HR types, how can I run a background check on myself?

Factual Questions
1

Long story short: I was told I was going to get a job pending a criminal record check, but they hired someone else.

Didn’t bother to call me either. Fuckers.

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened so I’m going to look into it for myself. My record should be totally clean.

Google search brings up a bunch of outfits that offer this kind of thing. It’s kind of hard to tell who is legit and who isn’t. I’m willing to pay whatever it takes, but I want the professional-grade stuff. I want to see what employers are seeing. What do the big companies use?

Another thing: I’ve been hired at other places and for volunteer work that required a background check, but I’m not sure they check as thoroughly as some companies. Could there be one just company that is giving false reports and screwing me over?

2

There are different levels which you pay for. You don’t get a pass fail grade. When I was in H/R the check we ran covered your criminal history for the last five years. If you pay more you can get a deeper investigation.

Some employers check court records as well, to see if you have bought a home, had a divorce, a bankruptcy etc.

State laws vary. For instance in some states you can’t run a credit check on a job unless it specifically fits the qualifications for a job. For instance, if I apply for a job as a controller they CAN run the check. If I apply for a job for a stock boy at Walmart they cannot.

States laws sometimes forbid and sometimes permit you to look but not base it on what you read. For instance, some states may say, you can’t run a background that covers “XXX.” Others say you CAN run the report but you can’t base your decision on it.

Do you think you didn’t get the job because of the background check? Jobs are tough and competition is fierce. I’ve had people check my references and check me out before the first interview. I don’t know why they do that, seems like a waste of time, but they do.

I worked at one hotel where ANY criminal problem meant we wouldn’t hire you. Of course we would never tell you that, but even misdemeanors counted against you. We would just say, another applicant was better suited.

Did they check your references? I found doing reference checks, people would give you less than stellar recommendations. When I first started I thought, “Why check, who would put down a reference, that was gonna make you look bad.” You’d be surprised at how many people do.

Look no employer is gonna be honest and tell you why you weren’t hired. If you passed the background check at other places assume you’re fine. It’s just some companies have higher standards.

One thing that I found was a lot of women had misdemeanors for lewd behavior. I asked a cop friend of mine what that is, and he says “They got drunk in college and flashed their breasts.” :slight_smile:

3

I honestly don’t know if it was the background check or not. After the last interview the hiring manager said he thought I was going to get the job and even said I was the only one they brought back for a second interview. He even shook my hand and said “congratulations.”

And yes, they most certainly did check references. They couldn’t contact one so I provided a couple more. And those references called me back and told me what they said.

The hiring manager was even emailing me with updates about what was happening until everything just went silent.

I’m really scratching my head over this.

4

somebody higher up had a son/nephew/friend’s son who said higher-up wanted to hire, and you were just interviewed to fulfill a corporate requirement.

5

I have had similar things. Twice in the last three years I was told I had a job just to have the offer reneged. In both cases I was told the guy who quit changed his mind.

I had one lady assign me a project via email. I emailed her back and said, “Did you hire me?” She then emailed me and said, it was in error, they hired someone else.

As a person who had a hand in hiring in the past, when jobs were so easy to come by, I can tell you, it’s a MUCH different world now. Employers can be VERY picky for any job.

Do you have arrests? Let’s say you were arrested at protest marches for health care. That would be a misdemeanor. One employer may say, “Wow here’s a guy with convictions.” Another employer might say, “A protest? This guy’s a troublemaker, he’ll make waves. We won’t someone who won’t rock the boat.”

You see how something can go both ways?

And you may THINK that your references are good, but they might not be. I have asked a simple question like, “What is one weakness,” or “What area does Mr X need improvement” and they lost the job due to the references response. And I don’t think those references were meant to be harmful. It just came out the wrong way.

So do you have misdemeanors? Look at how those might be interpreted. Do you have credit problems? Have you had court filings? Divorce, bankruptcy, adoptions etc.

I have had several temp agencies I worked for call my references and check my background to make sure, since I have had such a problematic time finding work and they say I did fine.

Sometimes it’s bad luck. Any number of services online can be used, we used to pay $29.00 for each background check, when I was an asst controller at a hotel, in 2006, I can’t recall who we used.

Any background check you do find online should go back at least five years, and include any public records like court cases (you may be surprised to find outstanding warrants) and a driver’s abstract, as well as a list of possible aliases.

Last thing, jobs now almost never call you back to tell you, you didn’t get the job. Those days are long over. In the last three years only one place called me back to let me know. And some of these places spend hundreds of dollars flying me out for interviews to different cities, putting me up at hotels, providing meals. But the figure you’re smart enough to know if they want you, they’ll let you know.

6

Nope, no misdemeanors, nothing. I had a speeding ticket once but took defensive driving.

My credit is great. Well above 700 last time I looked.
I was told HR would contact me either way so that’s why I was pissed at them.
This isn’t the pit so I’m going to stop typing. :mad::mad::mad:

7

See if they’ll send you a copy – just say you’re curious, not that you want to challenge anything.

8

Close your eyes and remember your past. :stuck_out_tongue:

You could try calling the sheriff’s office. When I bought a handgun they were in charge of running my background check, they can probably give you a good agency to call.

9

Have you attempted to follow up on this? (How did you find out they hired someone else anyway, do you know someone who works at the company?)

I’ve never been promised to be contacted either way during an interview, it sounds unusual. If I had been promised this, then I would certainly go out of my way to bitch (diplomatically) at the HR department for their lack of follow-through (especially if you were told that in writing). Even if it was just a verbal agreement, though, a short email to the rep or hiring manager you were dealing with would be appropriate (can you feign ignorance that someone else was hired, or does he know you know you didn’t get the job yet?).

Something like “I was told by x that I’d hear back regarding the position I applied for. It’s been z weeks and I haven’t heard anything yet. I was wondering if you have any updates? I’m looking forward to being a part of your organization.”
Or, if they know you know someone else got it, “I was told by x/you that I’d hear back regarding the position I applied for. I heard from z that another person got the job. It’s unprofessional for x/you not to have followed up as I was promised. I understand that most employers these days don’t tell prospective employees that they are no longer being considered, but I don’t think your company should make a habit of promising to do so with no intention of delivering.”

Don’t necessarily expect to hear back, of course. But I think it’s a more logical step than shelling out for a background check.

10

I have had a verbal offer that did not come through. In my case it was simply that a hiring freeze was imposed just before they were going to send the offer letter. The guy who made the offer was up front about it and apologized, but (according to him) there was nothing he could do. From that point on I never got too excited about verbal offers. I want to see the letter.

One issue that does come up about background checks is where someone has had a conviction expunged. Theoretically this should mean that there is no record of the arrest and conviction, but nowadays it is practically meaningless because once that record gets on some private database out there, it can show up forever. People think that they can answer “No” to the question about being convicted, but their background check turns up a conviction. You may get a chance to explain yourself, but maybe not. This doesn’t sound like it applies to you, but I thought I would mention it.

11

As I am someone with a security clearance I check my background every year or so just to be safe. You can do a basic check on yourself:

Go to the local police department and tell them that your job requires you to have a background check and you would like your police record. Now, just so you know, they can only check within their jurisdiction. For me, this is not an issues as I have not moved. If you, in the past, have moved between counties then you would need to contact each county to be safe. Also, colleges/universities may have their own “jurisdiction” which may not show up in a county check, even if they reside in that county. Some counties allow for the record to be sent via mail, others via FAX only, so you’ll have to check. I would go back five years to be safe and if you want to go all out go back ten years.

For credit, that’s easy, just go and pull your credit. I suggest contacting each one individually as yourself and avoiding those three-in-one deals. Those three-in-one deals may show up on your credit report as someone checking credit. Whereas if you do it yourself for yourself it should not show up.

So, with your police background check and your credit check that will cover just about anything aside from an actual investigator doing that plus interviewing your references.

12

I can tell you things have changed a LOT since 2008, I often hear, “We’ll let you know either way, and they never do.” I mean let’s face it, if they want you they’ll call." Why bother them? It’s not like they are gonna say, “Oh yeah, we forgot to hire you thanks for reminding us.”

As for a verbal agreement, it’s worthless. I’ve had written agreements and they have taken the offer back. You can’t do anything even with a written offer. You can’t force someone to hire you and you can’t sue, unless you can prove actual damage was done. For instance, quitting a job to take one and then not being able to get your old job back.

Even with discrimination, you have to prove, a systematic, system designed to discriminate, not just merely a one time act.

Lawsuits happen and you could get all up in these people’s face, but it’s not a good idea. Why? 'Cause people talk. I used to work in the hotel industry in Chicago and I can tell you there is an unspoken chain we use for references.

The hotels talk and if your in deep with one, it’ll spread to every other hotel not to hire you.

Forget it and move on. When I was in H/R it was in the 90s when everyone had a job. I remember offering $15/hr for a night auditor and NO ONE APPLIED. We couldn’t keep desk clerks 'cause one wrong word out of a manager, such as, “You’re late,” the desk clerk would throw a fit, quit and walk out. He was out of work about 10 minutes.

Now the situation has changed. Employers are firmly in charge and they know it. They don’t have to be nice. But to be fair a lot of H/R is now outsourced. Instead of an H/R unit, you may have on H/R person at corporate and the dept heads are now doing the everyday H/R stuff, which leaves the company less than professional.

13

I would not do this if you are truly interested in the job. What if the person they hired doesn’t work out and they’re in a position to hire you as their secons choice? They probably won’t if you have called them unprofessional (even if they were unprofessional).

A tactic that I might encourage is calling to find out if they have filled the position and, if they have, to ask what you might do in the future to make you a better candidate or fit for their company. That way you’re not asking them point blank, “Why not me?” (which a lot of places won’t answer, for fear of being accused of discrimination in some form or another) but you might get some clues along with some actual help for increasing your employability.

14

I don’t wonder about criminal stuff, but I wonder if there’s some backchannel HR types use regarding candidates, via Monster or something else, where they talk about candidates’ work history, interview notes, etc.

15

Do you have a Facebook page that is public and might not be suitable for the work environment?

16

I almost failed my reference check at my current company, because the ****s we outsource to can’t read. I needed to provide five references, two of which had managed me.
The question on the form was “Have you ever managed, directly or indirectly, this individual?”
One of them answered “Yes, managed indirectly.”

The company processing the form claimed he said no. He actually BCC’ed me on the e-mail so I know exactly what he said. I had to have them call him directly to get it sorted out.

If you’re fighting errors like that, you may not find anything by doing your own check. But if it’s a pattern…I don’t know.

-D/a

17

Employers are screwy and they honestly don’t give a crap who they inconvenience sometimes with false hope and empty promises. I have seen it happen from the inside as well as the outside. It could be due to anything and often nothing that you did or you can control. Sometimes somebody with a connection wanted the job, sometimes the job opening just went away and they don’t feel like admitting it. That type of thing happens a lot and it isn’t fair but there is no penalty for doing it. I had one job just disappear once. I got a verbal offer and a time and place to start with instructions just to call for the final details. I called and was told to hold off for a few days because the manager was away. After that, they actively avoided taking my calls in a not so subtle way for no reason at all. I just gave up after a week when it was obvious I was being played for unknown reason.

18

Yeah, don’t they state when you’re signing off on their right to conduct a background investigation that you may request a copy of their findings? I have no idea what happened to my pre-employment paperwork from previous jobs, but I believe that to be the case. Am I making this up?

19

are you Dave Barry? if not, then no, you are not making this up.

20

Any little thing that doesn’t check out in your resume can disqualify you. For example for me, I filling in “Zoology” under "Degree or Degree Program for my 2 year college, they hauled me in and wrote me up as I had never rcvd a AA degree (I had a Masters, so I didn’t bother with a AA).

My Bro, after retiring from 20 years as a Few, was almost rejected from one contract (and likely was rejected from another) as the automated 1-800 number you call to verify someones past federal work did not show him. Wow, the Federal Gov’t made a mistake, who’d a thunk it?:eek::rolleyes: Also, he put down he started with one company one year prior to his actual start as a FTE- but he had been emplyed as a contracted there for that one year and his resume actually said “Started as a contractor from xxxx”. Still, that was a “lie” on his resume.

No, I am sure you KNOW all the stuff on your resume is correct. But double check it, and then check the source a prospective employer woudl check to verify it. Does your college registrar show you graduated? (Maybe you have changed names slightly or there was a transposed digit in your SSN). Do your ex-employers verify you? etc.

Or, yes, there could be another ImNotPaulAvery with your same DoB, one who was convicted of several felonies. That’s pretty much what they check- DoB and name. Of course in some states (like CA) it’s rather hard to check for a criminal record unless your are a police officer, etc. Your employer likely has a way to do it, you may not have the same resources.

I think CareerBuilder or Monster had a tool to check your background.