A background check is a process a person or company uses to verify the validity of someone’s criminal record, education, work history, and other activities from their past. Background checks’ frequency, purpose, and legality vary by country, industry, and individual. Employment background checks are usually done when someone applies for a job, but they can also happen whenever the employer deems it necessary (Peopletrail, 2018). Various methods are used to perform these checks, including exhaustive database searches and personal links. Employers often request background checks for job screening, especially for candidates seeking a position that requires a high level of security or a part of the trust, such as in a school, courthouse, hospital, or financial industry (Arthur, 2019). These checks are traditionally carried out by a government agency for a nominal fee, but private companies can also carry them out. Background check results usually include proof of past employment, credit history, and a criminal record. The purpose of background checks is to ensure the safety of employees in an organization.
Employers often use these checks as a means of assessing a candidate’s past job mistakes, character, and suitability and identifying potential hiring risks for security reasons. Background checks are also used to investigate likely government officials to obtain security clearance (Armstrong & Tayler, 2020). Any questionable information found during background checks can be a wake-up call to employers. Hiring managers also use the information they see through the background check process to make the final decision about whom to hire. In summary, background checks are an important and necessary process for engaging in most organizations, as it allows one to prevent possible problems in the future.
References
Armstrong, M., & Tayler, S. (2020). Chapter 28: Recruitment & selection. In Armstrong’s handbook of human resource management practice (15th ed.). Kogan Page.
Arthur, D. (2019). Chapter 13: References and background checks. In Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, & orienting new employees (6th ed.). Harper Collins [Books 24/7].
Peopletrail. (2018). Why are post-hire background checks important? [Video file]. Web.