Importance of a Self-Background Check While Job Hunting

Looking for a new job can be one of the most stressful tasks you will ever complete. It is a full-time task, and the stress can be all-consuming, especially if you are currently unemployed.

When you finally get an interview, you may be told the company’s offer is contingent on a successful background check. You may start to question what information will show up about your background and how it will affect your chances of new employment.

The solution is to run a background check on yourself. This can ease any concerns you may have so you have the confidence to enter an interview knowing what your background check includes.

Reasons to Run Your Own Background Check

A bad background can cost you a job. Conversely, knowing what is on your background can give you a chance to either explain your situation to any potential employer or to dispute any findings that are not accurate.

It is best to dispute inaccurate findings before an interview so they do not halt or delay the hiring process. An employer most likely won’t want to pause so you can clear up your background.

If an employer chooses to not hire you based on a background check, you will be notified by the background company. However, you do not want to take this chance when you could take just a few minutes to check your background as part of your job search preparation. Knowing your background is clear will put your mind at ease.

Catching Mistakes on Your Background Check

One of the most important reasons to run your own background check is to catch any potential errors and fix them immediately.

Some errors may occur due to a keying mistake. This may result in a criminal conviction being placed under your record instead of under the correct person. On occasion, a background company may pull records for someone with a similar name, especially if you have a common name.

Background information can be scattered across different county courts, state repositories, and other sources. Depending on the location, many of these records may not even be electronic.

By pulling your own background check you will get an understanding of the process and what type of inaccuracies you may need to investigate based on the counties in which you have lived.

Details Are Critical

There are times when records are supposed to be expunged but they are not. There are some records that should be sealed, but they make it on a background report. While these cannot legally be held against you, they still can influence an employer’s decision.

Running your own background report will ensure these details are removed from your background report. Details on your background will also help you remember any dates that you may be approximating on your resume. Employers will be looking at accuracy to ensure what you say matches the truth. If the years and dates are different, this may cause a potential employer to question your honesty.

Personal Insights

If you have problems on your background check, you can use this to identify particular jobs to avoid. If a job requires a perfect driving record and you have multiple tickets, you may want to avoid pursuing that position. This also gives you insight into the types of things you may want to address in your interview, so when the background check is pulled, the employer is not surprised. You can have an honest conversation with them about that particular issue.

Social Media

Be sure to look at your social media pages from an employer’s perspective to ensure you make a good impression. Another exercise in preparation is to look at what shows up about you from search engines. We live in a digital world, and making sure your digital profile is professional can be critical in getting a job in such a competitive market.

Affordable Background Checks Can Run a Self-Background Check

Affordable Background Checks can help you run a self-background check based on your needs. We compile our results from numerous sources and give you a complete report including criminal records, education information, and driving record, just to name a few services.

At Affordable Background Checks, we get the job done fast and your satisfaction is always guaranteed. Searching for a job is a challenge. Making sure your background check is not a surprise to you or your potential employer is something you can control during this difficult process. Let Affordable Background Checks help you prepare for your next interview.

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