The Difference Between a Background Check and An Online Employment Reference Check

Background checks are wildly different from an online employment reference check. For one, the reasons why employers conduct these are to confirm details pertaining to you. This also is used to make sure you don’t present a risk to them. A background check looks into everything like your work history, identity, and even criminal and financial status.

With this in mind, you don’t want to be letting out incorrect or missing information to get in the way of you landing that job you’ve been hunting for. But before we get to that, let’s explain some other key differences.

Differences Between Background Check and An Online Employment Reference Check

The first big thing is how these are conducted. For an online employment reference check, you are notifying your own references that your potential employer will call or send an email asking some questions about you. The process involves simply that and there are many ways that you and your references can prepare for that.

What a background check does is to confirm more of the past than what an employer can provide.

When it comes to an online employment reference check, an employer only has the information between the times you worked there. They don’t have information before or after. Background checks basically provide a way to fill in the gaps.

How To Prepare For Background Checks – Before The Interview

Much like an online employment reference check, you can actually prepare for them. Having said that, there are more steps that will take place in these situations. Below are some things you can do to help move things along and also prove that what you have written on your resume is true.

When it comes to identity, be sure to bring at least two separate forms of ID. These must have your photograph on them. Things like driver’s license, passport, student cards, citizenship cards is ideal. You also want to make sure you have your Social Security Number on you as well. This is all in preparation for signing an offer

For education you can prepare this in advance by asking your school for your transcripts. Do this with every school you have graduated from. From there, make photocopies of them in the event that your employer will want to keep a copy.

With employment history, a good step in ensuring accuracy is by calling the employer directly and verifying the dates you worked there. You can even ask for position details as well to make sure you have the correct information.

Readying Personal Background Info

Once you know that things are moving along, the next step is to make sure everything is looking good on the other side.

Much like with an online employment reference check, you want to be following up. In this case the following up is actually going to a credit bureau and requesting copies of your credit report.

You will also need to request other forms depending on the situation. For example, if you are applying to be a courier, taxi driver, or some other job involving driving, you can get access to a “driving record” by going to your local government’s website.

To get your criminal record, you can request a copy from the government or local police.

No matter the case, it’s always key to come prepared and to know what each of your records look like. You aren’t able to hide from it as an employer can hire professional investigation services too to get access to your background. As such, you want to make sure you verify all the facts are straight and described exactly as you say.