Where Do Background Screening Companies Get Their Information?

The job hunting process causes stress and frustration for most people. Finding the perfect position for you with good pay and decent hours is no easy task. And then, after all the resumes, cover letters, and interviews, there’s one last step: the background check. Before stressing over a background screening check, you should make sure you know what they’re looking for and where they can get the information.Where they acquire the information usually depends on the industry you’re trying to work in. For example, if your new job involves driving they will likely look into your driving record and vehicle registration.

Background screening companies have several go-to sources for finding information about you. If you’re worried about passing the background check, you can conduct a screening of yourself first to avoid any surprises later. Companies have access to public records, social media, and your education and employment history.

Public Records

Essentially, public records include anything maintained by the government and its agencies. So, anything from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to real estate records to birth, marriage, and divorce records. The public also has access to newspapers, telephone directories, and classified ads. Accessibility of public records varies by state.

Social Media

As you probably know by now, background screening companies can access anything you put on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. You should prepare for a thorough study of your online presence. If you’re not sure what to look for on your social media accounts, it might be better to screen yourself before your employer does to avoid any surprises.

Education and Employment History

Most employers will want to verify you are telling the truth on your resume and during the interview. To accomplish this, a background check company would contact your school and your previous employers. Sometimes people believe they can lie about their previous salary, but many companies will verify this also. All they have to do is ask your past employer or request to see your W-2 forms.

There are many different places that background screeners will look when seeking out information during the background screening process. From publically-available records to criminal databases, we look at many different dimensions to complete our background checks.