Background checks are abundant in the workplace, so it’s important to know what you’re walking into if you’re applying for a new position. In fact, even as an employer, you should know what types of background checks are available to you; this way, you can use all of the resources at your disposal to determine if an applicant is worth hiring.
While there are many types of background checks to consider, we’re here to make your life easy. Read on to learn about the types of background checks.
What Is a Background Check?
A background check is the process of looking through someone’s public records to verify their identity, work history, criminal record, and much more. Several types of background checks can be run, and companies usually work with third-party agencies or websites to verify an applicant’s information.
Most companies and government agencies will run a background check before hiring someone.
What Are the Types of Background Checks?
Dozens of background checks can be run on someone. From drug screenings to something simple, like identity verification, employers have a lot of resources at their disposal to run background checks. Learn about some of the most important and common background checks below.
Identity Verification
The most important background check that should be used is an identity verification background check. While it’s a basic background check, it plays a crucial role in determining if someone is who they claim to be. Companies use this type of background check for legal compliance to verify that someone’s Social Security number is actually theirs or that an EIN for a contractor is legitimate.
While employees may be skeptical of providing Social Security information, companies can face legal consequences if they employ someone who isn’t eligible for work.
Criminal Records Check
Another type of background is a criminal record check. A criminal records check will comb through someone’s public records to determine if they committed crimes or have been sentenced to prison in the past.
Some companies will even require employees to be fingerprinted for a criminal background. When you think of a background check, this is likely what comes to mind.
Motor Vehicle Reports
A motor vehicle report (MRV) is a type of background check that’s useful for understanding someone’s driving records. Most state governments have laws in place that require commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders to pass a background check before being hired by a transportation company.
This also applies to people who drive school buses, taxi cabs, and other public transportation methods. Private companies, like Uber and Lyft, may also have a background check process that requires drivers to submit to a driving records check. Things like a DUI, too many speeding violations, and unpaid tickets can cause someone to have red flags.
Credit Background Check
Another common type of background check is a credit background check. These checks are typically used by financial firms or businesses that involve handling money. Firms will run these checks to ensure that people who act as fiduciaries are responsible enough to handle their money and someone else’s.
Government agencies and some other organizations may also employ credit background checks to ensure that people are responsible.
Social Media Background Checks
Social media background checks have become increasingly common over the last few decades. Since social media is a public forum, seeing how someone posts and behaves on social media may deter a company from employing them.
For example, it’s not a good look for a teacher to be posting images of them being drunk or on drugs every single day, especially if their account is available to the public. Hate speech, bullying, and posting explicit content can also result in someone raising red flags during the background check process.
Education and Work History
Last, we have education and work history. These background checks look into an applicant’s work history and check with professional references to see if an applicant is being truthful about previous employment. The same process happens for education backgrounds, and employers or background check agencies will request a transcript or speak with someone at the institution to determine if the applicant went to that school.
Run All Types of Background Checks in One Place
With various types of background checks, it can be a hassle to look through different databases or hire different companies to handle different portions of the background check. Thankfully, this is where tools like UnMask come into play.
When you run a background check with UnMask you can view each type of background check’s results in one comprehensive full report. All you have to do is enter their name, address, or phone number to get started – just make sure you have consent before running background checks on potential employees.
About the Author/s
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.
