Is your hiring process holding you back?
Is your hiring process holding you back?
There are many types of background checks that a person can run on you. Each style of background check can reveal unique personal information.
An employer wanting to know more about a job candidate should know what type of information is included in a particular type of background check. Employees should know what type of information a potential employer can learn about them via a background check.
Background checks uncover sensitive information. The information uncovered must be stored following data privacy regulations. When a background check is used with hiring, it is subject to the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Most background checks disclose a candidate’s criminal history. The information the candidate supplies, such as their Social Security number, will be the basis of this check.
If the candidate has felony convictions, misdemeanor convictions, or pending criminal cases, these will show up. If a person has been incarcerated as an adult, this will also appear on the background report.
Depending on the report, pending prosecution and arrests may appear on the report. Even if an arrest did not lead to conviction, it could show up on certain background checks. Other background checks will exclude this information in conformity with EEOC guidelines.
Records that were sealed by the court and juvenile convictions rarely show up on background searches. However, any other type of criminal activity could appear, unless there is a state mandate forbidding its disclosure.
For example, in Kansas, California, Maryland, Montana, New York, and Washington, it is forbidden to disclose convictions that are older than seven years. In Hawaii, misdemeanors cannot be disclosed after five years. Felonies cannot be disclosed after seven years.
With a pre-employment background check, an employer is looking to verify the veracity of certain information about an employee. This would include their criminal background, education, professional licenses, and previous employment.
With jobs that include driving, the potential employer may review the driving record of a candidate. Employees may need to submit to a drug test as part of the screening process.
If a job involves hazardous equipment, deals with public safety, requires operating motor vehicles, interacting with children, or handling sensitive information, a pre-employment screening test will probably be requested.
The level of information provided varies based on how much the job pays. For example, if a person was applying for a job that pays less than $75,000 a year, then information about disciplinary measures connected to professional licenses, government sanctions, or civil judgments would not show up on their background check. However, if the job pays more than $75,000 a year, that information would appear, even if the offenses took place over seven years ago.
On average, background checks can be completed in between three to seven days. FBI checks typically take 30 days.
There are instant background checks on the market. However, these use databases that are inaccurate or incomplete. There are usually several errors in instant criminal record databases. Most employers would prefer to wait a little longer to make sure that they have an accurate report.
The most common reasons for delay is that an employer did not completely fill out a background check request form or the employer did not get the authorization release forms signed by the person they are doing the background check on.
Reputable agencies will contact employers and schools attempting to gather pertinent information on the applicant. Since employers and schools are under no compulsion to provide information promptly, they can delay the background check process.
Most state and government departments have set turnaround times.
The best way to get a prompt background check is to provide complete and accurate information backed up by accurate documentation. For example, addresses for former employees and references should be accurate.
Yes. If applicable, it is possible that the following will show up on a background check:
The Fair Credit Reporting Act prevents credit checks from containing records of criminal suits seven years after the fact. A criminal conviction is a permanent part of a person’s record. However, states like California prevent employers from seeing convictions that took place over seven years ago.
Contrary to popular belief, having a previous conviction is not always a deal-breaker. However, failing to disclose this information prior to a background check can be disastrous.
If you disclose your criminal background, you at least can explain what happened. This gives you the best chance of passing.
You may fail your criminal background check if:
If a person has been convicted of a misdemeanor or has just one criminal conviction that has nothing to do with the position they are applying for, there is a good chance an employer will not hold it against them.
Any inconsistencies on your resume are deal-breakers. If you lie about your past jobs, your degree, or any certificates on your resume, you are done. This information will show up on a background check. It is imperative that your employment history, skill set, and education reflect reality.
Employers want the best people to represent their company. Therefore, they use employee screenings to learn more about someone they are planning to hire. There are common red flags on background checks that make employers think twice. Some of these include:
The information that shows up on a background check will vary drastically depending on the type of background check performed and the information required by the employer. The more resources the background check uses and the more accurate the resources are, the better the check will be.
Finding honest, trustworthy, and reliable employees is not a simple task. pre-employment background checks help employers to filter through all the information they receive. Credit histories, criminal reports, employment verification, work history verification, and identity verification give employers what they need to support their hiring decisions.
If you’re in need of a reliable background check service, then click here to get started for free with eKnowID, the most trusted name in background check technology.
.svg){kind=logo}