Background Check Basics
Background checks are necessary for a variety of reasons. Employers can check the background of job applicants, proprietors can check on potential tenants and finance companies can check on customers requesting credit. Each background check can take a different amount of time depending on how one processes the check, how extensive the it is and how difficult it is to obtain the information.
Employment Background Checks
Employment background checks consist of potential employers checking with the previous employers for a reference on the work habits of the recruit. These can take anywhere from a few days to a week or more, since they involve human resource personnel to make phone calls and then speak to the specific person in charge of providing the references. If the company requires a hard copy request for the information, which means sending a written request, then this delays the process if one uses the postal service. However, if one faxes or emails the request then the wait time for the response is the same as for phone calls.
Criminal Background Checks
Criminal background checks are often required for certain employment or other security reasons. In order to complete a criminal background check, the applicant must provide all addresses he has lived at for a specified number of years (usually seven). He must also provide any name he has used during that time. Women must provide their maiden and married names. The company sends these requests by fax, email or postal mail to the government authorities. This includes the states the person resided in and possibly the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation). These checks will take at least a week for the most part and FBI checks can take up to a month to achieve results.
Other Background Checks
Companies conduct driver's license background checks when the person applies for a position that involves driving. The applicant provides the names of the states where he has held a driver licenses, along with addresses and other pertinent information. The company contacts each state and requests the history of the applicant in regards to that state's driver license. These background checks take at least a few days and up to a few weeks to receive results. Credit background checks, also called credit checks are usually the fastest checks to make. The company receives results within minutes by simply entering the person's full name and social security number into a terminal connected to the credit bureau. Many companies, such as auto dealerships, have a credit bureau terminal right on the premises so as soon as they submit this information a report on the potential buyer is spit out. They can then use this information to determine if the person qualifies to buy a new car.
