Background checks: all jobs listed sutomatically? (evictions, rental, credit report, record)

[bostonguy1960]

I haven't needed a background check as far as housing or employment in over 10 years. I'm rather constant in my life, for once.

Just wondering about background checks done by landlords and employers nowadays...do they order background checks which come from the same source, or is each a different kind of check with separate reports coming back?

I'm assuming one type of check could check simultaneously for criminal, employment, rental (as well as any evictions).

I've noticed over the years that when I order a credit check, it does listep some of my employment over the years but not all. It's not so accurate esp. if I've had periods of temp work. Is it usually necessary for potential landlords to ask you directly for all of your jobs and the dates over the past 10-15 years or so? Or are they all listed somewhere and somehow on the background check they order, either as an employment check or an overall check?

Thanks.

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

I haven't needed a background check as far as housing or employment in over 10 years. I'm rather constant in my life, for once.

Just wondering about background checks done by landlords and employers nowadays...do they order background checks which come from the same source, or is each a different kind of check with separate reports coming back?

I'm assuming one type of check could check simultaneously for criminal, employment, rental (as well as any evictions).

I've noticed over the years that when I order a credit check, it does listep some of my employment over the years but not all. It's not so accurate esp. if I've had periods of temp work. Is it usually necessary for potential landlords to ask you directly for all of your jobs and the dates over the past 10-15 years or so? Or are they all listed somewhere and somehow on the background check they order, either as an employment check or an overall check?

Thanks.

The source for most employment data is usually you- when you apply for credit, and list "xyz widgets" as your employer, that will often end up on the credit report.

Background checks can be a mixed bag - some pull from different databases & can have much more info for the employer.

As far as info requested from you, usually they want five years of employment & address history. That will be compared against your credit & criminal records databases. Fwiw, some of the third-party data aggregators do a miserable job. They'll pull criminal records for every "Jim Smith"( without regard to middle name, birthdate, or social security #) in any state you've ever lived in, flag you as a "possible match" and ask you to prove them wrong. I lost a couple weeks of employment a while back because someone who shared my first and last name (but not my middle name, or birthdate) was (is!) in prison in my old home state.

It's a mess.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Every landlord and every employer is going to be different.

Some just pay a professional company to screen. Some go to great lengths. Many will check an applicant's social media pages.

I pay for credit check and criminal background. Then I drive down to the county and check for evictions, lawsuits, and local criminal record. I've been known to drive out to the residence an applicant is leaving and to speak to their neighbors.

I am mostly interested in the applicant having enough income to pay rent. Which means I am checking job stability. I usually check with the prior employer to make sure that the employment wasn't terminated for cause that would be something to effect their performance as a tenant.

The short answer is that nobody can tell you what employers and landlords check because each one does it differently.