How Do Background Checks Work?

[OscarGuy]

I'm on probation for first time offender property damage and have run several background checks on myself and they always come up 'clean.' What's different between the online checks I have run and what an employer, landlord or other would use?

I had a terrible time concerning employment. I was forced to
resign a job of 18 years after I damaged a coworkers car after he had harrassed me (for the n-th time). This individual had stalked me and my girlfriend for years and neither law enforcement or our place of employment would do anything about it. HR and his mgrs had received numerous complaints of his activities (not only from us), but did nothing.

I work in the (IT) Information Technology field and lost my job right as the 'Bush Economy' started to fall apart. I found it impossible to find a job. And then when I started probation, my PO demanded that I work 'or else.' I tried applying for all kinds of non-IT jobs, but since my only work history on my resume was in computers, nobody would hire me. So I was stuck in this hell - couldn't find work in IT because of the recession and couldn't find work in other jobs because I had no prior experience in retail, customer service, etc.. However, I at least found part time work in these areas after much effort. But the jobs were all seasonal and so I became unemployed again after a while.

My PO was breathing fire down my neck! She didn't care about my situation at all. She threatened to bring me up in front of the judge and throw me in jail. I got an attorney and we challenged her and said we wanted to go in front of the judge so I could explain my situation and provide proof of my attempts to find employement - which she wouldn't even look at. Suddenly, she was out of the picture and I got a new PO whose father was also unemployed in the IT job market and she understood my situation. She reduced my reporting status from monthly to quarterly and said she would not hold unemployment against me (so long as I kept looking).

Things are picking up again in some parts of the economy and I hope that I find a computer job soon. I am worried about the background check question. While looking for non-computer jobs, the two times I was completely honest with a potential employer, I was rejected immediately. and the two times I said 'no convictions' I got hired.

Most employers do background checks, but the ones I run on myself never turn up anything. So what's going on with this?
I would PREFER to be up front and honest about my mistakes, but if being honest gets me screwed from the start and the background checks aren't working, then why bother?

[miz_pandora]

i was recently fired from a job in wich i receved three promotionsa and a great revew a week prior to being let go because it was "discovered" that i had pled guilty to a felony that i had bin going back n forth with in the court system with cicnce prior to working at the store so im well aware of how a record can hurt ya. now i am wanting to get one of those apartments that is based on your income and they require that you get a criminal background check ( so im out on so many levels!despite my reform)so anywho here is how you get a copy of what a buisness would get...you go to your local court house and got to the circet clerks office and have them run you off a copy of your background check my local did mine in a few min and did not charge me but 15 cents a page.hope this helps.

[Ken]

OscarGuy,

I will tell you what I know about background checks in the USA. I am a Canadian but work in and around the staffing industry and have spent many years managing large staffing projects in the US where background checks are a daily routine.

First - I would ask - are you paying for these background checks that you do yourself that are showing clean??? If you are not paying $15 + for a check then it is probably not reliable... Background checks are a difficult thing in the US - there is no online service that I am aware of that covers all states, and then it even breaks down into counties. We always use a 'manual' check company because it often involves contacting the court of the county where the person was last or where they reside now. The best background checks in my opinion that give the most reliable results usually take 24 - 72 hours to produce a result.

I previewed several 'online' solutions for US background checks and none of them offered complete reliable service covering all aspects.

So my long answer to your question is - it will depend on the employer. Every one will use a different service and pay a different fee for the service! If you have a record and conviction then you are each time running the risk of them finding this information out.

Also be careful because is it not a condition of your parole that you admit your conviction on job applications? I know that your chances of getting hired are better if you don't, but what happens if you don't tell the truth and they later find out - or your PO finds out??? What happens then???

[OscarGuy]

I'm not certain if there are differences between the conditions for parole and for probation. I am on probation and as far as I know they do not require me to alert my employer. From what I am hearing, I think it's a real option to become self-employed and just avoid the whole issue.

The last supervisor I had on my computer job had a criminal record for breaking and entering and I am certain he never told HR about it.

Wishful thinking is that there could be an understanding between employers and employees with convictions for non-work-related offenses. What happened to me had zero to do with my ability to program computers.

[tradewiz50]

Well with a felony conviction almost every consulting company and IT comapny will do a very thorough background check on you.

Like you say if your honest and up front they will just turn you away. If you lie on the application and get hired. Usually a few months later it comes back to bite you in the a$$ and you get fired.

Within in the last few years it seems everyone is doing credit and background checks on the most lowest paying jobs.

Ten years ago I knew a fellow who was convicted of embezellment and still got a job at a bank!

The best solution is to find a a way to become self employed. Start a computer repair business or something.