Do you have proof of your applicant's degree?

The case of Steve Masiello, should serve as a reminder to everyone not to trust that a previous employer has done a thorough background check. Steve Masiello is a Division I college basketball coach. Masiello has been coaching Manhattan College’s basketball team since 2011, and he previously worked under Rick Pitino as an assistant coach at Louisville from 2005 to 2011. His coaching credentials were so impressive that he was offered a position as the head basketball coach at University of South Florida to make one million dollars a year for five years. His hiring, however, was contingent upon a routine verification of his resume.

University of South Florida found something that his previous jobs had missed. Masiello had never graduated from University of Kentucky as he claimed on his resume. While he had attended Kentucky from 1996 to 2000, he had not earned his bachelor’s degree in communication. Once this piece of information was uncovered, University of South Florida rescinded its offer of employment.

The key that to take away from this is that his two previous employers had not done thorough background checks. The athletic director at the University of Louisville, Tom Jurich, said Masiello was hired because Rick Pitino knew his background and was comfortable with him. Louisville had conducted a criminal background check on him but had not verified his education.

Steve Masiello is not the only individual to have lied on his resume. In fact, he is just the most recent in a string of coaches who have lied on their resumes and not immediately been caught. These individuals have lied about playing experience, Rhodes scholarships, and degrees. These coaches are influencing college students on a daily basis, and their resumes should be thoroughly verified. Otherwise, the universities have no one to blame but themselves when they get caught in these situations.

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Source:

McMurphy, B. (2014, March 26). UK: Steve Masiello Didn’t Graduate. Retrieved July 18, 2014, from http://espn.go.com/espn/print?id=10675532&type=HeadlineNews&imagesPrint=off#

Written by: Alex Hutchinson