What Is In Your Background Check?

Whether you are applying for a job, or renting an apartment, a background check is most likely an important part of the process. The results of a background check will not be the only factor considered, but serious blemishes could cause some unwanted headaches. You may think something that happened years ago won’t show up, but be careful. Potential employers and landlords may be able to see more than you think.

Pre-Employment Background Checks

Depending on the position, companies run everything from simple social security number verifications to full employment, educational and criminal background checks. Companies will often outsource their pre-employment screening to ensure they are done in consistently and fairly. If you know your potential employer is going to do a background check, it’s probably best to disclose anything that may show up. This could be the difference between getting the job, or not.

Housing Background Checks

Rental companies and private landlords are usually interested in your income, along with rental, criminal and credit history. This is usually a more detailed search into your history, revealing any evictions, repossessions or foreclosures. These can make it difficult to find a home to rent without additional deposits. Also, landlords want as little trouble as possible, so if you have noise complaints or disorderly conduct violations that appear on your criminal record, be sure to explain these beforehand.

Everything could show up on a background check. It just depends on what the person requesting the background check wants to see and how much they are willing to pay for that information. If you have some issues that could cause problems, just be honest. Let them know how you have taken steps to improve or not repeat the error. People make mistakes and this is often taken into consideration