Job seekers are discovering that background screenings are a normal and expected part of the onboarding process across all industries in the United States. Employers use background checks, and specifically criminal background checks, to ensure that a potential candidate’s criminal history will not compromise their ability to perform the requirements of the job. Many jobs, in fact, legally require employers to run background checks on potential hires. Criminal record checks are viewed by many employers as an important component of safe and responsible hiring practices.
If you are looking for a job and wondering if a criminal background check is in your future, the following are the five employment sectors that are most likely to check your record:
Government. Every federal government job and most state and local government jobs require employees to pass a criminal background check. There is an entire department—the United States Office of Personnel Management—dedicated to running checks on current and potential employees. Whether you want to be a congressman or a parks department manager, you’re going to need to pass a background check and receive some level of security clearance to work for the government.
Education. Schools take seriously their responsibility to provide a safe space to educate children, teenagers, and young adults. All employees working within an education system, from administrators all the way through to maintenance staff and everyone in between, are subjected to thorough criminal background checks.
Healthcare. The healthcare industry views criminal background checks as a necessity in much the same way as education. Healthcare workers come in contact daily with the most vulnerable members of society; protecting children, the elderly, and the disabled necessitates careful background screenings.
Finance. Dishonest people in the finance industry can do a lot of damage. If money is your passion, you can expect any future employer to run a background check to verify that your criminal record is free from any charges of theft, fraud, or embezzlement.
IT. Nowadays, one of any company’s greatest assets is its IT network; the network often controls everything about a firm, including contacts, suppliers, inventory, finances, logistics, and trade secrets. This gives computer specialists and IT managers an incredible amount of power, so it should be no surprise that IT professionals are routinely required to undergo substantive criminal background checks. Any history of fraud, theft, or cybercrime will likely disqualify you from jobs in this sector.
What Should You Do?
Be prepared for a criminal background check. Be upfront and honest with any potential employer about your criminal history; it’s always better if they hear about a past brush with the law from you first. And keep trying; there’s a job out there that’s right for you.
