Friday 24 January 2014

5 Tips for Job Searchers - Background Checks

The Renwick Group provides pre-employment screening, or background checks, to help organizations avoid costly hiring mistakes. It is important, especially for recruitment of senior positions, to confirm the details of identity, legal history, and even financial record.

From a potential employees point of view, understanding what is in a background check can enable you to pro-actively prepare as part of your strategy for employment search. When an employer requests a background check from a Private Investigator, you'll have a better idea of what will be discovered and more confident about how you will look to your potential employer.
  1. Personal Identity: As part of the hiring process you should be able to confirm your identity without hunting around for the information you need. Keep at hand proof of identity such as your passport, drivers license and social insurance card.
  2. Education: Employers may want to confirm your educational credentials, so be pro-active and order transcripts of your degrees, diplomas and important certificates. It's a good idea to keep a folder of documentation about courses you have attended or important conferences.
  3. Credit History & Earnings: If you are going to be put in charge of or responsible for money or company finances, your prospective employer may investigate your credit history. In Canada contact Equifax or Trans Union Canada to request a copy of your credit report. Take care of any issues right away so you know things are clear beforehand. You may need to confirm previous earnings with a T4, so be prepared to produce a T4 or your Notice of Assessment.
  4. Legal History: If you are applying for a position that requires a high security level or will be working directly with the public, you can obtain a Certified Criminal Record check from the RCMP and have this in your file.
  5. Web Profile: While you're looking for employment, keep an eye on your online profile. What turns up in a search? Have you considered privacy settings on social media? If you use a website like LinkedIn make sure the information is up-to-date and is the same as the information you provided to the employer in print. Discrepancies raise questions - and having a clear, consistent, authenticated story is so much better than trying to explain why sources of information about you, are not aligned.

Mark Swartz, Monster Senior Contributing Writer, writes - What you need to know before Potential Employers Investigate you, on this subject.

"Have you made an employer’s short-list in a job hunt lately? If you’re one of the finalist candidates – or the chosen applicant – the employer may want to conduct a background check on you before bringing you on board. Your work history, identity, financial, and criminal status may be scrutinized as part of the process.

Employers who conduct background checks want to confirm details about you and see if you present a risk to them. Being prepared will help you avoid any nasty surprises. After all the work you’ve done to get this far, you don’t want to let incorrect or missing information prevent you from getting that great new job."

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source: Career-Advice.Monster.ca