There are multiple kinds of background reports that you can use to identify and verify information about job candidates. The most commonly used background checks include criminal history, employment history, and other specific checks. Criminal background checks One of the most commonly used background checks is the criminal background check. These reports flag any existing local, statewide, federal, and national criminal record for a candidate. On top of discovering any criminal activity or criminal convictions, criminal background reports may show whether a person is on a sex offender registry or terrorist watch list (like the FBI most wanted or the Office of Foreign Assets Control’s No Fly List). If you hire global employees, running an international crime check would also be beneficial. A person’s past isn’t necessarily their future, but it’s important to know who you’re working with, especially if your organization works with vulnerable people or handles sensitive information. Employment background checks Employment background checks are used to verify someone is who they say they are and the information on their resume and application is accurate. These reports pull basic information like identity, address, employment history, and education history. The background check process typically includes gaining employment verification, performing reference checks, talking to former employers about the person’s work history, and confirming dates of employment. In some cases, businesses will perform an education verification check to make sure the candidate received a degree in the field stated. This prevents companies from hiring someone who’s not actually qualified for the job. Other background checks Depending on your company, you may also want to pull some specific background reports. Other common types of background checks include: Motor vehicle records check: Reviews a person’s driving records, including date of license issue and expiration, license status, driving restrictions, special licenses, license points/suspensions/violations, and vehicular crimes Professional licenses check: Verifies that a person holds a certain professional license Credit check: Uses a credit report to look up a person’s credit history, debt, loans, and mortgages Social media check: Evaluates what a person posts on online platforms (you can learn a lot about a person based on what they share on social media, but beware of potential discrimination issues) Drug tests: Checks for illegal substance use