Do Companies Do Background Checks Before They Make You Offer

You did it. You nailed the interview—or many interviews. Yous gave them your A-game and they gave you an offer. Nice! And as almost an bated, the recruiter says, "The offer is contingent on a background cheque, but I don't anticipate whatsoever problems."

"Ok, yeah, sure," you say, nonchalantly. But inside, you panic. For whatever reason, you start to worry. The worry may grow to fright and so you're in total-blown freak out way, searching the Internet for answers for every possible scenario. Y'all're asking consummate strangers online, "What happens now?" "What if they find XYZ?" "What exactly are they looking for?" And even, "I totally lied on my awarding! Am I doomed?!"

Deep breaths, friend. We take some answers for you.

The background screening process has many pieces. As you moved through the interview process, at some point (mostly after an offer) yous were provided with a disclosure that a groundwork check is going to be requested by your prospective employer, and you signed an authorization, permitting your future employer to wait into specific areas of your life via a tertiary-party consumer reporting agency (CRA). The employer decides what types of background checks will exist done, which are generally consistent past position, and the employer's cess of your groundwork screening will be entirely different than those reviewed for some other candidate.

Video: Everything Y'all Wanted to Know Nigh Background Checks

In the U.S., the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) has strict guidelines about how an employer through a CRA, or a background check company, can request a background bank check. The FCRA and state laws besides provide consumers' rights as they pertain to information contained in their criminal, and credit groundwork reports in general.

That's the short answer. At present let's take a await at these things piece by piece.

It'south non similar Television set

First, it's of import to sympathize that at that place isn't one source of data about yous. Background checks aren't like those TV crime dramas where the gal with swift computer skills sitting in a dark room tin pull upward everything about yous in the blink of an eye. CRAs source information through various ways—calling employers and universities, looking upward public records, and even, when required by sure jurisdictions, physically going to courthouses to retrieve information. This process is usually completed in a few days, but tin can sometimes take 2 weeks or more and is contingent on returned phone calls, a courtroom'south public record computer systems performance properly, holidays, even government shut-downs. If you've lived, worked or gone to schoolhouse in multiple states or overseas, the process can have longer.

Understandably, both you and your future employer are anxious to go the results. The CRA works equally quickly every bit possible to get together all the requested information in the shortest time possible keeping in listen that that the data has to be matched to you and complete and up to date to be reported. To learn more than about how long a background check should take, take a wait at this fun video.

Here's what they look at:

Based on HireRight'southward 2018 Benchmark Report which surveyed over 6,000 Hour professionals, the most popular types of background checks are criminal or other public records searches, verifications of previous employment and/or references, identity, instruction and motor vehicle records. If your job volition exist in cyberbanking, finance or whatsoever position where you'll be treatment coin, the employer may have the CRA report your credit history. You may also exist screened for drug and booze use. What the CRA checks is up to the employer, and so that list may vary.

Employment Verification
With your consent, your futurity employer can contact past employers. A CRA will contact the employers listed on your resume or application to verify the dates you worked and the positions you lot held. They may also contact references yous have provided to ascertain operation and graphic symbol.
Helpful tip: Having past paystubs and/or W-2s handy will speed along the screening in the event the CRA is unable to accomplish your former employer or the organization is no longer in business. In most cases, you're welcome to redact your compensation.
Education/Licenses
Like verifying past employment, the CRA will contact the educational or licensing institutions you have listed to verify your course of study and degrees earned. They will also enquiry any professional licenses to ensure that they are all up to date, provided your prospective employer finds that they are necessary for the position.
Note that many educational institutions exercise not respond directly to requests for data. Instead, they subscribe to an educational reporting provider. These providers verify student records, transcripts and degrees and protect against bogus information supplied by "diploma mills."
Helpful tip: Just like verifying employment, you might be asked to provide a copy of your transcript, document or caste.
Criminal Record
The CRA may search for criminal records from local, regional and federal government. How far back in history they get is adamant by the FCRA or the state; The FCRA and several states restrict the reporting of convictions that occurred more than seven years ago unless certain exceptions are met.
Helpful tip: If asked by your prospective employer it'south all-time to be honest and disembalm up front end any criminal convictions on your record. Giving your time to come employer a heads upwards about what they might discover and the context of your criminal history tin help them every bit they determine what to practice with that information. Chances are good they volition appreciate your transparency.
Identity
The identity search verifies that you have a validly issued ID and that your proper name is assigned to that ID number. The search is performed through various sources, depending on the land where your ID was issued. You may be asked to provide your driver license or passport.
Motor Vehicle Record
Whether yous will drive a company auto, a delivery vehicle or a long-booty truck, if your role involves driving, your future employer will likely check your motor vehicle tape (MVR). This will exist necessary in order for them to insure yous in their vehicles.
Helpful tip: In the same vein of criminal convictions, it's best to have a word with your prospective employer and disclose anything on your MVR that might raise a red flag. Parking tickets won't come upward, only infractions like speeding or driving related crimes like DUI will.
Drug Use
If your future employer requests a drug screen, you volition get to a drove site (a clinic or a lab) and provide a sample (urine, saliva or hair). The drugs the lab will screen for are dictated by your future employer. Many states have legalized marijuana, either medicinally or recreationally, but are not consistent regarding an employer's need to arrange marijuana use so depending on your state and your prospective employer, that may or may not be an issue. Illicit/street drugs will show up. Prescribed medication volition likewise. If you are asked about a md-prescribed medication, you need non disclose your medical history, but you lot may need to provide proof of a prescription from your medical professional. HireRight's 2018 Benchmark Survey asked about applicant excuses for failing a drug screen. If you want a good express joy, check out the answers hither and here.

Pants on burn down:

HireRight'due south recent Benchmark Survey revealed that a whopping 84% of employers found a prevarication or misrepresentation on a resume or job application—at all levels of the organisation. That'southward a lot. Whether it's mistakenly listing wrong employment dates or completely fabricating a degree, your hereafter employer will likely find it. What to practice?

Come up clean. (You lot may exist sensing a theme here.) Simply exist upwardly forepart about it. If y'all worked someplace a decade ago and accidentally listed the elapsing of employment every bit a year and it was really six months, explain the honest fault to your recruiter. Life is long and sometimes our memories aren't that accurate. These things happen. It may not adversely touch on your offering.

If in that location are things on your resume that are out-right fiction, every bit painful equally it may be, consider telling the truth. The employer will find out anyhow. Belated honesty may toll y'all this particular opportunity. Or, if, for case, y'all don't have a degree but you have significant relevant experience, the recruiter may be able to work with that.

This could be a skillful fourth dimension to adjust your resume accordingly to avoid running into inaccuracies in the time to come.

And what if…?

You tin can request a copy of your background written report. If an employer finds misrepresentations or negative elements in your background check, it'southward up to your future employer to decide what to do with that data. The CRA does not determine whether you are hired, nor does information technology make recommendations. If the negative aspects of your report practise indeed impact your offer, your prospective employer has a legal obligation to inform you of the potentially adverse action and requite you the opportunity to dispute the accuracy or abyss of the findings directly with the CRA. Inside xxx days, the CRA will and then investigate the disputed information with the source and volition notify you of the results. Should you lot still exist unsatisfied, you have the option to include a brief argument to rebut the findings.

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

Information technology's understandable that the time during your background screening tin can feel similar limbo. But armed with proper information, yous tin can know that what is establish is done so adequately, accurately and with your best interest in mind.

Now, get out there and become that job!

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HireRight is a leading provider of on-demand employment background checks, drug and health screening, and electronic Form I-9 and E-Verify solutions that help employers automate, manage and command background screening and related programs.

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