Sunday, October 6, 2019

Errors in Your Background Check Report? Find out What You need to do Now!

Background Check Errors can hurt your Job Search!
Imagine this: You've made it to the end of an extensive interviewing process with your dream company. You’ve been given an offer of employment conditional on the successful completion of your background check.

There is only one problem…you have been notified that your background check did not come back clean and the company is rescinding their offer. The worst part? What they found in your background check is not true! Now what do you do?


Unfortunately, background check errors do happen! 

Job seekers can find themselves confronted with misinformation found in their background checks. They are then forced to prove not only that the findings wrong, but also to keep these errors from popping up again. This can be stressful and hard to do.

If you are looking for a job, or even being offered a promotion, it is best that you learn how to tackle this potential issue head on.


Discover How You can Fix Errors in Your Background Check! “Tweet This”

If your new employer finds what you know to be errors during your background check, the best course of action is to take charge! 

Immediately inform the employer that you dispute these findings. Then be ready to do what you can to prove the results wrong ~ and following these tips is a great place to start! They will help you fix misinformation that may be found in your background check and help prevent it from happening again.

Fixing Errors
If there are errors listed in your background check, don’t give up. It is not too late the fix them. In fact, it is your right to be given the chance!

The FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) requires employers to follow a specific process when they are confronted with information that might negatively impact their hiring decision. 

Before making a final decision, Employers must:
  • Notify you, in writing, that negative information was found during your background check.
  • Provide you with a copy of the background check report, including contact information for the company that provided the report.
  • Provide you with a copy of “A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act”.
  • Allow you a minimum of 5 business days to provide proof that the information found is in error or mitigate the findings with additional information.
Find out more about your rights when it comes to employment background checks here!

This entire process will undoubtedly cause a delay in the hiring process.

So, instead of being faced with the task of proving the negative information found in your employment background check is wrong, it is better to be prepared and…..


Be Proactive instead of Reactive!
The best way is to Do a Background Check on Yourself before you ever even apply for a job!

Hiring delays are never in your or an employer’s best interest. The wait keeps you both in limbo. You are stalled in your job search and the employer is unable to hire for the position they need. 

Taking the time before you apply to make sure that any information “out there” about you is factual simply makes sense for you both!

It will prevent you from being unduly surprised and allow the employer to more quickly get the information they need to make an informed hiring decision. 

By pre-doing a background check on yourself, you will be able to see exactly what an employment background check will uncover and give you the opportunity to double check the results and see if they are accurate.

Learn more about the benefits of doing a background check on yourself here!

A good background check company can help you with this!
Professional screening companies are familiar with what information employers check, the best sources to use to gather this information, and can help you determine the best way to prove the negative information wrong.


Do you have questions about doing a background check on yourself? Contact Us for help!
Once you get the results of your own report, or are confronted with a negative report from an employer, there are definitive steps you should take to correct any errors.

First, be sure to check the entire report thoroughly. Pay special attention to:
  • Misspellings of your name
  • Missing or incorrect date of birth
  • Missing or incorrect Social Security number
  • Incorrect past addresses
  • Criminal charges attributed to you in error
If you find any discrepancies, then you need to take steps to fix them.


To help fight these errors, you need to have proof.

Start with documentation that lists your legal name, including full middle name and any suffixes (Jr., Sr., etc.). Include any past names you may have had such as maiden name and past married names. Have your official social security card and valid driver’s license on hand to help provide correct legal name, current address, and date of birth. Also be ready with a list of all past addresses and your dates of residence at each.

If your background check shows incorrect arrests or convictions, and they can’t be disproven with the valid identifying information you provided, then you should contact the court where the case originated. Ask for a copy of the report and find out what steps you need to take to dispute that these cases belong to you.

Background check errors can also occur when verifying education or past employments. These are some of the easiest errors to fix or to avoid entirely!

If you are confronted with this type of error, contact the education institution or employer where it occurred. Find out why the information you supplied on your resume differs from what is in their records. If they are in error, make your case. However, if you have made the mistake, correct it on your resume going forward.

With these type of errors, your best defense is really a good offense. Instead of finding out after the fact that there are inaccuracies either in your resume or in the information being provided by your university or past employer, make your resume Background Check Ready” before you apply!

Check that all the dates, titles, and degrees or professional licenses you list in your resume are accurate and current. Provide the name and location of each institution to make verifying the information easy.

Do the same for your employments. List the name and location of the company and working contact information including phone and email for your past supervisor or the company’s Human Resources department. Include your dates of employment, last title earned, and reason for leaving.

Be honest. Don’t elevate your role or responsibilities. If there are gaps in your history, don’t try to cover them by fudging the facts. Instead, be ready to explain why you have a gap and what you did during that time to stay current in your field. 

Learn more about how and why you should get your resume “Background Check Ready” here!

Once you have all the proof you need to challenge the errors in your background check, provide them to your potential employer.
While the final decision whether to hire you is still theirs, you have done your part to fix or dispute their original negative findings and give yourself the best chance at landing the job.
Good luck!

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