Is your hiring process holding you back?
Is your hiring process holding you back?
You have likely heard that if you have nothing to hide, then your background check will not bring up any negative information at all. However, this is not necessarily the case. It is possible that you are a victim of identity theft or perhaps more likely, you have the same name and maybe even the same birthdate as someone with a less than reputable reputation. Thankfully, you can find some of this out by simply doing a Google search, but some of this information is harder to find.
Running your own background check is a much better way of discovering this type of information, however. Running your own background check is an even better idea if you are someone who has never had a background check run on them by a prospective employer.
If it has been some time since your last background check, then running your own background check is also a good idea. Discovering these errors means that you can correct the information so that your prospective employer does not receive inaccurate information. If your hiring manager does receive inaccurate information, you can discuss it with them and point out the inaccuracies since you already know what they are.
The simplest way that you can run your own pre-employment background check is by using an employment screening service. If you do things this way, you will get the exact same information an employer will get when they run your background check. It is important to keep in mind that not every background checking company will permit you to do self-background checks. There are many options, but you should ensure that whichever company you choose complies with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The Fair Credit Reporting Act governs how reporting agencies handle their consumers' information so that privacy, fairness, and accuracy are ensured.
The next step in running your own background check is to select a background check package from the company running your background check. You can determine exactly how extensive you want the background check to be, and this can depend on the background check needs of your job. We recommend that you choose a package that provides federal records, state records, and county records at least so you can get optimally accurate results.
You might be applying for a job that requires you to drive. If so, you should select a background check package that includes a motor vehicles records check. This information can help prove that you are a safe driver and capable of handling the driving portion of the job well. Furthermore, employment verification options can provide you with extra peace of mind because you will know that your resume is completely accurate. If you go with education verification options, then you can enjoy even greater peace of mind as a result of this option since it verifies the education information on your resume.
In order to run the background check, you will need to gather the same information that your employer would request if they were the ones running the background check. This includes your legal name and your current address as well. Your social security number in addition to information about your past employment and information about your education is necessary, too. Once you have all of this, you should receive a copy of your background check either by mail or by email depending upon your communication preferences. How long it takes to get this copy can vary.
There are many reasons why you might want to run your own background check, and confirming the details on your resume is certainly one of them. More than half, 58% to be exact, of all hiring managers, discover either some kind of exaggeration or a blatant lie on the resumes of applicants[1]. Naturally, 50% of employers on a recent survey stated that they will disqualify any applicants who lie on their resumes.
However, discrepancies on your resume can actually be accidental and not malicious at all. Dates of employment are one area where the information might not always be so straightforward. One example of this is if you initially worked as an independent contractor for a company but later you transitioned to a full-time position with this company. On your resume, you might put your start date as the date you first got the contract with the company. However, by contrast, your former employer might use the day that you started working full-time for the company as your start date. Running your own background check can help you clarify such information.
Social media accounts are more and more common among people in our current digital age. However, you can use social media accounts in order to perform a background check on yourself. The first thing you have to do to run a background check on yourself using this method is to conduct a Google search. After you have done that, you can simply take a look at all of your social media accounts. This is also especially useful since prospective employers check your social media accounts before hiring you more frequently these days.
Online databases are a good resource to use when you are running a background check on yourself for employment. It is easy to search online public records databases. Here, you can see what kind of information these databases have on you specifically. It is important to remember that online databases don't have access to all records. You can check state and federal criminal databases, the FBI's fingerprint database, and even the global terrorism database if you so choose. Finding county and state criminal databases is easily done by searching the court records for your county or state.
Another part of running a background check on yourself for employment is reviewing your references. It is important to verify the date you started your most recent job and the date you graduated from college to ensure all this information is correct. You can first contact your work references and discuss your work history with them. You can make sure you have the right position, start and end date, duties, and dates of any promotions correct on your resume.
You can also contact the college or university you graduated from and get a copy of your records from that institution. Once you have these records, you can confirm that all the information on them is correct. You can request your records online with some schools. If there is any incorrect information, you can inform the school and ensure that they correct this information. Reviewing references is also totally free, although some colleges and universities do charge you a fee if you want to send out a transcript.
Credit reports are an important part of your background check because they can demonstrate your overall fiscal responsibility. Credit reports are especially important if you are applying for a finance job, but they can prove useful when you are applying for any job, really. The aforementioned Fair Credit Reporting Act requires that the three nationwide credit reporting companies give you a free copy of your credit report if you request it. You can get a copy of this credit report from each of the three companies once a year. This means that you can request three credit reports at absolutely no cost to you.
If you want this free credit report, you first have to provide your name, date of birth, social security number, and current home address. It is possible that you will have to verify some of your personal information in order to access this report. This may be an old phone number or past address. In the event that you discover anything suspicious on your report, contact the credit reporting company and talk to them about it. It is possible that this is a sign you are a victim of identity theft.
In order to make sure that you are performing a thorough check, you should order several different kinds of background checks. You should do a criminal records check, driving records check, and order your credit report. If the position you are applying for requires a professional license, you should check to ensure you have the proper professional license.
If you are looking to run a comprehensive background check on yourself, look no further than eKnowID, the most reliable name in employment verification and background check services. Try it free today!
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