Should You Worry About Background Checks?

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You’ve been hoping to land that job for so long. The day has finally come. Your heart is racing before the interview. You’re asking yourself if your education and job experience are impressive enough. You’ve practiced your answers to the standard interview questions, but you’re still not sure you’re prepared.

Then, there’s the scariest part of all: the background check.

According to UnMask and other authoritative sources, it’s a good idea to run a check on yourself to see what will show up. There could be inaccurate information on your record. If this is the case, you can get it corrected by the screening company.

A background check is a process a person or company uses to verify that an individual is who they claim to be, and this provides an opportunity to check and confirm the validity of someone’s criminal record, education, employment history, and other activities from their past. The frequency, purpose, and legitimacy of background checks varies among countries, industries, and individuals. An employment background check typically takes place when someone applies for a job, but it can also happen at any time the employer deems necessary.

Each state has different screening laws, so the results of a background check become even harder to predict. We all want good results. So, the short answer: no, you shouldn’t worry about background checks.

There are Strict Guidelines in Place

There are strict guidelines about how to request a screening as per the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) in the US. State laws and the FCRA protect consumer rights with respect to data in their credit and criminal background reports.

Preparing for an Employment Background Check

Most employers run checks based on safety and add extra ones according to job requirements or obligations. For instance, they might check your license if the job involves a professional license. Reviewing job requirements and obligations will help you decide which reports the company might request. Below is a summary of common checks employers run and what they reveal.

Most Common Types of Checks

A check-in the registry of sex offenders will show if someone is registered as an offender. A criminal background check will reveal past convictions. Typically, it won’t show arrests or expunged convictions. If the procedure did not result in a conviction, there probably wouldn’t be a record of it.

Education verification will reveal a job candidate’s education history. For instance, it will show which university awarded you a degree as well as your major.

Identity verification compares personal data like your first and last name, date of birth, current address (perhaps also past addresses), and Social Security number. This is done to verify a job candidate’s identity. This type of search also verifies the validity of your ID documents and whether your name and ID number match. Various sources are used to carry it out, depending on the issuer of the ID.

Your potential employer might also ask you to provide a passport or driver’s license. License verifications will show if there are any restrictions on a candidate’s professional license as well as the expiration date. Employment history verification confirms the candidate’s places of employment, the beginning and end dates, their job responsibilities, and their job title.

Credit reports will reveal someone’s financial history, including credit accounts, foreclosures, loans, or bankruptcies.

Last but certainly not least, drug screening checks for controlled substances or illegal drugs in someone’s system. While prescribed medication will show up, they don’t need to discuss their illness or illnesses with any potential employer. They might have to show them a copy of a prescription from a physician.

What does a basic background check include?

✓ Criminal records check.
✓ Social security validation.
✓ Address history check.
✓ U.S. terror watch list check.
✓ Sex offender registry check.

Minimizing Background Check Anxiety

You don’t need to stress about your screening even if your record is not crystal clear. There are things you can do to minimize anxiety and improve your confidence. Understanding your rights is the first and most important step.

Review your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act as well as the background check laws in your state. If you’re very concerned about what a report will reveal, talk to an attorney. Consult specialized websites and inform yourself of potential legal issues with background checks.

How should be your background check be conducted?

✓ Notifying you that a background check is going to be happen.
✓ They will find out what information they are allowed to request according to your State laws.
✓ Agency (conducting background check) ideally should be registered with Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA).
✓ The agency is most of the time FCRA compliant.
✓ Hired CRA will submit a report.
✓ Background report will be reviewed and a will be taken into considerion for hiring decision as well.

Things that one CAN see on your background

✓ Former addresses
✓ Credit history
✓ Former employment
✓ Length of employment
✓ College and graduate degrees earned
✓ Criminal history over the past ten years

Things one CANNOT see on your background:

✓ Previous salary
✓ Reason for termination
✓ Employee reviews
✓ Grades earned
✓ Criminal history more than ten years old

Red flags & benefit of doubts

A background check is usually conducted by an automated service that the employer purchases. This service automatically generates a red flag when the facts don’t match up. For example: the person did not graduate from college, or the previous employer does not have a record of your employment. Red flags can also be generated by a criminal background, poor credit, or dates of employment that aren’t accurate. Many employers will give you the benefit of the doubt. If you say you worked until March and your employer says you worked until February, we probably won’t hold it against you. However, if you say you worked for three years and the employer says you worked for three months, that might be a conversation we need to have.

How to detect a bad background check

When a potential employer finds something iffy on your background check, you have the right to get a copy of it according to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act. Once you have a copy of your report, you might (sadly) find that there is more than one inaccuracy on your record. Make a note of each and every mistake so that you can contest them all at once, rather than one at a time.

Your mind might be swirling at the idea of having a black mark on your background check, but you need to keep your focus while reading your report. There are some common mistakes on background checks, including:

✓ Similar names.
✓ Information revealed that was sealed or expunged.
✓ A single criminal charge is listed multiple times.
✓ Offenses are mislabeled, such as a misdemeanor is listed as a felony.
✓ An arrest is reported but the fact that no charges were filed isn’t noted.

It’s important to be honest, both during the interview and on your resume. No employer wants to be lied to, so honesty is the best policy in times of doubt. Do your best to explain any problematic circumstances in your past.

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