The most basic type of background check covers information such as identity, employment records, and the possibility of criminal history. CheckPeople.com background checks give access to a wide variety of data.
Background check laws are quite complicated and also differ from state to state. Other types of checks someone might choose to have performed on a current or potential employee include financial history, education history, driving record, and other relevant professional qualifications. Here are The Best Free Background Check Sites.
Getting Started With Pre-employment Screening
The most common reason to run a background check is for employment. You might be screened during the interview stage and/or after you’ve been hired. Before proceeding, the company is required to ask for your consent for this. The HR staff, recruiters, or a third-party screening service provider will get your name, date of birth, social security number, and current address and use them to carry out a background check.
Typically, the pre-employment background checks cover a seven-year period. This can be extended to a decade back in some states. They will reveal information about your employment history and whether you have committed or been accused of committing any crimes in the past.
Depending on the job position in question, you might also be asked to take a drug test. A prospective employer may also choose to check your social media. They don’t need your consent for this, but they’re also not allowed to use any findings to make an employment-related decision.
Criminal Record Checks
Criminal history screening is a routine part of background checks. The actual type of check performed will depend on the position you’ve applied for. More specific ones help employers obtain detailed insight. People applying for jobs in the healthcare industry or with the police or in the military are typically subjected to in-depth screening. For instance, the potential employer could check your fingerprints to see whether you’ve been convicted of a crime in another state or country.
Keep in mind that employers don’t do background checks because they want to find damaging information. No company will be happy to learn a candidate has committed a crime, especially one that’s somehow related to the job they’re offering. A conviction or incidents that occurred years ago will not create a good impression, either. The employer will be concerned that the candidate’s behavior might affect their job performance negatively. In fact, the potential impact of a past crime on the position and employer is a great deal more significant than when one was convicted or what sentence they were given.
Credit History
Most jobs that involve handling financial resources involve a credit check. If you’re applying for a job in the finance sector and the company sees you’ve struggled with debt or loans in the past, you can’t reasonably expect that to work in your favor. It’s important to be able to explain your circumstances convincingly. You need to show you’ve learned from your mistakes. Many employers will give such candidates the benefit of the doubt because they’re aware a poor credit rating might be due to an unpredictable and unplanned event, such as the loss of a loved one or a severe illness.
How to Prepare for a Background Check
In summary, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that practically every job applicant can expect to be asked to undergo a background check today. In light of the lasting consequences of the pandemic, remote work is becoming more and more common. This goes with a large number of risks. To prepare yourself, run a self-check online and clean up your digital footprint. Either set all your social media profiles to “private” or remove any potentially damaging posts or comments.
