How To Make Those Pesky Employer Background Checks Work In Your Favor
Employers these days have access to way more information about us, as candidates, than they ever have had before. While not every company will be effectively stalking you online before your interview as if you are their ex girlfriend, some will, and others will run more official checks on things like your credit history and your driving records. This can seem terrifying if you are unemployed and seeking work, but you can actually make it really work in your favor if you are smart about it. Here are some tips if you suspect a potential employer is going to be looking you up:
Have a LinkedIn Account
LinkedIn is the most acceptable social network for employers to have a peek at because it relates only to your professional life – the area they should be most interested in. If you have a LinkedIn account where you can be seen to have a work history that matches what you told them, and you are connected to other people in the industry, this can satisfy a lot of their curiosity. You can go even further to impress them by posting things on LinkedIn that show you keep your finger on the pulse of what is happening in the industry you want to work in, like news stories and relevant blog posts you have found. This shows you are professional and interested in what you do.
Use Twitter Professionally
If you currently have a Twitter account you use just for fun which maybe has some stuff on its timeline you don’t want employers to see, change the name so it can’t be identified as you (you can do this easily without losing any followers or disabling your account). You can go further by creating a new account in your own name where you tweet about professional stuff and post links, again, to interesting industry related web content. This means if they look you up they will see the one you want them to see rather than the one where you are talking to your friends or talking mostly about what you are watching on TV.
Be a Safe Driver – And Be Honest If You Haven’t Been
It is possible for employers to check your drivers license online and see if you have been involved in any incidents or have points for things like speeding, or any DUIs. Of course, the best way to get around this hurdle is to be a safe driver, however obviously you can’t turn back the clock, so if you have negative things in your driving history it is better to declare them at the first opportunity and explain that they were in the past, you’ve learnt from them, and you have been a better driver ever since. People will normally forgive things that have happened a while ago if you demonstrate that you know you were at fault and that you have bettered yourself since – but only if you are honest and upfront about them. An employer may mention that they often do these sorts of checks, and this would be a good time to say ‘yes, I had a speeding ticket when I was 22, but I have been good ever since!’. Chances are they will admire your candor.
Featured images:
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
Samantha Brave, the author of this article, is part of the team with, 4SafeDrivers.com, leading providers of employee driving records. She is passionate about art and culture and enjoys visiting new places in her spare time.
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About the Author (Author Profile)
Samantha Brave, the author of this article, is part of the team with, 4SafeDrivers.com, leading providers of employee driving records. She is passionate about art and culture and enjoys visiting new places in her spare timeSubscribe
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