Prepare for Employment Background Screening

The employment background screening report - how to make sure that you are prepared for the information that will be provided in the employment background check.

When you know that the employer will conduct an employment background screening take these steps first.

Get a copy of your credit report

Request a copy of your credit report and check that the information given in this pre-employment background check is accurate and up to date.

If there is wrong information you can dispute it with the credit reporting agency and the information provider before having to explain it to the employer.

Latest Update - January 2012 - The Fair Credit Reporting Act guarantees you access to your credit report for no cost from each of the three national reporting companies - Experian, Equifax and Transunion - every 12 months. The Federal Trade Commission has issued the following statement:
"AnnualCreditReport.com is the ONLY authorized source to get your free annual credit report under federal law" . They suggest that consumers should avoid TV ads, email offers and search results that offer "free" credit reports. There is only this one authorized source for a truly free credit report.

The Federal Trade Commission offers this excellent advice when requesting your free credit report: "You have the option to request all three reports at once (from the three national reporting companies) or to order one report at a time. By requesting the reports separately you can monitor your credit more frequently through the year."

Check your motor vehicle record

You can get a copy of your driving record from your state Department of Motor Vehicles. This is a particularly relevant aspect of employment background checks if the job involves driving.

Check court records

If you have a record of arrest or have been involved in a court case you can go to the county where this happened and check the files. Ensure the details are accurate and updated.

You can also request a copy of your criminal history record or FBI Identification Record in order to review or challenge the information. The request can be submitted directly to the FBI by accessing the Federal Bureau of Investigation webpage that deals with this.

Stick to the facts

Make sure your resume and job application are accurate and factual. The chances of wrong information being discovered are very high.

Employment background checks are a key part of the hiring process, make sure you know what to expect and that the information obtained by the employer is accurate.

Other common employment screening tools include Employment Drug Screening Be prepared by knowing exactly what to expect with this test.

See what questions are asked in the reference check by viewing this sample Reference Check Form

Know how to approach Pre Employment Tests using these practical tips and techniques.

Certain companies and organizations use the employment polygraph test as part of the recruitment process. Go to The Employment Polygraph to find out more.

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