Why You Should Run a Background Check on Yourself While Job Hunting 8 Feb 2019

You may enjoy googling yourself. Both for fun and to see what potential employers are seeing. Just imagine what could happen if your prospective employer found a post online of you ranting about your previous boss. You’d want to know about and remove that post before you applied for jobs.

Employers are investigating your history for a good reason. Many people have issues that make them unfit for a job. For example, a daycare worker lost her job before her first day when she posted on social media that she hated working at daycares.

Most employers run background checks on job applicants. Do you want to know what they’re seeing? Running a background check on yourself while you’re job hunting is a terrific way to know what your potential employers are learning about you.

But why should you run your own background check while job hunting? How do you run a background check on yourself? Can you find a company to do it?

Why Should You Run a Background Check on Yourself While You’re Job Hunting?

Doing a background check on yourself while you’re job hunting prepares you for what your employer will see. Now you have time to figure out what questions they’ll ask about your background and how you should answer. You’re also one step ahead of other job seekers.

On top of that, background checks identify any mistakes that might be on your record. You can then fix them or warn potential employers about it. This will save you from losing your dream job over a simple slip up.

Background checks also clarify your history. You may be confused about when you started your last job or officially graduated from college. Running a check reminds you of important details you may have forgotten. But is it even possible to run a background check on yourself? How can you run a check on yourself?

How Can You Run a Background Check on Yourself?

Running a background check on yourself is possible. Many background check companies are willing to run a check and explain the results. Here’s how you can run a background check on yourself using a background check company.

• Decide what background checks you want to run. If you’re unsure what checks to run, start with the basics, like criminal records checks, identity verification, and sex offender status. Then add checks based on the job requirements. You can also ask your screening company to recommend the best checks for you.
• Find the right company to run it. They should offer all the checks you need and resources to help you decide what checks to run.
• Fill out the background check application. This includes your name, date of birth, social security number, previous employment, and educational history.
• Check the results. Once you get the report, look for inaccuracies and report them to the company. If it’s correct, then familiarize yourself with the details.

Running a background check on yourself is simpler than you think, and it’s even easier if you use the right background check company. But how can you find the right company to run your background checks?

How Can You Decide Which Background Screening Company Is Right for You?

There are countless background check companies. But using the wrong screening company can make you lose out on amazing hires. A negligent screening company can even pull you into a lawsuit. How can you find the right company for you?

• Fair Credit Reporting Act certified. The National Association of Professional Background Screeners offers courses about the FCRA. This helps background check companies understand the FCRA and follow its guidelines. You can discover if a company is FCRA certified by looking at NAPBS’ directory.    
• Legal compliance. Screening companies need to compile and understand state and federal background check laws.
• Variety of checks. They should offer the types of background checks you need.
• Self-background check. Does the background check company let you run a check on yourself? Some screening companies don’t have a self-background check option.

Finding the best background check company takes time and effort, but the results are worth it. Where can you find the right company for you?

Now That We’ve Hunted Down the Answers

Most employers run background checks. And most job hunters want to know what they’re seeing.

We’ve discovered why you should run a background check on yourself and figured out how to do it. We’ve also learned how to find the right screening company for you. So which screening company is right for your self-background check.

At Trusted Employees, we offer the option of running a background check on yourself. We can advise you on what to run and explain what employers are likely to look for in a background report. Contact us today to learn more.