Why run a background check on myself?

Background checks are a contemporary reality. Whether you’re interviewing for a job, moving into a new apartment, or even applying for a travel visa, a background check is likely in your future. Often, these checks are conducted by the company or landlord. You may be thinking “Why run a background check on yourself  if you don’t have to?” Below are a few good reasons why it’s advisable to conduct your own background check.

1. Avoid surprises

A background check compiles personal information about you. This information is then used to determine whether or not you’re eligible for employment or housing. As such, you definitely want to know what’s going to show up on your own screening so that you can prepare for any questions. If you’re applying for an apartment, for example, you definitely should know how your credit history will appear on the background check. Having a lot of student loans or credit card debt can cause background checks to flag you as risky, even if you make your payments on-time.

2. Correct mistakes

Like all systems operated by humans, background checks aren’t perfect. If information is appearing on your background check that’s inaccurate, you should know so that you have a chance to fix those inaccuracies. Background checks scan both your financial and legal records, and so you want the information displayed to be truthful. Sometimes financial or legal information is expunged from your record. Running your own background check will help you make sure that information was indeed removed.

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3. Saves time and money

There are many occasions on which we are called to provide certain personal records or documents. Compiling these records individually can sometimes require a great deal of time and effort, especially if you’ve recently moved or are away from home. Records get displaced all the time and are sometimes lost altogether. Replacing personal documents can be costly as well as time-consuming. A background check can help you to avoid all of this hassle. Anything of financial or legal importance will appear on a background check. Conducting your own check relieves you of having to locate those documents by yourself. Depending on the situation, it’s sometimes acceptable to provide a background check as a replacement for the actual requested documents.

4. Provides you with a portable personal record

Rather than lugging around a filing cabinet with you everywhere you go, you can keep your background check as a digital file on your computer. Anytime you need to provide a brief overview of your financial or legal history, you can simply use the background check as a reference point.

Even the most basic background check can provide your employer with your social security number, credit report, address history, driving records, education history, job history, and criminal background. Some employers will also pay for a more in-depth search that will search specialized databases for your name and information.

These specialized databases include watchlists for sex offenders, suspected terrorists, fugitives, persons suspected of identity theft, known gang members, persons with outstanding arrest warrants, and persons who are legally barred from possessing or purchasing firearms. All of this information is your personal information, which means that you always have the legal right to access it. However, individually tracking down your records in all of these separate areas can be a long process. Conducting your own background check will show you how your information appears on all of these public records.

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