Can I Run My Own Background Check

You've finally institute your dream chore. You've been busy looking up interview tips. Y'all fifty-fifty had your resume professionally edited and did some online networking. Merely, you lot still demand to ready for the terminal part of the hiring process—the employment background check.

Most employers run background checks on job applicants. Groundwork checks provide many perks to employers. Some of these benefits include meliorate quality hires and greater employee retention. With groundwork checks giving employers a definite advantage, they're here to stay. In that instance, how can you use background checks to your advantage?

Running a background cheque on yourself tin can bring tremendous benefits. It tin can remind you of important details and ensure your application is authentic. It can likewise prepare you lot for questions your employer may accept nearly your groundwork. So, how tin you run a groundwork check on yourself? Is it difficult or expensive to practice? Is it even worth it?

How Tin Yous Run a Background Check on Yourself?

Yous can run a background cheque on your ain or through a visitor. It all depends on what checks you lot want to use. Start by using these basic methods:

Online databases. Search online public records databases to see your information. Go along in mind that online databases don't accept access to all records.
Social media. Google yourself and look at your social media profiles.
Courtroom records. Collect your court records and encounter what'll surface when your employer looks at your tape.
References. Check your references, education history, and work experience.
Credit written report. Request your credit report from one of the three nationwide credit reporting companies.
The correct background bank check company. Order a comprehensive background check from a visitor specialized in background searches. It'll give you a articulate idea of what your employer will see.

Now that you know what kinds of checks yous can run yourself, let's go more in depth and see how you should run them.

Searching Online Public Records Databases

Public records databases reveal if you lot take a criminal record. A criminal tape may also evidence upwardly if your name is like to a convict's, which could confuse employers. While public records databases don't have all records, they nonetheless contain a lot of valuable information. You tin can search online public records past following these steps:

Check all available national databases and public records. This includes national sex offender registries , the global terrorism database, the FBI's fingerprint database, and land and federal criminal databases. You can find canton and state criminal records by searching your county's or state'southward courtroom records. For federal cases, you can utilise the online index for federal courtroom records .
Look at your records and make sure no items vest to someone with a similar name.
If something is incorrect, be prepared to dispute information technology.

How much does it cost? The bulk of this search is complimentary. However, the FBI's fingerprint database and some state websites charge a fee for access. The federal courts index besides charges a fee if y'all view too many documents.
Is it difficult to exercise? No, it'south actually pretty easy. You simply type your proper noun in a database.
Is it worth it? Yep, information technology'southward useful because many employers check tape databases.

Merely, public records but show the public face of a person. To go the full movie, employers search online to observe out what someone is similar in their everyday life. With that in mind, it's time to search your social media.

Searching Social Media

Social media has become a massive concern for employers. One post or comment tin can crusade a firestorm of bad press. So, it's no wonder that 70 percent of employers run a social media search during the hiring process. This makes social media searches a vivid thought for any job applicant. Here'south how you can conduct a social media search on yourself:

Google your proper name and current home country to see what results pop upwards. If anything unsavory turns up, you'll demand to make clean upwardly your online presence. You can practice this yourself or hire a company to bargain with it.
Look at all your social media profiles. Exercise they wait professional? Are the pictures and comments advisable?
If something looks dodgy, delete information technology or make your business relationship individual. You can also rent a company to clean up your search results if yous think it's necessary.

How much does it cost? Social media searches are costless. You lot can clean upwardly your online profiles for gratuitous or hire someone to do it for you.
Is it difficult to practice? No, merely search for yourself and expect over your social media profiles. Pay attention to photos and comments associated with your profile.
Is it worth it? Yep, a professional online presence is essential to impress employers.

Now that y'all've washed your online searches, you'll need to get-go doing things in person or over the phone. The start thing you need to check in person is your court records.

Searching Courtroom Records

As nice as information technology'd be to have a national criminal database containing every criminal record, information technology doesn't exist. Many individual courthouses accept criminal records unavailable anywhere else. That makes comprehensive criminal tape checks a priority for both employers and employees. Here'south how you can search court records online and in person:

Compile a list of courthouses with jurisdiction where you alive.
Check if the relevant courthouses accept their records available online. If not, visit each courthouse in person to request your record.
Inspect your records. Review the details to ensure everything is correct.
If annihilation is wrong on your records, be prepared to dispute information technology with the courtroom. Yous can file this yourself or consult a lawyer.

How much does it cost? Some courts charge access fees for criminal records, but fees are economic.
Is it difficult to exercise? It'south more than difficult than the other background checks. Visiting individual courthouses in person takes time and effort.
Is it worth it? Yep, if you have a criminal record.

After a trip to your local courthouses, information technology's time to option up the phone and make some calls. Let's review your references.

Reviewing Your References

Verifying references, piece of work history, and instruction is crucial for employers. It's also handy for you. Some chore applicants can't remember the engagement they started their last job or graduated from college. Reviewing these details ensures you have the right answer to whatsoever application question. You can review your references by post-obit these steps:

Call your work references and inquire them near your work history. Confirm your position, duties, starting time and end dates, and the date of any promotion you received.
Call your high school and postsecondary school. Ask them for a copy of your records and verify that everything is correct. Some schools likewise let y'all to request your records online.
If something is incorrect, warning the school and have them fix it.

How much does it cost? Reviewing references doesn't toll a affair. But, certain colleges charge a fee for sending transcripts.
Is it difficult? No, you just have to make some telephone calls.
Is it worth it? Yes, reviewing references confirms important details on your application.

Now that you lot've called effectually, you'll have to make full out some forms to request your credit report.

Your Credit Written report

Credit reports show how fiscally responsible you are. They're commonly run for financial jobs, merely because they are so piece of cake to go, you may desire to request it anyway. Here are some tips for running a credit study on yourself:

The Off-white Credit Reporting Act requires that the three nationwide credit reporting companies provide you with a costless copy of your credit report upon your asking. You can order a copy from each company one time a year. That means you can become three free reports.
To guild the report, fill in your name, date of birth, social security number, and abode address. You might need to verify some personal data, like an old address or phone number, to admission your report.
If y'all see something suspicious on your report, call the credit reporting company to ask about it. Y'all could be a victim of identity theft.

How much does it cost? It's complimentary. Additional credit reports may cost a small fee.
Is it hard? No, you just fill out a grade online.
Is it worth information technology? Yes, if you're looking for a financial job.

While you can run all these groundwork checks yourself, information technology takes a lot of time and effort. Can using a background check visitor cut down on the hassle?

Utilize a Reputable Background Bank check Company

Using a background check company volition cut down on the time and piece of work you lot need to do a background check. That's why most employers hire a reliable groundwork check company. If you want to see what your employer sees, utilize a screening company and review their results. You can notice the right screening visitor past answering these questions:

Are they Fair Credit Reporting Human activity certified? Certification ensures the company only includes information that is legally immune.
Tin they explain what policies they utilise to ensure legal compliance? Screening companies should be able to brainwash you on their legal compliance measures.
Do they verify all their results? Use a business that double-checks their reports.
Do they allow yous to run a background check on yourself? Although it's legal to run a background check on yourself, not all businesses offering this service.

How much does it cost? Screening companies have different price points, but the cost is typically under $100.
Is it difficult? No, but it can accept some time to find the right company.
Is information technology worth information technology? Yes, using a background check visitor shows you what your employer will see. Information technology simplifies your work by offer all the checks you need in one place.

Merely, what checks should you run through a screening company?

Order a Variety of Background Checks

The chore you lot apply for determines which groundwork checks y'all should run. Focus on checks related to the task you want. Here are some of the almost mutual background checks:

Criminal records check. Criminal checks go from the county level to state, national, and international. Many employers run a criminal check that looks at every place you've lived.
Sex offender. A sex activity offender check reports if you're a registered sex offender.
Identity verification. Verification establishes your identity and is typically the first cheque done.
Education verification. Request this bank check when applying for a job that requires a certain level of teaching or a postsecondary degree.
Reference bank check and piece of work history. Most employers run this check for jobs that require experience.
Professional license check. Some jobs, similar a medical doc, require a professional license. This check verifies that you take the right license.
Credit report. This checks your history of fiscal accounts, loans, bankruptcies, and foreclosures.
Driving record check. For jobs that involve driving, a driving record bank check looks at your driving history and class of license.

Now that you've run all the checks you need, what should you lot practise with the results?

Double-Check the Results

Verify that everything is true . If anything'southward wrong, dispute it with the groundwork check company. Make sure that they change whatever wrong information. After the screening visitor investigates, they should send you the corrected results.

If something is true just isn't flattering, be ready to explain the circumstances to your prospective employer. Prepare yourself for any questions they may ask about information technology.

Running background checks seems like a lot of work. Is all this actually worth it?

Is Running a Background Check on Yourself Worth It?

Running a background check does take endeavor, but it prepares you lot for what your employer will find. You lot will exist able to handle whatever issues that come upwardly. Y'all will also exist prepared to answer tough questions related to your background check results.

Background checks bear witness yous if something is inaccurate. Y'all tin then resolve incorrect data before it panics your prospective employer. Information technology also reminds you about details and facts yous'll need for your job application, like exact work dates and official duties.

Doing a groundwork check in accelerate improves your chances of getting the job you want. So, which screening company is best for your needs?

Check Yourself Out

Plenty of employers run groundwork checks, and well-nigh get fantastic benefits from it. Get in on the benefits by running your own background check first.

We've seen how you lot can run a groundwork check on your own and with a background check company. While you can find a lot of the same data past doing your ain background check, it takes more time. The various fees tin also add up. Contracting a background cheque company to exercise the checking for you volition save you time and coin.

A screening visitor also includes only the information that your employer can run into. They don't include simply any old record floating effectually online. Only, where can you find the best company to run a background check on yourself?

At Trusted Employees, we offer self-background checks. We can help you make up one's mind what background checks fit your employment needs and interpret the results for y'all. Contact us today to learn more.