stepping outside of my comfort level and PBSA I think has allowed me to do that in a safe way and a not too intimidating way. Uh when I first I guess before I started going to the conferences, I used the material that PBSA put out quite quite a bit, the the white papers and the webinars, and I just I soaked up as much as I could. I took the time to to attend the webinars and pull down some of the information on, like I said, the white papers and the practical guidance. And I I used a lot of that stuff to help me learn. And and then when I was able to start going to the conferences, I I learned even more. I mean, being able to sit through the sessions, you know, it was just amazing. I mean, I was always like really tired afterwards. I mean, it's so much information, but it was so valuable. And and we would even split up, you know, which sessions we would go to and gather at the end, okay. What did you learn? What did you learn? And so that was great. And then as I said, just getting outside my comfort zone, I I am an introvert, so mingling and networking in large groups is very, very it's scary for me. But by joining some of the the the task forces, and and then I eventually joined the industry practices committee, that was a great way for me to get to know some people in a smaller setting that was more comfortable. And and so that that was really a good thing for my career and then my personal goal as well. So PBSA has really been great from just an education standpoint and like I said, a personal growth standpoint. Now I'm in a place where I can give back and through continued volunteering with industry practices and other task forces, and then now being on the board to give back and then hopefully help some other people get involved as well and do with it what they want. I mean, it it really is about what you make of it with PBSA, and there's just so many good people that are there for you and can help get you to the place that will do best for you and best for them too. I mean, they want everybody to succeed, and how can we work together to make the, you know, continue making the industry a great place?

SPEAKER_00 25:27

So yeah, you had you had this real classic journey. So you started with task force, and then you whoever's on the task force, you got to know them, and after a while they become professional friends and and friendly, and then and then a committee, and then more task force, and as a reward for putting in hours and years of work, they didn't put you on the board to give you the privilege of doing endless work for three years. All right.

SPEAKER_01 25:57

Yeah, but it's all been good. I mean, it it really has. It's all been good.

SPEAKER_00 26:02

Oh, that's fantastic. So you have a three-year term, right? And I I assume that's what what it still is. So well, congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. Well, I I think we're gonna pivot now from screening because we've talked about screening for believe it or not, it's been a full half hour. It's just been great to hear all about all the adventures you've had and the transformations and the things you've been involved in for you know two really well-known firms. But going beyond background screening, you want to share with us some of your hobbies and interests outside of work, fun things that you do that are are uh other than background checks? I'm not that background checks aren't fun. I mean, don't don't get me wrong, but uh right, right.

SPEAKER_01 26:44

But we can't have that kind of fun all the time.

SPEAKER_00 26:46

No, no, yeah, we have to do something to be well-rounded. Right.

SPEAKER_01 26:51

So when I'm not traveling to somewhere fun to explore, and I don't know how much fun this would be for a lot of people, but I actually really love to work in my yard. And I'm I have a nice big yard with beautiful shrubs that something's in bloom all the time here. And so I that's kind of my therapy to work in work in the yard. And then I love to sail. So we live very close to a lake here, and I have a sailboat, and I love to to go sailing any chance I get. And so that is what I like doing outside of work.

SPEAKER_00 27:29

Oh, you're you're our second sailor. Craig Dell was one of the first guests. He sailed the uh the Pacific Ocean. I don't know why, because there are airplanes, but tell us more about that. I mean, I don't know a sailboat from a rowboat, but give us a a quick intro to the to the world of sailing that you're involved in.

SPEAKER_01 27:48

Yeah, so the boat that I have, it's it's called a Catalina 250, and it's uh it's a 25-foot sailboat. So this is one that has it's kind of like the classic picture where you have the two sails, the main sail and the jib up front, and it's got a small cabin that you can go down into. It it could sleep for kind of uncomfortably, but it could sleep for. It's got a little mini cabin. And we don't do much of that anymore. We pretty much go out for uh a couple of hours, three hours, maybe more, and tool around the lake on a nice day and then head back home to the comforts of the air conditioning and uh work or or the you know out of the weather. But no, there's just nothing that quite beats getting out on the water and cruising along with the wind on on a nice day. So yeah, something that unbeatable for me.

SPEAKER_00 28:41

So a Catalina 250, 25, a 25-footer, which is not humongous, but it's not small. All right.

SPEAKER_01 28:48

Right, right. It's not it's not tiny, it's not like a ding.

SPEAKER_00 28:52

Yeah. A 25 foot with uh with with the cabin, a little bit of a kitchen area and so forth. And and presumably a head on the city.

SPEAKER_01 29:01

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 29:02

Oh, that's great. What lake are you on when you're when you're sailing about?

SPEAKER_01 29:05

We're on Lake Murray here. It's northwest of Columbia.

SPEAKER_00 29:10

So there's no ocean access. I mean, you're not gonna Right.

SPEAKER_01 29:14

Right. Now, a lot of people that live here do take their sailboats down to Charleston or the the coastal area and and sail off the coast. Okay. While I am working, I don't really have time to do that just yet.

SPEAKER_00 29:29

Well, that would that would be a schlep. I mean, to get a 25-foot sailboat down to the intercoastal or down to the ocean would be I mean I mean yeah, I that that would that would be a lot to do. Well, that's great. Well, I I I I personally don't get sailing because if you could just turn on the ignition, that's my preference. But hey, that's that's me. Right. So we play a game called Fun Facts. Is there something that you dare to share about yourself that the people may not know? That's unrelated to background screening. And disclaimer if once it's out there, people who hear this will harass you unmercifully about it. But you're up for the challenge. What's your secret fun fact?

SPEAKER_01 30:11

Well, I don't know about how daring it is at all, but I'm gonna just I'll stick with the sailboat theme. And so my my fun fact is that I actually have won a few regattas, sailing regattas, and that was with a sunfish, so that's the little one. But yes, back in the day, I was a first place winner in a few sailing regattas, and oh my god, so that was pretty cool. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:36

How big is the sunset?

SPEAKER_01 30:38

It's pretty small, it's pretty much one, two, two people max, and it's just got the one sail with the little sunfish emblem on the on the sail. So no motor on that one.

SPEAKER_00 30:51

No motor either. No, no bathroom, no bar.

SPEAKER_01 30:55

No bathroom, no cabin, no motor. So you're all on your own with with the wind on that one.

SPEAKER_00 31:01

Oh, that's great. So is there a sailboat club? I mean, are you can you go to various sailing clubs and you know talk monocle?

SPEAKER_01 31:12

There are a couple of sailing clubs on the lake, and I have to say I've been really bad about getting involved there. But maybe maybe one day when I'll have a little more time.

SPEAKER_00 31:22

But but but you can hook up and there's a bar and restaurant, and that's right. That's so much fun. Lake life. Oh, that's fantastic. Well, I I I tell you, I I I did not realize that you were a a sailor. So that that that that that's fun to give you something to do that I I'm sure while you're out there sailing, you're not at all thinking about background screening. At all. All right. I mean, what a great way to get away. So this is so much fun, Jimmy. I I I appreciate it. You know, based upon you know all of your experiences and the various things you've done in the industry, what would be your advice to newcomers? And by that I mean people who are just entering, or maybe people who've been in a couple years that want to want to advance or maybe you know go further in PBSA or just advance in their company. Maybe their company won't let them go or won't finance their going to the annual or mid-year, but what would be kind of your approach to that? What what what do you tell people?

SPEAKER_01 32:26

Yeah, I I think that especially for those that might not be able to go to the conferences, the great educational material that PBSA puts out. I mean, don't let that go to waste. And there's so much to learn, you know, not just with preparing the background report itself, but all of the services that go into it. You know, you can learn about drug testing and you know, even insurance. You know, so it there's so much to learn. So start with that educational material. The webinars are great, the papers are very informative, and and if nothing else, point you in the right direction on some things to think about, considerations when you're trying to put a program together or understand a program. So for those newcomers in the industry, yeah, these are things. It's not going to tell you everything you need to know, but it's going to tell you things to think about and considerations, and which I think is really valuable. And then really don't be afraid to reach out to people. And as I mentioned earlier, I mean, I I had to get over that myself. There are so many people here with PBSA that are not only willing to help, but but really want to help connect people with others or connect people with the right educational material. I mean, there's that help that's there. So yeah, don't be afraid to to reach out to people. And then if you're able to go to the conference, all the better. Because there, again, it's just a wealth of knowledge there and networking opportunities.

SPEAKER_00 34:00

I I think what's interesting, if I remember right, even if you can't go to the conference, even if your company won't pay you, I mean, someone who really wants to be a go-getter and get or get ahead or just really learn can just pick up the phone on their own time and join a committee, right? Or join a task force.

SPEAKER_01 34:15

Yeah. And I know with the Industry Practices Committee, we've had several folks on task forces that have worked on guidance that aren't always able to come to the conferences, but they have been awesome contributors because they've a subject matter expert on a particular paper that we're working on. And yeah. So yeah, there's no prerequisite there that you have to be a you know an in-person attendee to do those things. If you're a member, you you can absolutely join one of the committees or task forces.

SPEAKER_00 34:45

Yeah. Yeah, I think a lot of people think, well, unless they're in management or unless there's someone tells them they have a permission. But anybody, if you're if you've just been a verifier for a couple of years and you say, I I want to get on that committee, you just raise your hand and it's like you're on it.

SPEAKER_01 35:00

Yeah, and and that's a really good point that you make because we actually struggle with finding some of the subject matter experts at times. You can have a passel of lawyers looking at papers, but they're not the ones pushing the buttons and doing the verifications or you know what whatever it is. So those folks that are that really know the ins and outs of fulfillment, great subject matter experts. And like I said, we we really need that.

SPEAKER_00 35:28

And you and you can be a subject matter subject matter expert. Does not come triply to the tongue this morning, an SME, even if you're not a a director or or even a you know a lead, just that you that's just your job.

unknown 35:46

Right.

SPEAKER_00 35:46

You you can call up and and you'll be happily, you know, if you if you have you know any degree of personal interpersonal skills and you're willing to contribute, you you can just be a you can be a anyone and call up and and and you're in, right? Right.

SPEAKER_01 36:03

Yep, that's right. And you know, one of the things we're gonna you know uh continue working on is when we have a uh a project or a paper to work on, try to get the word out that, you know, hey, we're looking for people that would be able to contribute to such and such. And and so hopefully that that will help too. So it's not like you have to have a lifelong commitment either.

SPEAKER_00 36:25

And and the other trade-off is you get to contribute and and maybe your name is on the task force, but you're on the phone with people and you just start developing connections and friendships. That's right. You're just yakking with folks, and so that's uh that's a good thing. Okay. Well, Jamie, let me ask you, this has been great. I I think we've come to the part where I now say that you have the last word. Any any closing thoughts or anything else you'd like to add or share? The floor is yours.

SPEAKER_01 36:56

Thank you. I Les, I think I you know, I just want to thank you for doing this. It's a great idea hearing stories from those in the business and in this way. It just helping helps open up possibilities for others. It helps us learn more about each other. We all started somewhere, uh, and we all have worked hard to get to to where we are. Some of us are really still working our butts off, but having that supportive association and the passionate professionals at your fingertips and getting to know folks through these podcasts, I I think that's just pretty cool. So I just wanted to thank you for putting this together. It's very cool.

SPEAKER_00 37:40

Well, let me thank you for being a guest, and ladies and gentlemen, today we had a a true background screen pro, Jamie Pelchad, operations, compliance now with transformational technology, or whatever the title is, has been uh taking names and kicking buttons industry for a while and and to great effect. So we really appreciate your time here. And on behalf again of our sponsor, the Pre-impoint screens directory, this has been another episode of Behind the Screens, or our special guest today, the board member and longtime background pro, Jimmy Pelchat. We appreciate your time. Thanks, Jimmy.

SPEAKER_01 38:20

Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_00 38:21

And ladies and gentlemen, we'll see you at the next episode of Behind the Screens Conversations with another background screening pro. Thank you. All right, that was yet another wonderful conversation with a background screening pro. If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to hit subscribe so you never miss an update. And hey, if you got a moment, we'd love for you to leave us a review. It really helps get the word out. For more info or to catch up on past episodes, or to make suggestions or to suggest possible future guests, head over to our website. Once again, this is your host Les Rosen, and it's been a pleasure to bring you another episode. See you on the next episode. Thanks.