Why do companies have different background check policies?

When an employer lets you know that they will be screening your background, what are they actually looking for? According to The Federal Bureau of Investigation, your potential employer can request a background check and thus might be provided with information pertaining to Criminal Records (on a National, Federal, State, and County level), Federal Bankruptcy records, Driving Records, Retail Theft Records, and Civil Courts Records. They’ll also be checking to make sure you are not in the “Prohibited and Restricted Search”, meaning you have never been classified as a terrorist. Other types of background checks might include your employment history, education, references, or even your credit report.

At Platinum Drivers Inc., we have a screening process in place to ensure safety of the truck, the products within the truck, and also for the safety of others on the road. A background check ensures the potential employee is qualified and allows the employer to make an informed and unbiased decision in the hiring process. All companies are committed to protecting the security and safety of its employees, and safeguarding the assets and resources of the company. For this reason, background checks are standard issue within the trucking community.

But not every company has the same background check policies. Each company has a different list of priorities and will find some employee qualities more important than others. For example, a company that often hires young truckers might not pay as much attention to employment history but they will be interested in knowing about the candidate’s driving record. Whereas, if a candidate is older, the company might care more about verifying previous work experiences.

Background checks can also be filed by your employer through a variety of different sources. Depending upon which agency your employer chooses to carry out background checks, they will receive differing information and data.