What does a Background Check show for Employment?

Finding a new job can be stressful as there are just so many things to do. From building the appropriate resume to ensuring a successful interview, to ensuring your background is checked, are all trivial and vital aspects of obtaining particular employment.

Employment background checks are important for the employer as they provide a vast amount of information of the potential employee that aids them in their decision-making process on whether or not they should hire the individual. It is also a verification method to see how reliable the information that the potential employee has provided is. When conducting these screenings, the employer will ensure that their decision is in accordance with the requirements of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The pre-employment background checks that are conducted on the potential employee can be comprised of the following: criminal background check, verification of past employment, education record check, and professional licences check. Using these screening methods, the employer obtains access to a variety of information of the potential employee such as driving records, criminal records and employment history. If any information that is obtained hinders the decision of the employer to hire you, they must provide the employee with a copy of the findings on the report.

Criminal Records 

A criminal record check provides information on the individual’s criminal history. There are different types of criminal record checks, such as CPIC (Name and Date of Birth Based Criminal Record Check) and the Certified Criminal Record Check which is based on fingerprints. The Certified Criminal Record Check is the most accurate depiction of an individual’s criminal record as no two individuals possess the same fingerprints. When the employer is considering the criminal record, they must delve into the following aspects: the nature of the offence, the date it occurred, alongside how the offense may relate to the potential employee’s job/position. Depending on the employment, their requirements for the specific type of criminal record check may vary. For example, certain jobs may request you to obtain a CPIC, whereas others may require a fingerprint-based criminal record. Note, if you are working with members of the vulnerable population, you will be requested to obtain a vulnerable sector check. 

Education and Professional Licences 

 Looking into the potential employee’s past employment history provides information for the employer and they are able to ensure that the information on your resume is accurate. Alongside this, employers may look into the potential employee’s educational background and any licencing that the potential employee obtains. Note that the employer may request your degree or transcript (if applicable). 

Social Security Traces 

Using social security traces, employers can have access to previous addresses, former names used when employed at other companies, and places of work that may not be listed on the resume. 

 Social Media Check 

Conducting social media checks can assist the employer is verifying whether the candidate has provided accurate information and can also provide any red flags for the employer. For example, reviewing one’s social media platform, LinkedIn, can help the employer to verify whether the candidate has provided accurate employment history. Alongside this, reviewing one’s social media history can be useful in detecting any forms of cyberbullying, harm, violence, or toxicity. 

Reference Check

Often, most resumes contain the line saying, ‘References Available Upon Request’. You may be wondering what exactly this is used for. For an employer to verify your employment and educational history, the employer may need to delve into the references you provide in order to verify that you are providing accurate information. Had you provided any false information regarding your history, the employer has full authority to deny your hire. 

Professional Qualification Check: 

The purpose of this check is for the employer to verify whether the applicable candidate has the appropriate membership and whether it is still valid and not expired. For example, certain employments require a specific professional licencing such as careers in the medical field, or careers in real estate.