Tuesday, May 12, 2020

What Are Companies Looking For in a Background Check - Sterling Career Concepts

What Are Companies Looking For in a Background Check What Are Companies Looking For in a Background Check? The following is a guest post by Lisa Green. Job hunting is a stressful process. It is filled with anxiety-filled weeks spent checking email and voicemail and high-pressure interviews designed to cross-examine your qualifications. So by the time that you finally reach the stage where a company is performing a background check on you, it’s natural to start irrationally worrying about what can be found on a background check that could eliminate you from getting your dream job. A background check can at times actually help you get a position. After all, companies run background checks not to find every hidden wrongdoing from your past, but to rather provide the hiring manager with a more clear assessment as to whether you are a worthy investment. There are also protections in place to ensure that only relevant information is included. While there are certain federal regulations in place, what searches are run and what is allowed to be included in a background screening actually varies from state to state as well as from position to position. It is important to research what your state and industry may require in a background check. But generally speaking, there are a few database searches that are included in most standard screenings: Employer, Education and Reference Verification This search is designed to simply make sure that what you’ve put on your resume is true. It can vary in how it is performed, but it traditionally involves matching graduation records with your resume, contacting previous employers to verify you did work there and calling your references to ensure that they will indeed speak highly of you. Drug Tests This screening tends to be run more for certain industries such as financial services and pharmaceuticals. This test will require active participation on your part and you should receive warning before you are asked to provide a sample. You will also be asked to sign an additional waiver to show that you agreed willingly to the screening. Credit Check This is a particularly crucial element if you are working with money, but can also be an indicator of the amount of responsibility a candidate possesses. However, this check is not run as regularly as most and will require your Social Security number to be run. Social Security Reports This search will not only ensure that you can legally work within the country, but it also sheds light on where you have previously resided. This allows employers to see what state regulations were in place for any previous positions you might have held as well as allow them to target a criminal history search. Civil and Criminal History Your potential employers might not be legally allowed to hire criminals of a certain nature within their company, which is why this check is run. This search will also alert the company to any outstanding warrants, letting them know if you are currently wanted in any state. Also, ensure that you have been given warning that these checks are being run, as well signing a waiver stating you have agreed to the search. Without your consent, these screenings are an invasion of privacy and are considered illegal.   In summary… It’s important to keep in mind that even if a company finds a negative mark on your record, it doesn’t mean that your candidacy will be discarded immediately. A company must alert you if you have failed a background screening and give you the exact reason as to why they have decided not to pursue you as an employee. If you feel that a negative mark is an error, you can dispute the check. However, this can be a long process and difficult to pursue with an HR department. One smart way to ensure that your check is thorough and correct is to have your screening run by a reputable background check company. When submitting your paperwork to your company before the check is run, inquire as to how they conduct their searches and if they are done in house or by a professional outside business the question could save you from fighting an error in the long run.

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