What Are the Most Important Things Your Employer Is Looking for on a Background Check?
- If your job requires that you drive a company car or truck, your employer must check your license and accident history. Employers must purchase and maintain an insurance policy to protect their vehicles and employees. If you have a poor driving record, you probably won't get hired for a driving job. Instances such as license suspensions, revocations, at-fault accidents or tickets within the last three to five years (depending on the insurance company and the state) are listed on your driver's abstract.
- If an employer hires you knowing you committed a crime, it may become liable for damages you cause to other people or employees while you're working for that employer. For example, if you're a registered sex offender, you can't obtain employment working with children, with the elderly or in a job that involves home visits. Applicants with felonies on their records aren't considered for government, state, utility or security jobs, according to the Privacy Rights Clearing House website. Criminal convictions are accessible indefinitely after arrest, unless expunged.
- Your employer may base its employment decision on information obtained from your credit report. If you're handling money for your employer, for example, your employer might access your credit report to determine whether you’re responsible in your personal finances. A possible employer may decide not to hire you because of a bankruptcy, tax lien, judgment or repossession. Even though tax liens, bankruptcies and unpaid accounts are removed from your credit history after seven to 10 years, an employer may still retrieve this information if your earnings will exceed $75,000 per year, according to the Privacy Rights Clearing House website.
- Your employer might also check your references, confirm your degree and check your military record. References might include reports from past employers, family, friends and neighbors. Any information used to determine your employment with a company requires your signature for authorization. Your application should explain any checks the employer uses when deciding to hire you. Read the documents you sign, and assume the employer considers any information obtained from the reports as important when determining your possible employment.