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Every major reliable employer conducts a work history background check before hiring a candidate. It is a safety measure to ensure that the firm hires a professional with a clean background and truthful credentials. However, you may have worries about whether the records on your employment history are correct and actually represent your past job experiences. Learn why you should pass a background check before job offer and how you can prepare to this procedure beforehand.
Why Employers Verify Employment History?
So, why can’t companies skip the background verification process and not invest resources in this costly measure? A verification is vital for the following reasons:
- Discover whether the person has lied about or exaggerated the claims on the resume. That’s how an employer can select an actual best candidate with the needed expertise.
- Ensure that the companies comply with regulatory standards, especially in fields like law enforcement or finance.
- Reveal the reputation of a candidate so they wouldn’t harm the brand image of the organization.
- Create a safe environment for the current workers so they don’t have to deal with a colleague responsible for workplace harassment or misconduct in the past.
- Prevent misuse of assets by hiring people with no fraudulent track record.
What Does an Employment Background Check Show?
A background check employment history can be used to track down different facts about a person, such as:
- Confirm the exact roles a candidate has held at previous companies.
- Verify the start and end dates of past employment.
- Find out whether the employment history has weird discrepancies or gaps.
- Reveal why a person has decided to leave their previous job.
- Learn more about the candidate’s past performance.
- Clarify whether the references submitted by the person are real and up-to-date.
- Make sure that a person has the necessary education and/or licenses to hold a position.
- Discover any disciplinary or criminal records that the candidate has.
- Disclose what salary a person used to have while holding a previous position.
- Ensure that the person has described accurate job responsibilities, etc.
A Verification Procedure
Normally, hiring managers of the companies utilize specialized software to automate the verification procedure. These services explore multiple databases and can even help to contact previous employers efficiently. Some firms do an extra step and oblige HR representatives to contact the companies where a person used to work directly. Also, a recruiting team can do a social media background check to learn more about the candidate’s digital footprint. The verification process is more elaborate and detailed if the employer operates in a high-risk market or needs to hire a high-ranking professional.
How Do Background Checks Confirm Past Employment?
Employers contact previous HR departments to verify job titles, employment dates, and other details. Former managers, supervisors, or colleagues may be contacted as well. Also, LinkedIn profiles, professional licensing records, or company communication sites can be checked out.
Will a Background Check Show Every Job?
The short answer is no. In a nutshell, employment history verification focuses on positions that are officially recorded in employment databases, payroll records, or tax filings, etc. It is much harder to confirm a past job if a person used to be a freelancer or volunteered to get the work experience.
Can a Background Check Reveal a Termination?
Yes, if the past employer is open to sharing this info. Some companies may provide termination details if legally allowed, especially if the reason for it involved misconduct or legal issues. However, oftentimes corporate policies don’t allow to disclose much detail about it due to the privacy concerns.
Reveal What Is Known About Your Employment History With X-Ray Contact
The best means to prepare for the employment history background check is to look up your own track record beforehand. X-Ray Contact service is a useful tool to see what education and employment details one can reveal about you in a few clicks. Many employers use this or similar data aggregation platforms to verify their candidates. So, it would be useful to confirm what parts of your job history are publicly available and be able to come up with answers to possible questions before an interview.
Legal and Compliance Factors in Employment Verification
A potential employer can’t conduct an employment history check without your written consent. You are entitled to know how and why the information about you will be handled and stored. Moreover, background verification should not be an excuse for discriminatory hiring practices.
How to Handle Errors in Your Employment Background Check
A mistake in the record can undermine your hiring opportunities or even cost you a place. If you worry about whether the employers can see your previous jobs correctly, you can request a copy of your record. Collect evidence to prove the right information. This may include pay stubs, tax records, employment contracts, reference letters, or official HR documents from past employers. Then, you can dispute the verification results and ask for an additional investigation to prove your version of the truth.
