Whether you’re an employer just learning how to screen employees or you’re on the hunt for a new job, you may be curious what, exactly, turns up on a background screening check for employment. Many employees (and even their bosses!) wonder why they should deal with background checks at all – after all, they’ve (likely) been honest! It turns out that many types of background checks scan for more than just whether or not a person has committed a felony or gone to jail. Today, we’re going to discuss:
What types of offenses show up on background screening checks for employment?
As we mentioned, it’s not just criminal offenses that show up on most background checks. A thorough background check done as part of the hiring process turns up a variety of different information.
Education History
Lots of people feel like they need to stretch the truth when it comes to their education background. For example, a job candidate may feel like taking a class or two in sustainable business practices is the same as having a “certification” in the subject. Or another candidate might bump their GPA by half a point to make it look like they were more academically inclined. This type of padding is so common that you can even find guides to how to get away with it on the Internet. A background screening check turns up accurate education background information, revealing whether or not a person’s resume is accurate.
Patterns of Crime
While yes, sometimes committing even a single crime can keep you from getting a job, many employers are looking for two things that show up on background checks. First, they’ll look for crimes related to the job (for example, if a potential accountant has committed fraud). Then, they’ll look for patterns of bad behavior. Most background checks do provide a history of crimes, including things like unpaid parking tickets, but many employers take this information with a grain of salt.
False Job History Information
So you bumped yourself up a pay grade or two to a “manager” position when you were really just stocking shelves? This type of lie could be revealed on a background check, which may include information about your past job history.
Of course, there are many more things that may show up on a background check, including court records, property ownership and even past drug test results. Keep in mind that every background check company is different (they’re not all as thorough as we are!) and may provide different types of information. Your best bet to getting a comprehensive background check is to hire a thorough background screening company.