Why Use Employment & Education Verification Services?
Verifying past employment and education helps prevent negligent hiring, reduces fraud risk, and ensures candidates meet your job requirements. These services provide accurate, up-to-date information often faster and more reliably than manual checks, improving your hiring confidence and compliance.
How do they do it?
The days of simply calling a number on a resume are over. Modern companies conduct background checks using a powerful, multi-layered approach that taps into specialized, high-security data streams to build a comprehensive picture of each candidate. Spending over $500 is not uncommon. You can save hundreds of dollars by doing it yourself at a fraction of the cost. Contact us to find out how.
Components of a Good Pre-Employment Background Check
A comprehensive and legally compliant pre-employment background check is a tailored process that verifies a candidate's identity, qualifications, and trustworthiness.
1. Identity and Address Verification (Agency: $50+) , (Our Source: $10)
- Social Security Number (SSN) Trace: Verifies the SSN's validity and provides a history of names and addresses associated with it (the roadmap for criminal searches).
- Identity Confirmation: Confirms the candidate's legal name and date of birth.
2. Criminal History Screening (Agency: $300), (Our Source: $10)
A thorough search across multiple jurisdictions for a comprehensive view.
- County Criminal Records: Search of local courthouse records based on addresses provided by the SSN Trace (most accurate source).
- Statewide/National Criminal Database Search: A broad-net search to catch records outside of the candidate's known residential areas.
- Federal Criminal Records Search: Checks for crimes prosecuted in federal court (e.g., embezzlement, major drug crimes).
- Sex Offender Registry Check: Verification against state and national registries.
3. Professional and Academic Verification (Agency: $200+), (Our Source: $0)
Verifying the claims on the candidate's application and resume.
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Employment Verification: Contacting previous employers to confirm:
- Dates of Employment (Start and End)
- Position/Job Title(s) Held
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Education Verification: Contacting institutions to confirm:
- Dates of Attendance
- Degree/Diploma Earned
- Professional License & Certification: Verification of validity, status, and any disciplinary action.
4. Role-Specific Searches (Tailored to the Job)
- Motor Vehicle Records (MVR): Essential for positions that involve driving a company or personal vehicle for business.
- Credit History Check: Used for roles involving access to company finances or sensitive financial data (must be legally justified).
- Drug Testing: Often required for safety-sensitive positions.
5. Mandatory Legal Compliance
A "good" background check is defined by its adherence to federal and state laws, most notably the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) in the United States. Local rules and regulations must also be complied with.
- Written Consent: Candidate must provide signed authorization.
- Consistency: Screening policies must be applied uniformly to all candidates for the same role to prevent discrimination.
- Adverse Action Process: A mandated legal procedure that must be followed if a company decides not to hire based on the check's results.
The $500 Secret: Ditch the Background Check Agencies and Screen Smarter!
Stop throwing hundreds of dollars at third-party screening agencies. The screening process can be done in-house and at a fraction of the cost. Contact us to learn the secrets.
Not ready to do it yourself yet? Try these Top 10 Agencies
Verify candidate credentials quickly and accurately with these trusted verification services, helping you make informed hiring decisions and reduce risk.
- Cisive Over 40 years of experience offering employment and education verification across industries including healthcare and finance, with global screening capabilities.
- Checkr Automated background screening with advanced technology and API integration supporting employment and education verifications for fast, scalable hiring.
- HireRight Global background screening provider with comprehensive employment and education verification services, trusted by many large employers.
- Truework Employment verification platform focused on speed and candidate privacy, widely used for verifying work history and education.
- CCC Verify Employment verification service known for accuracy and compliance, supporting various industries.
- EmpInfo Provides thorough employment and education verifications with fast turnaround and dedicated client support.
- Experian Verify Part of a major credit bureau offering employment and education verification with extensive data coverage.
- Vault Verify Employment verification service with a focus on reliability and integration with HR systems.
- Zinc UK-based provider offering global employment and education verifications with customizable platform and ATS integration.
- Verified Credentials Established since 1984, offering rapid, scalable employment verification with premium support and ATS integrations.