As you may know, many employers conduct background checks on their potential employees. A background check can search for things like criminal records, commercial records, and financial records of an individual or organization. It’s important to be prepared beforehand, so that you do not ultimately fail. Let’s face it – no one likes the process. So, it’s important to be prepared beforehand, so that you do not fail this important event.
When to Expect a Background Check
The main purpose of conducting a background check is to screen people for high security positions, or positions of trust. Still, there are many scenarios where you may face a background check. Aside from employment, here are some cases where you can expect a background check:
- School admittance
- Property rental
- Security clearance & Military Service
- Purchasing firearms – such as the NICS background check
- Adopting or fostering children
- Voter registration
- Certain types of licenses, such as applying for a CDL
- Purposes related to visas, immigration, naturalization, and international travel
- Law enforcement purposes, such as compiling possible suspects for a criminal investigation
Causes of Failing a Background Check
The most obvious way to fail an employer background check would be to lie about any criminal convictions in your past. Unless you’ve had a criminal record expungement or sealing, honesty is key. Depending on the criminal case and employer, they might be able to overlook a criminal record. However, if the job’s main responsibilities are related to the crime that was committed, it could make matters worse. For example, a person applying to be a school bus driver that has been charged with reckless driving or driving while intoxicated would have a lower chance of getting that job.
Related article: How to Improve Your Chances of Passing a Background Check
The following charges could affect your chances of passing a high security clearance background check:
- Serious crimes (violent)
- Multiple lesser offenses
- Income tax evasion or other financial related crimes
- Drug or alcohol related crimes
- History of cyber crime
- Embezzlement
- Sexual behavior of a criminal nature
If you do fail a background check for some reason, you may then request a background check report. In some cases, criminal records may show up when someone else committed the crime. There are many cases of identity theft and identity fraud which cause these mistakes. Usually, you can dispute these cases to wipe your record clean. On the other hand, if you do have a criminal record and would like to pass future background checks, a criminal record expungement could be extremely beneficial. To see if you qualify, take our free eligibility test.. For more information, it’s best to consult a law firm experienced in such matters.
