What Does a Background Check Show?

If you spend enough time in HR, you eventually lose count of how many background checks you have run, and at some point the process can feel routine. Then a candidate emails you with a nervous question, or a hiring manager asks what shows up on “one of these reports,” and you realize the mechanics of pre-employment screening aren’t always as clear as the routine workflow might make them feel. Candidates sometimes read these articles too, usually late at night when they’re refreshing their email and hoping everything comes back okay, and they deserve clarity just as much as the people running the process.

A background check is really just a way to understand someone’s professional story and verify the details that matter to the role. Criminal history, past jobs, education, credit for certain regulated positions, and drug screens all come into view, not as “gotchas,” but as information that helps employers make thoughtful and fair hiring decisions. In fields such as healthcare, education, or financial services, the stakes are even higher. Background checks are tied to safety standards and federal regulatory obligations that have real consequences if they’re missed.

Most of us want to get this right, to move quickly without cutting corners, and to give candidates a process that feels respectful rather than intimidating. This starts with understanding what comes up in a background check and why it matters. So in this guide, I’ll walk through the common types of employment background checks and what they typically show, with a little context to help you decide which ones might fit your hiring needs and how to explain them to candidates who just want to know what to expect.

And if you ever feel like you’re carrying all of this alone, you don’t have to. At Mitratech, our AssureHire background screening experts help HR teams structure programs that are both welcoming and defensible, supported by decades of experience building compliant, audit-ready solutions. Whether you’re refining your policy or looking for the best FCRA compliant background checks, we’re here to help you do it with confidence.

Why Do Jobs Do Background Checks

Almost everywhere you look, screening has gone from “nice-to-have” to “must-have.”

According to the Trends and Uses in Today’s Global Economy survey from HR.com’s HR Research Institute, in partnership with Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA), 94% of employers conduct some form of background screening. In an earlier PBSA survey, 86% screened all full-time employees and 68% screened part-time and contingent/temporary workers, which could be due to the growing accessibility of background screening, but is also a reminder that risk doesn’t wait for the “permanent” FTE label.

These numbers matter for HR because it shows how pre-employment screening has become an integral part of the hiring process. From ensuring compliance in regulated industries, to simply protecting brand reputation in a world where news travels fast, background checks are now embedded in hiring culture.

For candidates, it means the quiet period after accepting a conditional offer and consenting to a background check is simply the part of the process where HR teams are verifying information and waiting for reports to clear. It’s normal to feel anxious or curious about what’s happening behind the scenes, especially when timelines vary by state or role. Most of the time, it’s paperwork, system queues, or a courthouse record taking a little longer than expected, not a sign that something has “gone wrong.”

Finally, I’ve seen this come up in some online forums: Why do jobs do a background check after offering you the position? The short answer is that background checks cost money. Employers wait until they’re serious about a candidate, then they verify the information that matters for the role. It’s not a trap or a trick, it’s simply the sequencing that keeps both costs and compliance in check. There are also consumer rights at play here.

A useful point of context for HR teams is that most background checks don’t surface disqualifying information. Multiple studies, including PBSA and HR.com research, have shown that the majority of reports either come back clear or contain information that’s easily resolved through clarification or documentation. This means the value of screening isn’t about “catching” people, it is about giving hiring teams clarity, consistency, and a process that stands up when questions arise.

Which brings us to the next step. Before choosing the right types of background checks for your roles, it helps to understand what each one shows, when it matters, and how to explain the process to candidates who want to know what to expect.

What Does an Employment Background Check Show

Before I get into the details of criminal record checks, education verification, and SSN traces, it helps to think of a background check as a collection of small, targeted searches rather than one giant report. Each search serves a specific purpose, and together they help you answer questions like:

Does this person meet the requirements of the job they’re being hired for?

Are we complying with state and federal regulations for this role?

Do we have the right information to make a fair decision?

Not all roles require the same combination of background checks, which is why HR teams often tailor screening packages to match the risk and responsibility of different job families. A warehouse role may require driving records, a banking role may require a credit check, a nursing role may need license verification, and a software engineering role may only need identity and criminal checks. Understanding this helps you decide which checks matter for your team and how to explain the process to candidates who just want to know what does a background check show and reassurance that nothing mysterious is happening behind the scenes.

With that foundation in mind, let’s break down the common types of background checks and what each one typically reveals.

Common Types of Background Checks and What They Show

Social Security Number (SSN) Trace – Confirms identity, verifies the SSN is valid, and provides address history to guide additional searches.

Criminal Record Check – Searches local, state, and federal databases for convictions, pending charges, warrants, and sex offender registry entries.
Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) Check – Shows driving history, license status, endorsements, and violations that matter for any role involving driving or DOT compliance.

Employment Verification – Confirms past job titles, dates of employment, and sometimes responsibilities to ensure the candidate’s experience lines up with the role.

Education Verification – Validates degrees, certifications, attendance dates, and accreditation for roles that require specific credentials.

Professional License or Certification Verification – Checks the status, expiration, and any disciplinary actions tied to required professional licenses.

Drug Screening – Identifies the presence of controlled substances and helps employers meet safety or regulatory expectations in certain roles.

Credit Check – Provides financial history insights for positions involving fiduciary responsibility, without showing a credit score.

Identity Verification / I-9 Employment Eligibility – Ensures the candidate is authorized to work in the United States, typically completed through I-9 verification tools.

Global Watchlist Search – Screens for inclusion on domestic or international watchlists tied to sanctions, terrorism, or restricted activities.

Social Media and Online Presence Review – Assesses publicly available posts or behavior that may pose reputational or conduct-related risks.

Continuous Monitoring – Ongoing alerts about new criminal records, license changes, or driving violations after someone is hired.

Now that you have the full landscape in view, let’s take a closer look at a few of the most widely used background checks so you can see what they uncover, why they matter, and how to explain them with confidence to candidates and hiring managers alike.

FCRA Background Checks

Even though people often associate the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) with credit reports, the law applies to all third-party background checks, whether you’re reviewing criminal history, verifying education, confirming employment dates, or running a drug test through a consumer reporting agency. If a candidate’s information is gathered, compiled, or communicated by an outside screening provider, the FCRA sets the rules for how you request it, how you use it, and how you communicate decisions that flow from it.

In practice, this means every background check requires clear and standalone disclosure, written consent, reasonable procedures for accuracy, and a two-step adverse action process if you decide not to move forward based on the results. These steps aren’t small details. Courts have treated them as essential candidate rights, and many of the class actions HR leaders read about come from mistakes that happened in these early steps, not from anything in the report itself.

If you want a deeper walk-through of what FCRA compliance looks like in a modern hiring workflow, including audit trails, consent management, and adverse action steps, you can explore The Best FCRA Background Checks, which breaks down the requirements in plain language and offers practical tips for HR teams building screening programs with confidence.

What Does a Criminal Record Check Show?

Criminal checks are common, they’re routine, and they’re one of the most familiar pieces of the hiring process in the U.S.

Criminal record checks are also the part of screening that people worry about the most (sometimes even when there’s nothing to worry about). Candidates often sit replaying old traffic tickets or a college noise complaint they barely remember, while HR teams are simply waiting on county courthouses and databases to return the right files.

A criminal record check pulls information from local, state, and federal sources and gives employers a clearer view of a person’s legal history. Depending on the type of search you run, your criminal record check may include:

• Felony and misdemeanor convictions: These can range from theft and assault to more serious crimes.
• Arrests and pending charges: Depending on the jurisdiction, arrests and ongoing court cases may appear.
• Warrants: Active warrants for someone’s arrest may also show up.
• Sex offender registry status: Many criminal background checks include a search of state or federal sex offender registries.
• Incarceration records: Information about previous time served in jail or prison.

It’s also important to say what many HR professionals already know but don’t always say out loud. Having a criminal record doesn’t automatically disqualify someone from employment. Across the country, employers are shifting toward fair chance hiring practices, which means they look at context, timing, relevance to the role, and evidence of rehabilitation rather than treating every record the same.

Many states also have sealing or expungement laws that allow people to clear certain offenses from public view, and there are growing numbers of pardon programs and legal aid groups dedicated to helping individuals navigate the process. Organizations like the national Clean Slate Initiative, state legal aid clinics, and local public defenders’ offices can help candidates understand their options and begin the paperwork needed to petition for relief.

For HR teams, the most helpful mindset is one rooted in clarity and care. A criminal record check is a tool, not a character test, and the more transparently you use it, the more fairly you can evaluate each person who hopes to join your organization. (For candidates reading this late at night while refreshing your inbox, remember that many employers hire people with past records every single day, and the outcome of a background check isn’t always as black and white as it may feel.)

Recent Background Check Misrepresentation Cases

2025 – False claim on résumé

In September 2025, the Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS), Iowa’s largest district serving around 30,000 students, hired Ian Roberts as superintendent despite the fact that school records showed he hadn’t completed the doctoral program he claimed on his résumé. A third-party background check flagged the discrepancy, but the board proceeded with the appointment, according to CBS News. (Later, Roberts was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] for working in the U.S. without authorization and faced firearms-related charges, which triggered a lawsuit by DMPS against the executive search firm involved in his hiring.)

Fortunately, the third-party background check did catch the degree discrepancy. The district still moved forward. That gap between having the data and using the data is where most real-world compliance failures happen.

It’s a reminder that:

• Verification without follow-through is just paperwork
• Decision makers need clear procedures for handling discrepancies
• HR must have the authority and structure to say “pause” when a report comes back with issues

2024 – False felony conviction reported by screening vendor

In September 2024, a job candidate in Texas sued ADP Screening & Selection Services, Inc., alleging that the background check report provided to his prospective employer incorrectly stated that he had been convicted of a first-degree felony, as reported in HR Dive. The plaintiff said that alternate reports showed no such conviction, and that ADP’s report had relied on mismatched identifiers.

This case underscores the risk to employers when background checks turn up erroneous “red flags” that prevent qualified candidates from being hired, and it highlights the importance of accuracy, candidate remediation rights and vendor due diligence.

What Does a MVR Report Show

A motor vehicle record (MVR) report usually pulls information such as prior traffic violations, accidents, or DUIs, along with the current status of the license, whether it’s active or suspended or expired. It can also confirm important details such as endorsements for specialized driving, like a CDL, or whether the person is licensed to operate certain vehicle classes. Some states also track points for previous violations, which gives employers a sense of patterns rather than isolated moments.

When a job involves driving or handling heavy equipment, a motor vehicle record, or MVR, becomes one of those checks that keeps everyone a little safer. HR teams in transportation, construction, logistics, utilities, and any Department of Transportation (DOT) regulated industry rely on these reports because a person’s driving history often tells a story about their habits on the road, how they manage responsibility under pressure, and whether they meet the standards tied to licensure and insurance. For candidates reading this, an MVR isn’t a judgment of character, it’s simply a way for employers to make sure you are legally cleared and properly qualified for work that happens behind the wheel.

Most HR teams think about MVRs as part of a broader safety program, not a one-time gatekeeper. This is why many organizations choose to monitor driving records over time rather than only at the point of hire, especially if employees operate company vehicles or drive on company business. Regular visibility can help catch issues early and creates an environment where people know that safety matters day in and day out, not just when they are applying for a job.

If you want help deciding when to use MVR screening, how to structure a DOT compliant program, or how to support candidates with transparency and empathy, Mitratech’s team has decades of experience guiding employers through regulated hiring with clarity and care. We help HR teams build screening processes that are consistent, defensible, and candidate friendly, so your safety program protects people without slowing your hiring momentum.

What Does Employment Verification Show?

Employment verification background checks confirm whether a candidate’s reported work history matches their actual experience.

Employers worldwide are facing a growing wave of candidate misrepresentation and identity fraud, with one in six organizations reporting that they have experienced identity fraud during hiring. The report found that 15% of North American respondents had encountered identity fraud, that more than three-quarters uncovered at least one discrepancy during screening, and that employment or credential verification were the two highest areas of discrepancy. These findings, and the example I shared above out of Iowa, suggest that misrepresentation isn’t a fringe issue but increasingly central to hiring risk, reinforcing the need for robust verification beyond just criminal record checks.

An employment verification check usually confirms job titles, dates of employment, and in some cases the nature of the work itself, especially when the role hinges on very specific responsibilities. Some employers share additional context, like whether someone left in good standing, although that varies by organization and policy. The goal isn’t to catch people out, it’s to make sure the expectations you set on day one match the experience a new hire brings to the table.

For many HR teams, this check is especially helpful when a role depends on a certain level of technical expertise or leadership experience, or when the hiring manager is trying to make a fair call between two strong finalists.

If you ever find yourself wondering which roles should include employment verification or how deep to go for different job families, Mitratech’s screening experts can help you structure a process that is accurate, consistent, and respectful for candidates. With decades of experience supporting HR teams across regulated industries, we help you choose the right checks for the right roles so you can hire with confidence and give candidates a process that feels clear and fair from start to finish.

Drug Screening Test Basics

Drug screening is one of those topics that never feels simple. Some roles require it by law, some organizations use it as part of their safety programs, and some candidates feel understandably anxious about what is being checked and why. A drug test is really just a snapshot of what substances are present in someone’s system at a given moment, and depending on the type of test, that window can be very short or surprisingly long.

Most pre-employment drug screens look for a set of common substances, including marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, opioids, and alcohol, and some tests may also flag prescription medications, especially if the lab needs to confirm whether a result reflects proper medical use or something unexpected. The detection window depends on the test itself, which is why urine screens tend to capture more recent use, while hair tests can reflect patterns that go back weeks or months.

For HR teams, drug tests are often tied to safety, compliance, and risk, especially in fields like transportation, healthcare, construction, or any role covered by DOT drug and alcohol testing procedures. These are environments where impairment could harm someone, so testing becomes a way of protecting both employees and the public, and ensuring compliance with federal requirements.

It’s also important to acknowledge the cultural shift underway. With nearly forty states allowing medical marijuana and more than twenty permitting recreational use, a growing number of employers are rethinking whether THC testing still gives them meaningful information. A positive THC result doesn’t reliably indicate impairment, and many HR leaders now view blanket marijuana testing as both confusing and potentially unfair. In fact, several states have begun limiting or prohibiting pre-employment cannabis testing except for very specific roles. If this question is on your mind, the movement away from marijuana testing is something we explore more deeply in our guide, Clearing the Haze, which covers drug screening test basics and also looks at how forward-thinking employers are adjusting their policies.

Regardless of which substances you test for, what matters most is clarity, consistency, and communication. When candidates understand why testing is part of the process, what’s being checked, and what happens if results need review, the entire experience feels less intimidating and more respectful.

What is I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification

I-9 employment eligibility verification is the process the federal government uses to confirm that every person hired in the U.S. is authorized to work. HR teams complete it for every employee, regardless of citizenship or job level, and they keep it on file in case the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ever conducts an audit.

Form I-9 Compliance

The I-9 process asks employers to review original documents that prove identity and work eligibility, sign off on what they saw, and store the completed form in the right place for the right period of time. It sounds simple until you factor in remote workers, expiring documents, multilingual employees, seasonal hiring, or managers who sometimes forget that the three-day completion rule is not a suggestion. It’s meant to protect both employers and employees by creating a clear, consistent record of someone’s right to work. Still, when the rules shift or when managers forget a deadline or when an employee brings the wrong documents three times in a row, the process can feel confusing and stressful for everyone involved.

Mitratech’s Ultimate I-9 Form FAQ of top I-9 questions reflects these everyday realities. HR teams frequently ask how to correct errors, how long to retain forms, which documents are acceptable, whether digital storage counts as compliant, and what to do when an employee’s work authorization is set to expire. All these questions are signs of a complex system that intersects with immigration law, privacy concerns, and the operational pressure to onboard people quickly.

At Mitratech, our Tracker I-9 compliance solution was built to take the pressure off HR teams by automating completion steps, validating information, guiding document selection, and creating audit-ready records without adding extra effort for your staff. Our experts answer I-9 questions every day because we know how much clarity matters when the rules shift and when onboarding needs to move quickly without sacrificing compliance.

Social Media Background Screening

Social media background screening sits in a strange middle ground. Candidates assume it’s happening more often than it actually is, HR teams wonder if they’re even allowed to look, and legal teams worry about protected class information showing up before anyone has a chance to put the proper guardrails in place. Social media screening is legal in the U.S. when it’s done the right way, but “the right way” has very specific boundaries.

Compliant Social Media Background Screening

Compliant social media background screening looks only at public information that a candidate has chosen to share. That means it doesn’t involve logging into accounts, requesting passwords, or accessing private messages. Those practices are illegal in many states and also create serious liability. What employers can review is the same content anyone else could see with a basic search, and even then, the review has to be handled carefully so that HR isn’t exposed to information that legally cannot be considered in employment decisions.

Is Social Media Screening Legal?

In most states, yes, it’s legal to review public, job-relevant information, as long as the process respects privacy and avoids protected class data. More than two dozen states now prohibit employers from asking for passwords, requesting access to private accounts, or retaliating if a candidate refuses to provide it. Federal discrimination laws still apply, which means the reviewer cannot allow race, gender identity, religion, age, disability, pregnancy, or similar protected categories to influence any hiring decision.

This is why many HR teams outsource social media screening to third-party background screening vendors instead of doing it themselves. A vendor can filter out protected class information and surface only job-relevant findings, like threats of violence, evidence of harassment, hate speech, or illegal activity that could create risk for the employer. It creates a clean separation between what is legal to consider and what must remain unseen.

What Social Media Screening Typically Reviews

When handled properly, a social media screening report focuses on behavior that may impact the workplace. It usually looks at public content across platforms like LinkedIn, X, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit. Reports typically flag:

• Public posts or comments that raise concerns about harassment, threats, violent behavior, or hate speech;
• Images or videos that show illegal activity publicly shared;
• Patterns of aggression toward others online that suggest risk to employees or customers; and
• Content tied to professional misconduct or safety concerns in regulated industries.

It’s not about judging someone’s personality or lifestyle, and it’s not a dive into private life. Many candidates worry an employer will reject them for a joke, a vacation photo, or a political post. That’s not how compliant screening works. The goal is to identify material that is objectively job-related and legally reviewable.

How HR Teams Use Social Media Results Responsibly

If a report flags something concerning, HR teams typically:

• Validate whether the account actually belongs to the candidate;
• Review only the filtered, legally permissible findings;
• Compare concerns against job-related requirements; and
• Document decisions with clear reasoning.

A well-designed policy ensures social media screening is never used as a blanket reason to exclude someone. It’s one data point, not the whole picture.

A Quick Note for Candidates

A past post doesn’t automatically define your job prospects. Most employers care far more about how you treat people, how you communicate, and whether your online presence aligns with a safe workplace. If you’re reading this because you’re nervous about what might show up, focus on what is public, consider tightening your privacy settings, and remember that one imperfect post rarely tells the full story.

Continuous Background Screening

The value of background checks doesn’t stop after the initial hire. More organizations are adopting continuous background screening as a best practice to stay ahead of risk, maintain compliance, and protect their workforce.

Continuous background screening, or continuous monitoring, is an ongoing process that regularly updates an employee’s background check profile by monitoring their records in real-time or at set intervals. This differs from traditional one-time background checks by providing alerts on new information, such as arrests, convictions, or license suspensions, which allows employers to proactively manage risk rather than reacting to problems after they arise.

With tools like AssureAlert, this level of ongoing visibility becomes simple, automated, and reliable. Continuous background screening helps companies:

• Ensure compliance: AssureAlert keeps organizations aligned with changing regulations by flagging new, relevant records as they appear.
• Mitigate risks: Instead of waiting for annual rechecks, or worse, an incident, AssureAlert proactively notifies you of important updates such as new criminal charges or license suspensions.
• Promote workplace safety: With real-time alerts, employers can maintain a safer, more transparent environment for employees and customers.

By implementing ongoing monitoring through AssureAlert, organizations move from reactive to proactive, addressing potential issues early and confidently supporting a safer, more compliant workplace. Of course, all of this must still be done in accordance with the same FCRA rules noted above.

HR Background Check Software

By the time you work through all the types of background checks, from criminal records to driving histories to professional licenses, it becomes clear that screening is no longer a simple checkbox in the hiring process. Rather, it’s a collection of decisions that shape trust, safety, fairness, and your organization’s ability to stand behind every hire.

The truth is that a solid screening program is really a compliance program wearing a friendlier outfit. Every disclosure, every consent, every adjudication note, every pause for adverse action, every state requirement layered on top of federal law, it all matters, and regulators are paying much closer attention than ever. This is why the systems behind your employee background check software need to be as reliable as the people who run them. When the technology is sloppy, manual, or opaque, HR ends up carrying the burden. When the technology is built for FCRA alignment, audit readiness, and accuracy, HR can do its work with confidence instead of caution.

Again, this is where Mitratech’s AssureHire background screening becomes more than just a vendor choice. Mitratech’s platform automates the parts of the FCRA that are essential but often time consuming. It creates audit trails you do not have to chase, manages consent with precision, structures adverse action steps so your team never misses a required notice, and uses human-in-the-loop verification to reduce the noise that leads to disputes and errors.

For HR teams who want a process that feels steady rather than stressful, AssureHire offers a way to hire quickly without cutting corners, to stay compliant without slowing the business down, and to support candidates with a process that feels respectful rather than opaque. These are the kinds of systems that turn screening from a source of worry into a source of trust.

If you are rethinking your background check policy, wondering whether your current vendor can keep up with FCRA demands, or simply ready for a more transparent and defensible process, our team is here to help you design a screening program that matches the standards you hold yourself to.

Talk to our team and see why so many HR and compliance leaders trust AssureHire for FCRA compliant, audit-ready background checks.

Background Check FAQs

Where can I find comprehensive background screening services for HR?

If you’re searching for comprehensive screening services that cover criminal record checks, I-9 employment eligibility and identity verification, compliance workflows, employment verification, and continuous background screening, Mitratech AssureHire gives HR everything in one place. It’s broad, deep, and designed to reduce manual work… not add to it. Read what real customers are saying about AssureHire on G2.com to help you make a fully informed decision.

Which background checks are best for verifying candidate history?

If you’re trying to determine which background checks actually verify candidate history effectively, look for those backed by accredited processes and automated, auditable workflows. That’s exactly how AssureHire is designed—thorough, compliant, and consistent across roles and locations. Here’s how Plains Commerce Bank uses AssureHire to screen compliantly in financial services.

What comes up in a background check?

Typically, a background check pulls together information that helps employers confirm a candidate’s identity, history, and suitability for a role. This can include criminal records, employment history, education verification, and sometimes additional checks like motor vehicle reports or professional license verifications described above, depending on the job. With a platform like AssureHire, all of this information is gathered quickly, accurately, and within the strict guidelines of the FCRA to help employers make confident, compliant decisions. If you’re a candidate who’s been asked to consent to a background check, it’s completely reasonable to ask for more information. You can reach out to your HR or recruiting contact to understand what types of checks are included and why they’re needed for the role. You also have the right to view your background check report, so don’t hesitate to request a copy for your own records.

What do background checks show?

At a high level, background checks show the pieces of someone’s history that are relevant to employment. That usually means confirming who they are, validating where they’ve worked, and identifying any records that may need further review. Background checks can also be tailored: for example, roles that involve driving might require a MVR report, while licensed positions may need credential verification. If you’ve been asked to complete a background check and want to understand exactly what’s involved, your HR or recruiting contact is the best place to start. They can explain what will be reviewed and why. You’re also entitled to see your background check report, so feel free to request a copy.

What does an employment background check show?

What does an employment background check show? Employment background checks focus on the information that matters most when hiring: criminal history (where allowed), identity verification, past employment, education, and job-specific requirements like certifications or driving records. The goal isn’t to “catch” candidates, but to ensure safety, reduce risk, and verify qualifications. Tools like AssureHire package all of this into a clear, easy-to-understand report so hiring teams can make informed choices quickly and responsibly.

What does a background check show?

What does a background check show depends on the type of check being run, but typically you’ll see items like criminal history (within legal limits), employment and education verification, and job-specific checks. The goal is transparency and accuracy, nothing more than what’s needed to evaluate a candidate fairly.