"The best indicator of a person's future behavior is past behavior"

This is the bold statement which has always been thrown out to your front by any employer when he peeks in to your background investigations and employment checks before hiring you in.

These days, the job market is very scarce and fearsome for the job seeking graduates as well as experienced professionals. The GDP rates are not as high as they were before 2007. The recession and continuous inflammatory inflation has already killed the chances for the people wanted to develop their careers on high nodes.

Employers are not relegating employment check; they are refusing every single job application if the pre employment background check report has a minor discrepancy.

The best thing to do in that scenario is that to protect our interests by running a Defensive Employment Background Check on ourselves, whenever we are job-hunting or under review by our current employer for misconduct, promotion or other personnel matter.

The information resource should be the same or equivalent to the one engaged by the employer. With it, we will be able to see how we stack up in official perception and rating. If there are inaccuracies or inconsistencies, especially those to our disadvantage, we can take action before we get burned.

First, employment background checks are not usually referred to as "background checks" by human resources professionals -- and they actually consist of much more than simple background checks. They're called "Pre Employment Checks" or "Employment Screening Reports."

Each employment check report usually contains at least four items of information about you:

1. Identity verification (based on verifying your social security number)
2. Educational verification / Credentialing
3. Credit History/Bankruptcy Checks
4. Criminal background records check

These are the basic elements of a standard employment check screening report. So, now it's time to let you know how to do it yourself.

Identity Verification or Social Security Number Trace:

An applicant's social security number is used throughout the pre-employment background check process, so it is important to verify that the number is valid.

* Checking your SSN through government databases by making a simple call can confirms that the number belongs to you and it provides a list of current and previous addresses, as well as other names used.
* If you had reason to change your SSN, provide both numbers and add a brief note explaining why you had to change your number. Also, indicate when you started using the newer SSN.
* This verification also provides other last names associated with the SSN and a list of previous addresses. You can also visit public records portal online for a free check of your SSN.

Education Background Employment Verification Check:

Academic records are generally much easier to find and verify. The vast majority of schools keep excellent records and there are only a small group of people who have access to them.
* When verifying your college degree, the first place you want to look is The National Student Clearinghouse. They run the automated database that provides degree verification.
* Colleges and universities provide education verification over telephone. Very few require signed released or verify on by mail. You can contact your institution administration office or the registrar office to confirm the accreditation of university/college with accreditation authorities. Then you can double check your admission and passing out dates.
* If your institution cannot find your degree or the name on degree is changed to your current name, (an unusual situation, but it might happen), you have to take care of the problem. You will probably need to fax the school a copy of your diploma or any other documentation you have. Primal identification can make you fix the problem.

Credit History/Bankruptcy Pre Employment Checks:

A credit check is a part of a complete employment background check; an employment credit check offers valuable insights into an applicant's sense of responsibility and financial track record and bankruptcies if any.

* Contact your bank and ask them for your credit report.
* If you find any mistake or discrepancy, point out and correct it right away.
* Make your bank to certify you for clean credit history.
* After these 3 steps to resurrection, you can notify your prospective employer of the inaccuracies and of the steps you have taken to correct them.

Criminal Background Checks as Employment Checks:

There are lots of horror stories out there about people whose criminal background check reports come back with incorrect criminal information. These people get turned down for jobs because of criminal acts that they did not commit.

* Criminal conviction records can be invaluable source of information. For the most part, these records are public and available to anyone. In most instances these records can be obtained from the country criminal court clerk's office.
* Convictions for minor infractions to major felonies can be found there. Files include full details of the case and ultimate disposition. Statewide criminal record databases can also be helpful in criminal records search and these local records are found in courthouses and police departments.
* Criminal background checks be best searched by hand at the county/states level, with full names, date of birth, should be used as much as possible to confirm a positive identification.

Conclusion to Resolute:

What can go wrong will go wrong, at the worst moment. They may be due to human errors or oversight, incomplete or out-dated information, mistaken identity or identity theft and so forth. Whatever the case is, we wouldn't be oblivious to the damage or victimization and would be well-prepared to face up to issues if necessary. And if we do turn up something unfavorable but true from the self- background employment check, we get a chance to fix it ahead.

Following 9/11 and a rash of corporate scandals at companies such as Enron, Tyco and WorldCom, and affected by a huge economic halt in 2007 when the whole world was facing the worst business and financial losses, pre employment background checks have become standard procedure for many companies to prevent a variety of problems ranging from embezzlement and theft of merchandize to workplace violence. Moreover, state courts have ruled that companies can be held liable for negligent hiring if they fail to do adequate background checks.

Background checks have long been used to screen people who work in intelligence or on classified government projects, but they are also now used as a pre employment screening tool for a range of positions, including bank tellers and truck drivers hauling hazardous waste.

As the technology is growing day by day, the trends in vetting processes are also change in pre employment background checks. Human resources are using different gadgets to pick a prospective yet legitimate and crime free employee. They were using social profiling methods to save money as social networking and interaction has grown up in past 4 to 5 years and every single person can be found on different social networks with their background information, but these methods are still not better than hiring a background screening company for proper and comprehensive background checks for secure hiring.

Pitfalls Regarding Social Profiling:
* Cyber profiling or social media interaction employment checks are restricted only to the online persona of a person.
* We can see their mentioned education on their profiles but we cannot run an education background check on their educational documents for document verification and authentication.
* We can see their past employment and dates but we cannot be able to verify their employment records they possess.
* Employers cannot be able to do a reference check of an employment candidate.
* Most importantly, an employer can never be able to judge a job candidate for his criminal acts; ie. Criminal background check is merely impossible through cyber vetting.
* Employers cannot even perform a credit check on an employee as a precaution to a financial loss risk.
Advantages of Background Screening Company for Comprehensive Pre Employment Background checks:

1. Pre employment background checks provide information about a candidate's involvement in criminality, civil litigations and liens, or financial or credit checks through proper investigation of court records, credit reports and civil litigation records.
2. Document verification through primary source verification process is the best way to check a candidate about his educational background, his certifications and his licenses.
3. Past employment records can be checked through resource sharing process which can identify any discrepancy attached with a candidate.
4. Reference checking is another encouraging process opted by background screening companies.
5. Pre-employment background checks services also offer some additional criminal searches including a sex offender registry search and a global terrorist search, which is essential in the current world scenario for your business peace and security.
6. Address history or Social Security number trace, It confirms that the number belongs to the applicant and it provides a list of current and previous addresses, as well as other names used.

In contrast to cyber profiling, background screening companies for proper employment background checks is a far much better to choice for employers. As they are quick, they have the power and resources to vet an employee from his head to toe.

Concluding Remarks:

Trying to understand a person's character by looking at his or her online persona is not enough at all for making a hiring decision. So, the better choice for your pre employment background checks is to hire a strong, reputable background screening company by seeing their profile of services, their experience in employment checks and by looking over the testimonials they have got during their work. "Happy Secure Hiring".