Due to the frequency of applicants lying or "stretching" the truth on their resumes, employers have come to rely heavily on background checks to make hiring decisions. According to recent statistics, around 80 percent of employers conduct some sort of investigation the lives of those they believe to be qualified for jobs. If businesses are worried about hiring the wrong person for the job, it is nothing compared to the nervousness that hopeful job seekers may feel.

In order to avoid being disqualified for a job due to the results of a background check, applicants should make sure that their resumes accurately reflect their work experience. Although few would purposely outright lie, such as claim to have degrees they do no posses or say they worked for a company that has never heard of them, smaller discrepancies can cause problems. Everyone wants to present their prior work in the best light possible.

Because of this, many include tasks they may have only performed once or twice under past job descriptions. Unless a previous employer is likely to remember these occasions, it is best not to include them. To avoid any problems during a background check one should either stick to describing tasks that were either included in their job description. Despite this, one shouldn't shy away from listing additional responsibilities that were later added to their work load, as long as a previous employer is not likely to discredit this information.

In many cases offices often hire new workers with the understanding that their continual employment is determined by the results of a background check. In these situations, or whenever one is particularly nervous as to what such a search might yield, it is never a bad idea to conduct one's own investigation.

This could be as simple as going to the appropriate public office to make sure there are no inaccuracies in a criminal record or as involved as contacting a company which handles records verifications. Although such companies will cost the applicant, there is no value that can be put on having the piece of mind that comes with knowing there are no unknown skeletons hiding in a closet, awaiting the chance to ruin a good opportunity.

Labels: Background Checks