Dispelling The Top 7 Myths Of Background Screening

We live in an economy where young people face the vicious cycle of ‘You can’t get a job without experience and you can’t get experience without a job’. Falsifying information in your resume may seem like a tempting prospect that could land you your dream job, but why would you commit that fraud? Today, background screening is well on its way to being mainstream and more organizations are realizing the potential value it delivers.

Resume dishonesty can end your career, regardless of what information is being fabricated or concealed. These discrepancies are generally discovered in the first round of background checks, providing the employer the option of not hiring the dishonest applicant. However, when one is not caught in the initial phase, the façade tends to continue for decades, before it crushes your public image and could turn you into a cautionary tale.

Background screening often receives a negative connotation and raise concern in the minds of the candidate. While a candidate must be truthful in writing their resume, there are a lot of myths that deserve to be busted.

Let’s take a look at some of the surrounding background verification that gives it a ‘bad name’ and disprove them:

Myth 1- It is a flaw finding mission
Reality- A number of candidates are misguided to believe that a background check is a means for employers to find a reason to not hire you. This is false, verifications aren’t meant to be an invasion of privacy or a flaw finding mission. Hiring a third party screening service is an investment that most employers make, only after deciding to hire you. It is but a precautionary measure taken by organizations to confirm the credentials provided by you and analyze the potential risk an individual could pose to either customers, employees and finally, the productivity and reputation of the business.

Myth 2- There’s a centralized database with all the information about you
Reality- The government has no formal, centralized database with all the information pertaining to your past. The information needs to be researched and compiled from both online and offline sources. It continues to be a tedious and time-consuming process. For educational and employment history the institutions in question, whether a university or an organization are directly contacted for verification. Whereas, in the case of criminal checks, separate records from villages, cities, state, and the judicial courts need to be checked.

Myth 3- Every background check is the same
Reality- Although in its essence, the background verification process is uniform, the aspects verified for each candidate differ vastly across companies and various roles. They can include criminal records, employment, and educational history, drug testing or even driving records. Verification service providers offer packages that can be customized according to the need. For example, hiring a driver might require a criminal check, identity check, and driving records verification. Whereas, hiring a candidate for a white-collar job would necessitate verification of other aspects including education and experience.

Myth 4- People with criminal records are not hired
Reality- More than your record, an organization's internal policies, the laws and regulations and the role being filled all factor into whether you get the job. Another factor that comes into play here is the seriousness of the criminal offense, whether it was a violation, misconduct or offense.

Myth 5- The report is the final verdict
Reality- In the case that a discrepancy is discovered in the information provided that could potentially cost you the job, the candidate can ask to review the information and amend it. The report can always be changed depending on the gravity of the discrepancy

Myth 6- Right to review the information provided and make changes

Reality- If the candidate asks to view the report, the employer has to share it with the individual. The candidate has the right to make changes to his/her resume and rectify the mistake. A candidate also has the right to dispute any inaccurate information he/she sees in the report

Myth 7- Once I give my consent, I can’t withdraw it

Reality- A candidate who had previously agreed to a background screening can always change his/her mind if the candidate feels there is an invasion of privacy. Every individual has the right to withhold certain personal information they don’t want to share.

Background screening is simply a risk mitigating tool, used by employers to ensure that you are the right fit for the organization. It is nothing to fear or fret over as long as you are honest and possess the skills and qualifications required for a specific role. Think of your resume as your passport into the corporate world. You need to understand that just as you require the proper documentation to travel to different countries, you also need the proper documents and references required to verify the information you’ve provided in your resume.

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