background check

[Canada]

I recently was offered and accepted a new job. The job is contingent on a background check. Does anyone know how a background check works and what they actually look for?

 

When I lived at my previous address I used my mothers address for all of my mail and my drivers license address, not the address that I actually lived at.

 

When I filled out the background check form I put the address that I actually lived at not the one that the state and federal gov thought I lived at. Is this an issue or do they generally just look to see if you have any criminal history. Or is this something that if they would come back and ask why I used another address?

 

There is no real reason for me not using my actual address for my mail I just never changed the address and would just go to my moms house to pick up my mail.

[ElektraHere]

It depends some look up criminal background. Any sort of record that you may or may not have. So if you have had any altercations with the law they would see that. Then there are employers that check your credit. I don't know why they are able to do that. It is supposed to represent how responsible you are.

I wouldnt sweat it if you have a clean criminal background.

[avman]

When I filled out the background check form I put the address that I actually lived at not the one that the state and federal gov thought I lived at.

 

That was the right move. It doesn't matter where you mail goes. You should put down the address where you signed a lease or purchased your home.

 

The background check is looking for a few things, but the biggest reason for it is to discover any inconsistencies in your application. They want the background check to not uncover any surprises. If you list everything in your application, and your background check confirms it - then all is well.

 

If however they discover something in your background check that you didn't disclose - well that pretty much ends any hope of employment.

[Iceman26]

Depends on the company.

 

One of my many job duties is conducting interviews and background checks. Unless it is a high profile position, they will more than likely do a simple Social Security number check, an address check, and a 7 year criminal history check.

 

However, some companies are more thorough with all their employees. That includes reference checks (work and personal) as well as past employment checks and credit checks.

 

I wouldn't worry about your situation. That is easily explained.

[Canada]

I have no criminal history or credit issues. Just the issue of living at one address and using another for all of my mail. They already conducted the ref. checks and stated that they went very well.

[ElektraHere]

Then I wouldnt sweat it

[Mr Mister1]

I had to do a background check a few years ago when I was getting a job with a certain Government organisation. The reason being that it was a job where every day you'd be looking at and dealing with highly confidential material so they needed to make sure I didn't have some dodgy past and might use the information in bad ways.

It was a bit of a hastle as I had to get various referees to fill out these questionares about what they knew about me and had to disclose any information about my past, which was a bit anoying because there really wasn't much in my past to look at given I'd just gotten out of school. But yeah it was no massive deal they just had to make sure I could be trusted.

[Canada]

This position is not with the Gov. and is not handeling anyones finances. So I should be correct by saying they are probably looking at any criminal history and not that I lived in one location and had my mailing address another (moms house) correct?

[Mr Mister1]

I'd say so, I can't see how there'd be any problems with something like that. At best they might contact you again and ask why there was a conflict in addresses and you could explain that to them and that would be the end of it. But I doubt they'd get too bothered about it, if you have no criminal record then you have nothing to hide.