More and more employers are insisting these days that candidates for an open position agree to a pre employment background check in order to be considered for the job, however good their resume looks. Some employers, worried about lax human resource practices in the past may even conduct retroactive background checks on their current employees. For instance, before the events of 9/11, many employers did not adequately document an employee's identity and right to work in the United States, something that could get them into a lot of trouble these days.

But what does the average background check uncover and how far does an employer usually dig into a candidate's past? It is illegal for an employer to discriminate upon the basis of sex, religion, ethnic background or sexual preference so these kinds of very personal details are not to be taken into consideration.

Most employers will check for a criminal record, and will decide for themselves what kinds of offences make an individual unsuitable for employment in their particular firm. A credit check is also quite common these days, especially if the position being offered involves a degree of financial sense or responsibility. Most delinquencies are removed from an individual's credit history after a period of seven to ten years, so youthful mistakes will probably not affect the record of many people who have since learned better money management skills.

It used to be that people could "pad" their resume with all kinds of inaccurate or inflated information to make themselves appear more appealing to a potential employer. A pre employment background check usually means that former employers will be contacted to verify employment dates and previous job titles, and that educational achievements will be verified with the institution the candidate claims to have attended.

To allow a potential or current employer to conduct a background check is up to you to decide. It cannot be made without your written consent. If you do refuse however, understand that in the case of a job you are trying to land that action alone will more than likely take you out of consideration immediately. If a current employer asks you to submit to a background check, refusal to do so could result in termination unless you have an existing contract that is to the contrary, which is a rarity. The law requires that an employer share the results of a background check with you if you request it, which may be important since although mistakes are rare, they do happen.

If you are worried about what kind of impression can be taken from a background check run by a potential or current employer. Have a check run on yourself if you are worried that there may be inaccurate information out there (ID Theft is an unfortunate reality after all.) Check your credit reports and driver's records on a regular basis and make sure that the resume you submit when applying to a job is accurate and honest.

So go ahead run a background check on yourself - Background Check in 5 minutes