If you’re applying for a new job, then you will probably be invited to pre-employment screening. The only way that you can avoid one of these, is by applying to work for an international company that offers remote working, such as a content company.
With that said, even international companies are now beginning to thoroughly investigate the people that they’ve got working for them. This is to insulate them against fraud, theft, and dishonesty. However, today’s article will not focus on international companies, but instead domestic ones.
In this article, you are going to find out what to expect from your pre-employment screening:
Criminal Record Check
In the United Kingdom, there are different levels of security checks. The most basic level is DBS checks, which your employer will perform. If you’re applying for higher-level government or finance jobs, then you could have different security checks performed against you.
A criminal record check will be performed to rule out whether you are of previous bad character or not. If you’ve got past convictions, then you don’t need to disclose these and they won’t show up on a DBS check. If you’ve got unspent convictions, however, then it’s worth disclosing them, to begin with, because they will show up.
Previous Employers
During the pre-employment screening process, you will also have to provide the name and information of any of your previous employers. This is so that the company that you’re applying to can research you and find out how well you performed in your previous position. You shouldn’t attempt to provide false references, because this can result in you not getting the job and getting into a lot of trouble.
If you left your previous company on bad terms, then notify the job you’re applying for of that and explain what happened.
Educational History
While people generally agree that your educational history shouldn’t hold you back from getting jobs, unfortunately, it often does. During the application phase, you’ll be expected to provide information about your educational background. This is so that the company you’re applying to work for can assess how qualified you are for the job.
If you lie and falsify your educational history, you can end up in a lot of trouble. There have been multiple cases in the United Kingdom, where people lying about their educational background have ended up spending time in prison.
Character Check
Some jobs might also ask for references from friends, family, or previous landlords. While this is rare, it can still take place. This is to perform a character check. Employers may also go onto your social media pages and see what they can find out about you, as well as type your name in Google or any of the major search engines to see if you come up.
This is so that they can find out what you’re like and how you spend your time. With this in mind, it’s probably time that you scrubbed any photographs of you clubbing or partying from your social media accounts.
If you’re going on a pre-employment check, it’s normal to be nervous. There may be further steps as part of your employment check than those that are mentioned here, although it’s unlikely.
