When you’re applying for jobs, firearms, or even universities, there’s a good chance you’ll be going through a background check. While these checks uncover a lot of information about applicants, it helps to know exactly what the interviewer or company may be looking at when they begin the process.
So, what does a background check look for? Read our guide to find the answers to all of your questions.
What Is a Background Check?
Before we jump right into what a background check uncovers, it’s important to know what a background check even is. A background check refers to the process of looking into an applicant’s public records to determine if they’re the right fit for a role.
Background checks can also determine if someone has red flags that may raise concerns about applicants. Most background checks are issued during the interview process for employment, but it’s also possible for them to be used for firearm purchases, university applications, and even parole or probation.
Depending on the background check, more information may be uncovered, and sometimes fingerprints are required.
What Does a Background Check Look For?
A background check looks for a plethora of information. It can uncover someone’s criminal record, verify an applicant’s identity, and even check more niche records, like a driving record or credit report. Learn about all the things that a background check can uncover below.
Identify Verification
Most background checks, even the most basic ones, will verify someone’s identity. This is done via Social Security Number (SSN) verification. The purpose of this portion of the background check is to ensure that people are who they claim to be.
Employment and Education History
Employers want to know that an applicant is qualified for a job. For these reasons, they tend to look into someone’s employment and education history. This is done by checking records and transcripts from universities, and many employers will also contact previous employers to learn more about your experience.
Criminal Records
Most background checks will look into someone’s criminal history. If there is a criminal record of violent felonies or other major crimes, background checks will examine them. Whether it’s a misdemeanor, felony, or even some violations, there’s a chance that it will show up during a background check.
Credit History
In some cases, background checks will reveal someone’s credit history. This tends to be the case for roles that involve working with money. Jobs that require a lot of trust may also require a credit check, and this credit check will uncover credit scores, credit reports, and much more.
Drug Testing
Depending on the organization, you may also need to pass a drug test. This can be a one-time thing, but some organizations will test you once a year or every few months. Drugs that organizations tend to test for include alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.
Driving Records
When it comes to jobs that require a lot of driving, most organizations will request a transcript of an applicant’s driving records. This is common for commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), delivery driver jobs, taxi jobs, and other similar roles. When it comes to driving records, this can include anything from violations to points on a license.
How to Prepare for a Background Check
Knowing what a background check looks for is the first step in being prepared to go through one. Once you know what to look for, you should run a background check on yourself to see what shows up in your records. You can use any public records search tool, a Google search, and other methods to get the full picture.
However, we always recommend starting with Information.com’s background check tool for the best results. With this tool, you can find all available public records that will show up during a background check. Therefore, you can be prepared before starting the background check process.
What Does a Background Check Look For? Our Final Thoughts
So, what does a background check look for? Background checks verify your identity, uncover criminal records, and ensure that an applicant is qualified for the position through education and work history. Drug testing, driving record checks, and other types of information may also be sourced, but this depends on the type of background check.
That said, knowing what shows up on a background check is only half of being prepared. We always recommend checking your record with Information.com for the best results. This way, you know what will show up, and you’ll know what will show up on your record.
