The biggest part of a job interview takes place after the actual interview. Many companies require background checks on potential candidates. You may undergo more than one kind of background check, and some companies may require more thorough and deeper checks of your history than others. Here are four types of background checks job candidates might expect. Passing a background check might be the last rung on the ladder to achieving your career goals!
Employment and Education Verification
Every employer will be interested in learning and verifying where you worked before and where you learned how to do what you do. The employer or hiring team will contact your previous employers, confirming that you worked there and inquiring about your role and how well you performed. Likewise, they’ll confirm any educational institutions listed on your résumé. More importantly, if the role requires a diploma, degree, certification, or credentials, the employer will confirm your qualifications.
Substance Abuse
Some jobs demand a clear head, especially ones involving construction, the operation of heavy equipment, and driving. Employers want to hire people they can trust to stay alert and not put themselves and others in danger, thereby raising insurance rates and causing injuries and even fatalities. Though marijuana and cannabis are legal in many US states, some employers test for marijuana use. Others, such as truck-driving companies or rideshare programs, look for DUIs and histories of accidents. Companies with federal contracts need to prove their workers are drug-free.
Criminal Background Check
Criminal background checks are other common forms of screening. While everyone deserves a second chance and not all employers will turn down a candidate with a criminal history, some records raise red flags. A conviction for embezzlement, fraud, money laundering, identity theft, or corruption will clearly be frowned on in financial, banking, government, and other circles. Likewise, sex offenders are not sought in fields featuring vulnerable individuals like children, the sick, and the elderly.
Identity Checks
An identity check is another type of background check job candidates should expect. Employers need to be sure their candidates are who they say they are. It’s too easy to create a false persona nowadays, so background screeners do the digging to look past the mask, so to speak. This type of background check confirms the candidate’s name, address, social security number, driver’s license, citizenship and/or ability to work in the United States, and other identifiers. Screeners also look for signs of fraud and have access to alerts on stolen social security numbers and other information.
