If you’ve ever applied for a job, then you are probably familiar with the process of background checks. During my marriage I’ve applied to several- JUST ASK MY HUSBAND and was surprised that many required I get a back ground check! Yet the fact of the matter is that up to 70% of employers require employees to undergo a background check before they get hired, but why? What Are Employers Really Looking For When They Conduct a Background Check? Keep Reading!
What Are Employers Really Looking For When They Conduct a Background Check?
Credit Report
One of the first things employers look for on a background check is your credit history. These reports also include things like your social security number, previous addresses, finances, etc. They want to know how responsible you are with your money. Fortunately, it seems that bad credit is affecting people’s ability to get jobs less lately, as more and more Americans are focused on improving their credit. According to FICO, more than 20% of consumers were within the super-prime credit score range of 800 in April 2016, and that’s the highest percentage ever since FICO started keeping track in 2005. If you want to focus more on your credit or know what it looks like, you can obtain a free copy of your report once every 12 months.
Criminal Record
Your future employer will also have access to your criminal history as it is already public record. What Are Employers Really Looking For When They Conduct a Background Check? They want to know what kind of person they are hiring, and any past criminal incidences can give them some good insight. They can see arrests, charges, sex offenses, drug charges, and more. The employer must consider the nature of your offenses, how they relate to the job you applied for, and when the offenses occurred because they are not allowed to deny you employment based on your record alone.
Employment History
Even though you laid out your entire job history on your resume, employers still want to verify this information. According to a CareerBuilder survey, 58% of employers have discovered a lie on a resume. Employers want to make sure you have the qualifications and experience you say you do as it can be potentially dangerous to perform certain jobs without the proper knowledge.
Driving Record
Finally, many employers look at your driving record during a background check. They look at any speeding tickets, DUIs, or any other serious violations on your record to see if they can trust you. This is especially important for jobs like druck drivers or salespeople that have to be on the road a lot.
If an employer recovers any incriminating information while conducting the background check that would lead to them not wanting to hire you, you typically have a minimum of five days to correct your records or explain yourself. Other than that, just make sure you are as honest as possible up front, and try to stay out of trouble!
Oh wow. I always thought they were just looking for a criminal record when they did background checks.
I have to admit I didn’t know that the did so many background checks! I didn’t know they were able to get so much information but then I guess in some ways it doesn’t surprise me.
Employers practice caution in hiring people and that is a known fact. What we think is just a simple background check is not the case. My niece did not declare a job she had before because she only stayed there for 3 weeks. Guess what. The new employer found out and she had to be called in to explain before they finally hired her.
This is very informative! I had no idea they were also looking for your driving record. Thanks for sharing!
I still think it sucks that an employer would judge a future employer based on credit. That isnt fair maybe thats the reason they are trying to get a better job to fix their credit.
I’m very much used to this. It’s even more strict now, I’ve heard from the younger generation. I think this is a pretty good explanation.
I really enjoyed reading about parenting and family life on The Staten Island Family—it brought me right back to everyday moments with my kids, from recipe experiments to those ‘aha!’ parenting wins. It’s amazing how TURSA’s mission—helping people find work and build stronger community roots—relates so well to that same sense of supporting families and local connections.