How long a background check will take is entirely dependent on which industry you are applying for, and what types of checks they are going to conduct. In the majority of cases it is from 24 hours to 5 working days, but depending on the position that a potential employee is applying for and the particular checks needed, it can be longer.
A friend had a background check delayed around six weeks since the company was in a time zone that was12 hours different from her references and they could never get hold of anyone. The job was shift work and a significant step up for her but some of the trusted colleagues she’d asked to help reported getting missed calls in the middle of the night from the country code of her prospective employer.
If you are applying for any job that involves safety or national security, as she was, then you can expect a background check to take considerably longer.
What is Involved in a Background Check?
There usually are three major components to a background check,
- Police and court records;
- Reference checks;
- Qualifications checks.
A business may conduct additional checks such as:
- Review of social media profiles;
- Web search;
- Employment history checks;
- Credit checks (this may be important for jobs handling money);
- Traffic offences (especially for a position where driving is required).
Some employers need a security clearance or police clearance certificate; these usually have to be initiated by the applicant. A security clearance simply confirms that a person is who they say they are and they are not wanted in connection with any crime.
Time Frame for Standard Reference Checks
The time frame for checking criminal history will vary in different states and countries. Some states don’t have an electronic application process so it can take much longer. Employers may contract this part of the employment process out to a third party service, especially if they need to search more than one state. To do a comprehensive check of national or international databases, usually it’s easier to contract a third-party service. Since these checks are the most commonly requested, most departments provide a two to three day turn around, but do expect up to five.
The US Criminal Justice Information Service (CJIS), offers a US national criminal record check, which they advise takes three to five days if submitted correctly and electronically. This service currently costs $18, but can only be initiated by the person the record belongs to.
If you know the company will complete a criminal history background check, you may want to offer to obtain this yourself.
The time needed for reference checks will depend on the availability of your references. As mentioned in the example of my friend above, if the references are not that easy to contact it may take considerably longer.
Educational checks and confirmation of licenses again depend on the speed and availability of records at their source. If the organization where you obtained your professional license or degree is not efficient with returning the required information, this will hold up your background check.
These are normally relatively quick since, like police checks, they are very commonly requested, and usually are provided within 24 hours (they shouldn’t take more than five days).
Time for Additional Checks Completed
A web and social media check is something all HR managers should and will do before employing someone. Some may feel it’s not relevant since a great deal of the information is not verified, and social media can be considered private. Regardless, these checks are obviously very quick. Go to Facebook, Instagram etc and do a cursory search and there you are. So be careful what you share and make sure to manage your online reputation.
Of course, social media and web checks are only dependent on the time the company has available to complete this. So you have some breathing space to delete all those photos.
The time to check someone’s employment history will depend on the availability of contacts at the companies you have listed, in the same way, references from certain, busy individuals may delay an employment background check.
Credit checks and traffic history take about the same time as a police check. For credit checks, the time required depends on the method with which the credit check is completed. Some can be very quick, while others may take a week, occasionally longer. Traffic information is usually similar in the method of requests to police information. Again the process is state specific in the US, there is a National Driver Register (NDR), but the information is only available to the license holder.
Summary of Timeframes for Background Checks
If you really want to expedite your background check, the best way is to have all the information available already. Contact your previous employers’ HR departments and confirm your intentions, likewise obtain confirmation of your qualifications (certified copies may suffice), a credit check if relevant, and your own criminal and traffic histories.
Offer this information to a prospective employer, or include it in a full qualification resume file which you can take to the interview. They will be so thankful (though they may well double check depending on the position applied).