Question About Background Checks

[Little Monster]

Hey everyone,

I would really appreciate some help... I''m wondering if anything about education or degrees comes up on a background check -- names of schools, or leaves of absences, withdrawals, or any of that.

Please... if anyone runs background checks for work, or has had one done & knows anything about them...

Thanks in Advance,

 

[MustangGal]

It depends on what type of background check it is. My old company did them, but we only checked criminal history and driving records. I''d assume that a company could include educational degrees in that, but there should be no way to know about leave of absence, since that''s private health info.

 

[Little Monster]

So what degrees you have will show (including the institution) but not any leaves, etc.

Thank you!!

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

The amount of time you spent at the school might show. So if your record shows you were an undergrad for 5-6 years (due to a leave or whatever), they might wonder. Some employers require verification directly from the school re: your records, but this is usually just a form that the registrar fills out stating that yes, you did got to school there and yes, you did graduate with whatever degree you have. DH had to provide his physical degree for one past position because his college is horrible at record keeping and has lost a bunch of records for students who attended prior to 2000.

 

[ms.halo]

I''d say 99% of background checks do not go into that level of detail about schooling.

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 7/27/2009 5:01:14 PM
Author: ms.halo
I''d say 99% of background checks do not go into that level of detail about schooling.

Ditto-most are just criminal records checks. I''ve actually participated in a background check for a former employee who was getting a security clearance, and that got into TONS of stuff. His education, spending habits, etc. But that''s much more detailed than a typical employment background check.

P.S. I so want to know why you''re asking! Feel like sharing?

 

[Little Monster]

Thing2of2...

I just got offered a job I never thought I would have a shot at... I''m working in a fairly random job at Sikorsky while I finish nursing school (one I never wanted in the 1st place but turned out to be pretty good at :p ) I''m not trying to be coy, it''s not even that interesting, I swear!

I had to take a year off from undergrad to figure out a lot of personal stuff & while that was almost 10 years ago, it still comes back to rear its ugly head once in a while. Somehow it never occurred to me that it could show up on a background check until my sister asked about it... Silly sister -- now I can''t stop thinking about it!

Anyhow... I appreciate everyone''s answers. I''m not even sure it would be such a big deal if I had to explain it, but I would rather know ahead of time if it''s going to come up...

Thanks again,

 

[Snicklefritz]

I doubt it. I''ve had several background checks for jobs, licensure, etc, and none have ever gone into education stuff.

Best of luck!

 

[Gypsy]

It depends on the company. I''ve heard all kinds of things to ''worry about'' with them. But you don''t know unless it comes up.

If it''s just a year off you are worried about just say that you had personal reasons for it. That''s all.

Mostly though, in my limited experience, they want to check for you truthfulness, your criminal history, your employment history and just a basic degree check (does this person have a BA from the place they say they do).

 

[iheartscience]

Hahaha thanks for satisfying my curiosity, Little Monster! I was totally imagining it was something crazy, like a coworker who lied about having a graduate degree from Harvard or something! A former coworker of mine was adjunct faculty at a university, and she said a few years before she got there 2 professors got fired because it turned out they didn''t even have phDs!

I wouldn''t worry about the year off-I took a 4 year break from college and it didn''t even come up in the interview at my current job. They also do a background check and nothing was mentioned then, either.

 

[Little Monster]

sorry Thing2of2... no shocking tales of misrepresentation or FBI checks... just a silly girl worried about a silly job!

 

[zoebartlett]

Date: 7/27/2009 4:23:26 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
The amount of time you spent at the school might show. So if your record shows you were an undergrad for 5-6 years (due to a leave or whatever), they might wonder. Some employers require verification directly from the school re: your records, but this is usually just a form that the registrar fills out stating that yes, you did got to school there and yes, you did graduate with whatever degree you have. DH had to provide his physical degree for one past position because his college is horrible at record keeping and has lost a bunch of records for students who attended prior to 2000.

That''s weird -- how does a school just LOSE records like that?

Sorry LM, I''m not sure that I can help.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

It happened when they converted computer systems apparently. They have them, they just haven''t uploaded everything into the new system. So unless they get a request and have a real reason to convert them, they keep them in the old inaccessible system. But DH was able to take care of it with showing his degree (because who has a copy of their transcript 10 years after grad?)

 

[star sparkle]

It just depends on what kind of job you''re going for. As the others have said, most just go into criminal history and whatnot.

However, the background check I had done went into every single little detail of my life over the past 10 years, education included. They talked to friends, family, coworkers, school staff, etc.

 

[purrfectpear]

If you''re talking about an aerospace secret clearance background check, they''ll know the size of your underwear and how often you change them.

We once took someone off Air Force One simply because the guy had seen a counselor for 4 months during a divorce (this was in the late 80''s).

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Yea high level/top secret security clearance checks are no laughing matter... I''ve been involved in a few of those for friends/family seeking and/or re-upping clearance.

 

[diamondgirl4382]

Maybe I''m naiive, but I can''t imagine an employer would frown upon someone taking a year off from college. The important thing to them is that you have the degree. Everybody has their own situations, and there''s nothing wrong with taking a year off if necessary. If it did come up you could just say it was for personal reasons and leave it at that.