What Background Check Do Employers Use

You've filled out hundreds of applications, interviewed with dozens of employers, and finally, received an offer! Celebration time! But expect – your offer is dependent on a groundwork bank check and drug exam? Panic sets in equally you take never had to do a background screening or a drug test earlier, and you lot take no thought what to expect.

What is your new employer looking for exactly? How far back will they bank check? And why do you need a drug examination?

Worry no more! Groundwork checks (also chosen background screening, employer screening, or employment verification) are very common and, by and large speaking, a piece of cake! Around 95% of employees in the U.Due south. are screened in some way earlier they are officially hired for a task. Today, we'll take yous through the ins –and outs of background screening, to put you at ease and become you to piece of work.

Candidates in the United states are screened in some fashion before they are officially hired for a job. We are going to take you through the ins-and-outs of groundwork screening, to put you at ease, and get y'all into your dream job.

Background Screening – How It Works

At some betoken, most likely post-offering, your new employer will let you lot know that they demand to do a background screening. They will provide y'all with a disclosure grade and enquire you to sign an authorization for the screening. One time signed, this permits your potential employer to asking a written report from a tertiary-political party Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA), like HireRight, to examine specific areas of your life.

It's important to note that your future employer decides what kinds of background screenings will be conducted, not the CRA. In the U.South., the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) has strict guidelines about how an employer, through a CRA, tin request a background screening. The FCRA and state laws provide consumers' rights as they pertain to information independent in their background reports in full general.

How exercise CRA's conduct these groundwork checks? CRA'southward, like HireRight, use various means to verify your information, including digital verifications, searching public records, and calling employers and educational facilities. In some jurisdictions, a visit to a courthouse to obtain documentation may be required. Our researchers often consider themselves highly analytical, looking to complete verifications as efficiently and effectively as possible!

Learn Most the Life of a Verification Researcher

Nosotros know that candidates are anxious to get results from their checks. The CRA works as quickly to enquiry all of the requested information, assemble it in a study and return information technology to your potential employer. Today, many CRA's like HireRight employ online portals for quick and convenient communications. The entire process generally takes a few days but tin take upward to a couple of weeks. Why? Some searches and verifications are contingent on returned phone calls and public record systems – and that access tin be impacted by holidays, government shut-downs, or even pandemics.

Why Are Background Checks Needed?

Each year, HireRight surveys thousands of Homo Resources professionals and shares those results in our annual Global Benchmark Report. Nosotros learn why they perform screenings and the most mutual types of searches and verifications requested. Such screening may seem intense and unnecessary to candidates but recollect of it from an employer'south point of view. They demand to know that the person they are hiring is true most the data provided to secure the task. A quick spider web search can reveal some significant cases of employment fraud, demonstrating the need for background checks.

The most common types of background checks search for criminal action, verify employment and educational activity, including identity verification, and request driving records. Some employers also review credit, and social media, and conducted drug tests. What kind of screening will yous become? Information technology depends on the employer and the job position – if you work in finance, your credit may exist checked. If you are a driver, your driving records will probably be screened.

Permit's demystify the most common background checks

Employment Verification
With your consent, your hereafter employer tin can asking that we contact your by employers to verify that you were employed in that location. The CRA volition contact your former employers to verify dates and positions held. References may too be contacted.
ProTip: Take your pay stubs or Due west-ii's prepare to speed along the verification procedure. Sometimes the CRA cannot reach your former employer, or they are no longer in business, and this will help.

Education/Licenses
Similar to employment, the CRA will contact educational institutions to verify your course of study, degrees, and/or any professional licenses. Many educational institutions don't reply direct to requests for data and instead subscribe to an education records reporting provider. These providers verify student records, transcripts, and degrees and protect against fraudulent information supplied by "diploma mills."
ProTip: Equally with verifying employment, you might be asked to provide a copy of your transcript, certificate, or degree.

Criminal Records
The CRA may search county, country, and federal courts for criminal records. How far back in history they go is determined past the employer'due south requirements and the FCRA or state or local laws. The FCRA and some states restrict the reporting of convictions that occurred more than than seven years ago unless certain exceptions are met.

Identity
An identity search verifies that yous take a validly issued ID and that your name is assigned to that ID number. The search is performed through various sources, depending on the country where your ID was issued.
ProTip: You may be asked to provide your driver's license or passport, so have them set up.

Motor Vehicle Tape
If your part involves driving, your future employer will likely cheque your motor vehicle record (MVR). An MVR is oft necessary for them to provide you with a work vehicle.
ProTip: It'southward all-time to accept a discussion with your prospective employer and disclose anything on your MVR that might raise a ruby-red flag, such as speeding tickets or driving-related crimes.

Drug Testing
If your employer requires a drug test, y'all volition be asked to go to a collection site and provide a sample which is typically urine, saliva, or hair. The types of tests performed, such as what drugs are in telescopic for the test, are determined by your future employer. For case, while many states have legalized marijuana (medically or for recreational adult utilize) not all states require that employers conform its utilize. Bank check with your future employer if you accept questions on the drug test and their workplace drug policy.

The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing But the Truth

HireRight establish that 54% of employers found discrepancies in employee background checks. The most ordinarily constitute discrepancies are previous employment, criminal history, and teaching credentials. Not all of the discrepancies are intentional, but the employer will make hiring decisions based on the information they are provided. These inconsistencies will probable exist discovered during a groundwork screening.

At this point, you lot may be having some feet over an upcoming background screening. What if you accidentally provide wrong information? What if you embellished or made a small fib on your resume or application? Take a deep breath, and let'south become over the adjacent steps.

Resumes and work histories are long, and nosotros do not always remember things like verbal employment dates. Many employers will understand a faulty retention and will non hold it against you lot. Providing pay stubs via the application portal tin verify correct dates of employment. If your inconsistencies are more profound, such every bit big date discrepancies, you may desire to be upfront with your recruiter and explain any big gaps in employment.

However, if there are items on your resume that are consummate fabrications, it's time to come up clean with your time to come employer. Subsequently all, they are going to find out well-nigh it. This may or may not impact your job offer – but you will never know unless you tell the truth. If you are reading this and are currently seeking a new task, now would be a proficient fourth dimension to bank check out your resume and brand sure that it isn't a work of fiction.

What Next?

If an employer finds misrepresentations or negative elements in your background check, information technology's upwardly to them to determine what to do with that information. – the CRA does non decide whether you are hired, nor does it make recommendations. Yous can ever request a re-create of your background report to better understand the reported information.

Suppose the negative aspects of your written report exercise indeed impact your offering. In that case, your prospective employer has a legal obligation to inform you of the potentially agin action and give you a reasonable opportunity to dispute the accuracy or completeness of the findings directly with the CRA. If you lot initiate a dispute with the CRA mostly, within 30 – 45 days, the CRA will complete their investigation of the disputed information and will notify you lot of the results. Should yous withal be unsatisfied, you have the option to include a brief statement to rebut the findings. If an employer makes an adverse employment decision, such as revoking your job offer, based in whole or in office on the findings of the groundwork written report, they must send y'all an adverse activity notice advising yous of their decision.

For a complete breakdown of each party's obligations and your rights in the background screening process, read the Fair Credit Reporting Human action (FCRA).

We hope that yous are a little less anxious most whatever upcoming background checks! Side by side week we will take a deeper dive and answer some of the most frequently asked questions virtually background screening.

HireRight

HireRight is a leading provider of on-demand employment background checks, drug and wellness screening, and electronic Class I-9 and E-Verify solutions that aid employers automate, manage and control background screening and related programs.

Follow Me:
Google Plus