Just curious but how far back do employers typically go in terms of years when verifying work history?

And how does this verification work?

I've been applying to it seems hundreds of jobs recently and I was very excited when I was offered a full-time position at a local pharmacy, since that's what I was doing before I had to take some time off before returning. The thing is that the job was offered on October 9. I filled out my I-9, my background check, and had my drug test all done by the 14th. It's now November 3 and I still don't have a start date. Whenever I call or go in to ask they tell me that they are stuck on something in my background check but won't tell me what it is. I've never had a background check go this long. I'm wondering if this is just typical in 2025 or if they are just ghosting me because they don't want me working for them and don't want me knowing why.

I lost my job in March 2023 and spent most of 2023 applying to 100s of jobs. I finally got an offer from Job A with start date of December 4, 2023. Right after I accepted this offer, I got an interview call for job B with much better title and position. I chose to not reveal about job A and continued interviewing while working in job A. I received offer from job B recently , which I accepted with a start date of Feb 12th. I am resigning from Job A tomorrow ( no notice since I am on probation), but I am worried it will show up during background check. Am I overthinking ? Please help me with this.

I had an interview where I was told the background check would take two whole weeks. I know for a fact that E-verifys take only a few minutes so what the hell are they talking about?

There seems to be a lot of confusion and frustration around background checks. As someone who reviews background checks, I thought I could clear a few things up.

First in recent years many big companies have been buying out the little and medium sized companies. In the US this includes HireRight, Sterling Talent Solutions, CareerBuilder Employment Screening and others. These companies are pretty much the same and I would like to give you an idea of how they operate. It’s pretty much a call center model, the people that answer the phones and send emails are the bottom of the totem pole. This means that they are paid low (hourly), receive quick training and are limited in what they can say and do. In the old days, screening companies paid better, provided better training and the people that worked there could do things like make decisions and give candidates personal attention. Those days are pretty much over. (Most person details such as SSI# and birth date are partially redacted on the viewing end)

Also, some companies have changed how they review the results. My company recently started to have legal department review and audit background checks, we have been given very specific guidelines on what is acceptable. This includes what are known as discrepancies; dates, titles, names, etc. For instance, if a start or end date is off by more than 3 months, this is a discrepancy that must be corrected by the candidate, with the background company. Not all companies are taking this step, but there has been a lot in the news on failures with this system, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. We have had instance where candidates lied about job titles and responsibilities, they interviewed well but couldn’t perform basic job duties after hire. We have also had instances that led to a lawsuit for terminations based on poor performance. The legal team hates these things and when they happen, we have to be stricter with details.

As a candidate you need to take steps to ensure that this process goes smoothly and quickly for yourself and your employer. As an HR person I can’t handle this for you, it’s your background, not mine and the results are really between you the company doing the checks. Just like a credit check this includes a lot of personal information. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve had to push back a start date due to delays in the background check, which doesn’t make a great first impression. Most of the time this could be avoided by the candidate just by paying attention to the details and being as accurate as possible.

THIS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, not mine (I’m not your admin, you don’t pay me and I shouldn’t be involved in your personal matters.) No, I can’t take your word for it. It’s not that I don’t trust you, I’m sure you’re a fine law-abiding citizen that would never lie on your resume or application. However, that’s not good enough for a background check, we need documented evidence folks.

Here are some mistakes and discrepancies I’ve noticed come regularly. If you are actively seeking employment it might benefit you to get this info together now and keep it on file;

• Name; please include your full legal name as it appears on your SSI Card and other legal forms of ID. Yes, I know this sounds obvious, but if your name doesn’t match your SSI, then as far as the background company is concerned, you don’t exist. So full legal name please, no “go by” or other variations.

• Address; for at least the past 7-10 years, including dates at each address. Again, please check for typos and accurate dates.

• Education; Please enter your degree/s; include the name of the college/university, dates attended, major, level of degree and date of completion (graduation).

• Professional Experience; The background check will only verify job title and dates of employment through the HR department of each employer or employer approved clearinghouse (used by most large companies – WorkNumber.com is the most used, you can order a report for yourself if need be). If you work for a small company then yes, they will call and speak to whoever answers the phone first, maybe even your manager.

• Employer; is the name of the company that paid you for work as it appears on W-2s, 1099s and/or pay stubs. Many people get this wrong, it’s who pays you not where you work. Maybe you work for Bob’s Office, which is s subsidiary of Acme Corporation. You need to know who pays you, Bob or Acme. If you list Bob and its really Acme, Bob’s Office will not verify employment, and this will be marked “unverified” or something. If this happens you might be asked to submit documents to verify employment.

• Also ~ if you check NO to the question "May we contact this employer?" ~ You will be required to submit additional documents to verify employment dates and job titles including: W-2s, 1099s, pay stubs, offer letters or Article/Certificate of Incorporation (for self-employment). Never forward copies of these documents directly to an individual person, the company should be providing a secure way to upload into a date base or something. As an extra measure you might want to redact all or part of your SSI# and birth date.

FAQs;

Q: Will the company contact my current manager?

A: Maybe. If you work at a larger company, they will use a clearing house for employment verifications and not call your boss. However, if you work for a smaller company (one location) they might have to call the location. How this is handled is anyone’s guess. They should be directed to a HR person, who knows only to verify job title, dates and maybe last pay rate. If there is no HR person, they might just get through to your current manager.

Also a few HR folks and hiring managers falsely believe it is OK to contact listed supervisors directly for a reference. You should be asking the HR representative making you an offer if this might be the case.

Q: How far back does the background check go?

A: The standard answer is 7-10 years, for government jobs it can be much longer (20+ years depending on level of security). Again, I would ask when accepting an offer for clarification.

Q: What’s included on a background check?

A: For most jobs’ verifications include; criminal, employment, and education. Depending on the job and industry it could also include; verification of licensure or certifications (if required for the job), driving record (if driving is part of the job), credit check (if in the financial industry or job requires access to customer information). Again ask.

Q: How far back and what’s included in a criminal check?

A: Larger companies have a legal obligation to provide a safe environment for both customers and employees. Felonies such as murder will appear for a lifetime. Misdemeanors really depend, I’ve seen quit a few DUIs and other driving offences that won’t matter if driving is not a part of the job. I would consult with a lawyer, the HR person isn’t the person to decide for the company, the company lawyers are.

Q: How can I find out what was reported on my background check?

A: Just like a credit check, you have a right to this information. Contact the background check company and request the report.

Q: What can I do to make things go smoothly and quickly?

A: I’m glad you asked this question! First of all - take a deep breath, it’s going to be OK. You can also do a little leg work before your next background check. Do you have copies of your W-2s, if not you can request a report from the IRS, call all your previous employers and ask for copies or even pay to conduct a background check on yourself. The devil is in the details, so if you gather all your info now all you have to do is fill out the form right. Not that hard, right?

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

https://www.goodhire.com/blog/complete-guide-to-background-checks

https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/background_checks_employers.cfm

(edit to add links)

Instead of threads for every question u/Lets_Go_There put together this great list:

Everything you need to know about background checks

Most background checks are not run directly by the employer but through a 3rd party company. Common are First Advantage, Hire Right, and Sterling but there are many others. These companies don't make the final determination but your potential employer does

• How long will my background check take?

Background checks take as long as they take. 2 weeks is not uncommon. If you have a common name and have moved around a lot it will take longer as there are more places to check. If your name is John Smith and you've lived in 14 states in the past 7 years you will need to be prepared to wait

• What if my background check isn't back before I'm supposed to start?

That will be up to your employer. Some companies will let you start with your background check as "incomplete" on the condition that to stay employed you will need it to eventually clear. Other companies will move back your start date. We have no idea what your future employer's policy is.

• What if I wrote down my dates of employment wrong?

This will be up to your employer. Some will have a period of time they allow to be a mismatch. Some are more strict. That determination will be made by the employer once they receive the background check.

• What if the background check company can't verify my employment because (I was paid in cash - the company closed - I completely lied about where I worked)

Sometimes the background check company can allow you to submit a w-2 or other payroll record to act as verification. Some employers are strict about verification some are more lack. We don't know

• I received an Adverse Action letter. Does this mean I don't get the job? Maybe.

You will need to read the letter. This letter is sent out to allow you time to correct something that came back if the information is incorrect. For example, if you are a Jr and Sr is currently incarcerated it is not unheard of for there to be some information that is about Sr that could be on your records. Read the letter and take the necessary steps if there is something that shouldn't be associated with you.

• Will my future employer rescind my offer because of _____________?

We don't know.

• I have a DUI (or theft or _________) Will they still hire me?

It depends on the company. Letting the recruiter know what they will find out before it comes back is always a good practice. Some companies it will be completely fine for you to have 4 felony domestic violence convictions but if you stole a candy bar and were ticketed for shoplifting you can't work there.

• I have a conviction from XX of years ago? Will it show up?

Maybe – depending on your location it might. If you are going for a position that falls under special circumstances the state laws might not apply. If you’re going for a position that will require a gov’t security clearance every time you’ve been charged, cited, arrested, or fingerprinted will show up. Read the directions carefully. Your background check form will specify how far you need to disclose and what you need to disclose. If you see the phrase “regardless of disposition” write it down. Call your recruiter for help. We have heard it all. You can not shock us and we won’t hold it against you. We will be honest and tell you if it’s something you should list but we won’t care about.

• My background check is taking forever. What can I do to make them hurry up?

Nothing. Wait

• I was arrested last weekend but I haven't gone to court yet. Will that show up?

It depends on what level of background check they're running. If pending charges can be taken into consideration depends on many factors. If you are getting a job where you need a security clearance - yes.

I was overemployed from 2020-2021. In 2021, I added a third job wherein the newest company ran a background check and employment verification through Checkr about a month after I started with them. They saw that I was still actively employed elsewhere and also employed by another company that wasn't on my resume. They reached out to the other companies and I ended up getting fired from all three on the same day.

I've recently considered trying again and just received a job offer, however, I was informed that a background check and employment verification would be done. I'd like to avoid having the same situation occur as last time and I'm wondering if anyone has any insight into how these checks are performed and if there is any way for me to mitigate the possibility of the same scenario occurring again.

Hi everyone,

I have lied on my resume (made up experience) and therefore lied on my interviews as well. It’s the only way I’m able to even get interviews in the current state of the market. Long story short, a potential employer told me that they would need 2 weeks for a background check. How do those work? What do they entail? And would they find out about my employment lies. I have contacts at the companies I claim to have worked at (2 of them, both foreign) that can corroborate my claim. Am I okay for the background check or will they know I lied? This is an entry level position btw

Please help and thank you 🙏🏽

I have an offer contingent on a background check. My resume fudged some of the time I've been at certain companies to avoid blank spots. I never listed anywhere I didn't work. I didn't add any degrees or certs I don't have. In this moment I realize that was pretty stupid. Should I just fill out the background check with the correct dates and hope no one notices the discrepancy? It's a big company you all know well.

A friend is a senior PM at a FAANG company and, while recruiting, lied on his resume and said he's a Principal PM. He recently got a principal offer at another FAANG company and is now wondering if it will be caught in the background check. How common is this? Do they check job titles? His scope is definitely equal to a principal PM but just hasn't been lucky enough to get the promo.

Ever since he told me this, I've been doing a bunch of research on what employment background checks actually verify 🤔

I applied for an out-of-state govt position. They have offered me the job, contingent on a successful background check. I filled out the paperwork in person last Monday. Will the govt agency or the background check company contact me once the check is complete?

The HR manager gave me her cell phone number and told me to reach out to her if I have any questions. I want to ensure I wait a reasonable amount of time before following up with her. How long should I wait?

Interviewed for a job last Wednesday and had a follow up interview two Fridays ago the 13th. That Friday the 13th they offered me the job and had me sign a form accepting pending a background check and drug test. I emailed HR last Friday the 20th for a eta and they said the background was still processing through a company called Sterling. How long should this process take?

Hey everyone,

I have a question about how companies verify past work experience during background checks.

Let’s say someone worked at a company under a certain job title, but the actual work they did was different from what they expected. For example, they were hired for a technical role, but due to internal changes, they ended up working on something much simpler.

When a new employer does a background check, do they:
1️⃣ Just confirm job title, dates, and employment status with HR?
2️⃣ Go into details about the actual work done at the company?
3️⃣ Ask about specific projects and responsibilities?

The reason I’m asking is that due to the bad market conditions, some people tweak their experience just to get an interview call. But I’m wondering—do companies ever verify beyond just the job title and duration?

Would love to hear from anyone who has been through this process or knows how in-depth these checks usually are. Thanks!

Does the company I got an offer from go into the background check details to see the employment history breakdown with the dates and cross check with what they have on the resume or will they just automatically accept me as long as the checker background check is green!

This company is by far the worst in terms of background checks. I have gone through multiple background checks from HireRight, GoodHire, Checkr and they have been smooth. However, this company is taking forever to get back to me on my background check. Looking at their review on both Google and BBB, they are known to screw up peoples background checks. I just wanted to know how long the process took for anyone that has used this service.

I got my offer on Tuesday 11/12 I’m so excited this job will double my income. The offer is contingent on a background check. With CheckR. They sent me the link yesterday at 9am. It’s a basic background check it only asked for my drivers license and ssn which I assume means they are only checking for criminal background and I don’t have one at all. The ETA on the background check is today 11/15 but still says processing. I know I’m being eager and it’s only been one day going on two now but they want me to start soon and I need to give notice to my current job… my question is is the ETA usually correct in your experience. When can I expect to see it so I can put my notice in on time 😭😭