| Pre-employment background checks are common | | | | background of an applicant with many different |
| these days. If you have applied for a job, you are | | | | jobs, several previous addresses or even |
| probably used to signing your consent for such a | | | | different names used can obviously take a lot |
| check; and if you are an employer, you want to | | | | longer to process. |
| make sure the person applying for the job is | | | | If a pre-employment background check includes a |
| honest, reliable and whether they have a criminal | | | | check of criminal records, it can take longer, |
| record. | | | | typically between three to seven working days. |
| The process isn't instantaneous, although it can be | | | | And if your job application requires you to |
| done fairly quickly, usually within one to three | | | | consent to an FBI check, the entire process may |
| business days. It can take longer for several | | | | take as long as a month. In general, the more |
| reasons, the most common of which is a mistake | | | | sources that are contacted, the longer the entire |
| on the electronic or written form requesting the | | | | process will take. |
| background check. | | | | It also depends how many years back the check |
| Other factors can slow down the process; | | | | goes. Most employers look at the past seven |
| information on an applicant is taken from different | | | | years as a standard timeframe; further back than |
| sources, such as previous employers, schools or | | | | that may be more complicated and take more |
| courthouses and it depends on how long these | | | | time. |
| sources take to respond. Checking the | | | | |