When applying for job listings, most potential employers today will ask for your written consent to conduct an employee background check. This is normal operating procedure for most companies today. It’s your job to understand what you are consenting to when you sign the form.

A consent form is typically separate from your application and it gives the employer the ability to check into many private aspects of your life.

Most employee background checks include a review of:

• Credit records
• Criminal records
• Education records
• Workers’ compensation
• Drug test records
• Sex offender listings

Although these are often included on the background check, employers can create their own list of checks based on the nature of the job. For example, your employer may want to interview your neighbors for a ‘character reference’ if you’re applying for a civil service job such as a police officer.

Read the consent carefully before signing to make sure you know what they are checking. If you are ever in doubt about anything you should have included or omitted on your resume or application, be sure to explain this during an interview. Once you’ve put it in writing, it’s hard to go back and correct it after an employment background check. The best policy is honesty – every time and in every situation. It takes the anxiety out of your job search.