When hiring new employees, you can’t take the chance that they will somehow damage your company.  You want workers who are capable and responsible, not those who will cause problems for your business or other employees.  Running a background check for employment can help with this.  It allows you to know a bit more about potential workers and have peace of mind about hiring them. 

You may be wondering how useful a background check really is.  What exactly do employers even look for?  Aren’t they easy to pass?  That depends what you mean, as there are several ways someone could fail a background check.  Here are five common causes of a failed background check.

1. Criminal history or bad driving record

Criminal history is what most people think of when they hear about background checks: if someone has committed a crime, they will fail; if they haven’t, they’ll pass.  While it isn’t quite as simple as that, crimes do show up on a background check for employment.  Employers can’t discriminate against applicants based on this fact alone, however.  The crime has to relate to the job’s main responsibilities in order to disqualify the potential employee.

Driving records are also present on background checks.  While getting a license revoked might cause a failed background check, getting a traffic ticket for a minor violation won’t.  Not all businesses choose to check driving records.  It makes the most sense for those who employ drivers for their company, but it can also be a good way to check responsibility in general.

2. Bad credit on a Background Check

Many people aren’t aware that employers run background checks on credit history.  Having bad credit can show that someone does not handle money well, which isn’t the level of liability you want in your company.  However, sometimes bad credit is the result of an unforeseen circumstance, so be up front with a potential employee if their credit score concerns you.  Financial jobs are the most concerned with bad credit, while other businesses might not think it is as big of a deal.

3. Education discrepancies

Any type of lying will cause you to fail a background check.  This includes any discrepancies in someone’s education.  All schools listed on their resume need to have record of the person attending there in order for them to pass.  It is important that individuals make any previous or maiden names known so their university can match them with their records.

4. False employment history

While lying about schooling is bad, forging employment history may be even worse.  A background check goes through all of the experience listed on a resume to make sure it is accurate.  Forgetting a start date for a past job may send up a flag, so be aware that something minor like that could lead to a false failed background check.  However, there is a big difference between messing up a year and claiming to work somewhere that never hired you.

5. Failed drug test

Some employers choose to have their potential employees both background checked and drug tested before hiring them.  While not technically part of the check for employment, failing a drug test can disqualify someone from a job.  Failed drug tests from previous employers will not show up on a background check, though, as that is private information between the person and their former employer.

Need a Background Check for Employment?

If you are a business looking to background check potential employees, Soteria Screening can help.  They have partnered with National Crime Search to bring you affordable, accurate background checks.  Call (888) 527-3282 or visit them online to learn more.