10 Different Types of Employment Background Checks to Consider in Your Hiring Process

What Are Background Checks?

Background checks are an important part of the hiring or onboarding process. Background checks provide employers with information about the candidate’s past, which can be used to predict how they will perform in their new role.

Background checks are the most popular form of pre-employment screening and they have been around for a long time. Employers use background checks to find out if candidates have any criminal records, if they owe money, or if a candidate has been fired from previous jobs.

Background checks are important because they can help employers make sure that potential employees are not going to do anything that would harm their company.

There are different types of employment background checks that you should know about and how they can affect your hiring process. Below is a list of the top 10 most common types of employment background checks.

1. Criminal History Checks

Criminal history checks are a type of background check that looks into an individual's criminal records. They are done to ensure that the person who is applying for the job is qualified to do it.

Criminal history checks can be used in many different ways, such as when hiring people for jobs or when giving them access to sensitive information.

One of the most common reasons why employers would want to run a criminal history check on someone is because they want to make sure that they're not hiring someone with a criminal record who may pose a threat.

Learn more about Criminal Records Check here.

2. Social Media Checks

This check reviews past social media activity. 

Social media has become a tool that is used by both businesses and consumers, in fact social media recruiting is quickly gaining ground. It's an important interactive platform and allows people to express themselves across social networks. There may be risks associated with using social media. A post may be made on a social media channel without full consideration of how it might be interpreted or the consequences that may follow. 

The risks associated with social media can include the spread of misinformation and consumers may be offended by posts. People need to be aware of these risks, and take the appropriate steps to ensure that they don't cause more harm than good in the long run.

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3. Employment Verification 

This check verifies declared past employment history.

Employment verification is a service that ensures the authenticity of a person's job history, which has been stated on their resume or CV. The service checks whether the person has been employed in any company, organization or establishment.

Employers and HR professionals will find it a distinct challenge to verify candidates’ employment histories. They will need to spend hours on the phone and complete many forms in order to get background checks, diplomas, or any other information they need.

If a company is hiring someone, they will typically ask them for an employment history. But some applicants may be dishonest about their job experience and may lie about it. 

4. Credit Reports Checks

It checks for any negative credit information about the applicant. If any credit discrepancies are discovered, it will outline the specific details that led to the credit report.

Credit bureaus collect and store data about a person's credit history. These reports are compiled by the three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and Transunion. The report includes information about your borrowing history such as how many loans you have, the interest rates of your loans, the repayment history of your loans, if any of your loans have been paid off, or declared as contributing to bankruptcy.

Here's more information on Credit History Checks.

5. Education Verification Check

Education verification is an important step in the hiring process. When employers verify the education credentials of a job candidate, they are ensuring that the person has the level of education and related skills required for the position.

This check is usually done by checking if a candidate’s diploma, degree or certificate is valid and issued by an accredited institution. It is also done to make sure that no one else has been using someone else’s credentials to obtain a position for which they are not qualified.

Education verification is a process of checking the authenticity of one's education qualifications. It is a requirement for most jobs, across both private and public sectors. The process involves verifying the authenticity of the certificate and its issuing university.

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6. Reference Checks

Reference checks are an important part of the hiring process. They provide information about an applicant’s professional history and value delivered, their character, and some aspects of tier qualifications.

Reference checks are a way to verify softer skills information that is not available in the resume or other employment application documents. Reference checks can be conducted by contacting employers, previous employers, and nominated professional references.

The most common use for the reference check is by a prospective employer. This type of reference check provides further depth concerning the candidate's work habits, abilities, and personality / character traits. 

A current employer, if approached, may also have knowledge of the candidate's attendance record and performance evaluation from their supervisor or human resources department. IF they will be prepared to share, based on local employment legislation and customs.

Conducting reference checks is a common practice among employers when hiring new employees. It is a way to find out more about the person who is going to be joining their team, and see if they are the right fit for the company.

7. Professional Qualifications Checks

A Professional Qualifications Check for Employment is a document that confirms an individual’s professional qualifications. It is also referred to as a “Professional Credentials Verification”.

This document can be used by prospective hiring employers to verify the credentials of an individual. The verification process will confirm whether the person is qualified for the job they are applying for or not.

The Professional Qualifications Check for Employment will include information about the individual’s employment history, education and training, professional memberships and any other relevant information that might be required.

Professional qualifications checks are a series of tests that employers carry out on prospective employees to assess their suitability for a job. These checks are carried out to ensure that the employee is qualified for the position for which they are applying.

There are various kinds of professional qualifications checks that employers can do on prospective employees. They can check the candidate’s educational and work experience, as well as checking the candidate’s skills and abilities.

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8. Civil Checks

Civil litigation history checks are often required for employment. This is because of the potential liability employers have when it comes to hiring someone who has been involved in a civil lawsuit. The purpose of a civil litigation history check is to find out whether the person you are considering hiring has any past claims against them that may affect their work performance or be a potential liability for your company.

They can be used to screen potential employees, volunteers, or any other individual who will have regular contact with children or vulnerable adults.

There are many reasons why employers conduct these checks on their employees and volunteers:

• To comply with the law
• To protect the company from liability
• To protect the children or vulnerable adults from abuse

Here's more information on Civil Litigation Checks.

9. Right to Work Checks

Right to Work Checks are a requirement for employment in a certain country, such as the United Kingdom that use a Share Code to streamline the check. They are a form of checks that must be done by an employer before hiring an individual. The checks help to ensure that the person is eligible to work in the country, and not an illegal immigrant.

Many employers are not aware of this requirement, so they don't do it while hiring new employees, which can lead to fines and penalties.

They are an important part of the screening process and ensure that the person is legally allowed to work in the country.

10. Automated ID Checks for Employment

Automated ID checks are the new way for employers to screen potential employees. They help to avoid hiring people who have a criminal record or who may be using fake IDs.

Some of the benefits of automated ID checks are that they can reduce employment discrimination, save time, and help with fraud detection.

Automated ID checks fuse machine learning algorithms to process data more efficiently and quickly than human employees can do by themselves.

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Conclusion: Use Employment Background Check To Streamline The Process Of Hiring & Protect Your Company's Reputation

The hiring process is one of the most important aspects of a company. It determines what kind of employees are coming in, and how they will perform in their new position. 

In order to make sure that the hiring process goes smoothly, employers often conduct background checks on potential candidates. Background checks can be done through different sources, like a criminal history report or a credit report. They can also be done through an employment background check service provider, which is more convenient and cost-effective for employers. 

Employment background check services are beneficial for the employer because they provide information on a person’s past work experience, education level, and other relevant information about their professional life. This allows employers to make informed decisions when hiring new employees.

In order to get an employment background check done, employers need to select a service provider that specializes in employment background checks. These providers are also responsible for verifying the applicant's identification and employer when making a request through their cloud SaaS platform, website or by phone. They make sure that the information provided is accurate, so they can conduct a thorough and reliable report, and highlight any concerning discrepancies.