Have you ever wondered what exactly gets verified after you have accepted an offer letter? I’ve met a lot of job-seekers who were worried about their background check either because they omitted information from their resume or just didn’t understand the details of the process in general. So in this article, I’ll be breaking down exactly what shows up in an employment verification check as well as why it’s so important for employers. You can continue reading along with this article or watch the video below!
What actually shows up in an employment verification check?
What is an Employment Verification Check?
Up until now, you are likely a stranger to this organization and they probably have never worked with you before. They have to take what you put out there during your interview and application process at face value because that’s all they have to go off of. We’ve all heard of those tales in the past where a CEO has been fired or let go because they lied about the university that they have attended or completely made up a degree. Since employers are taking a risk by trusting that what you say about yourself is true, companies want to know they can trust you for who you say you are. And so in many cases, the best way to do this is by conducting an employment verification process.
Remember, employers have to protect themselves, too!
Let’s first talk about what is happening on the back end. After accepting the offer, the company already has the information that you’ve filled out online as well as what you’ve presented during the interview process. You’ve probably already signed it and confirmed that it is accurate and true. This information that you’ve submitted already is what they’re going to cross-check as they call all the companies and schools that you have attended.
PRO TIP: Verification checks do NOT verify your resume or LinkedIn profile!
A lot of times, companies will outsource background investigations to companies such as HireRight, for example. Sometimes those companies will have you complete a profile or application all over again. In this case, the information you provide them will be what they use to verify if what you’ve submitted is accurate and complete. The important thing to note here is that they are not verifying your resume or your LinkedIn profile. At the end of the day, those are just marketing tools, so you have to understand that your personal marketing materials are not legally binding documents and are separate from what is actually being verified.
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What Actually Gets Verified In a Background Check?
Essentially, when a company is calling your previous employers, they want to verify these things:
- Did you actually work for this company?
- What was your title?
- What were your start and end dates?
- Are you eligible for rehire?
- Did you graduate from the college you said you did?
- What years did you attend?
- Which degree did you earn?
- What was your GPA?
Knowing that these are the key pieces of information getting verified, you want to make sure that whatever you’re including on the application is 100% accurate. If you’re not entirely sure or fuzzy about some details, pick up the phone and call HR and let them know your situation. You may say, “I want to make sure that during the employment verification, what I’ve submitted is accurate. Can you tell me the answers to the following questions?” It’s better to be safe than sorry because if there are any discrepancies, there’s going to be a red flag in your file. At that point, they’re going to start scrutinizing your background. To avoid all of that, do everything you can to make sure your facts are 100% accurate and you’ll avoid any delays in the hiring process.
At the end of the day, all they’re doing is verifying what you have submitted in terms of the information. This is standard and normal, as all companies are just trying to understand whether or not you’re representing yourself accurately. With this in mind, just do all that you can to ensure that you’re presenting yourself with integrity, accuracy, and honesty throughout the entire interview process!
RELATED: TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF
