You are searching for a new role and you find one that’s a fit. The employer makes an offer and lets you know that it is contingent on you passing a background check.
You’re not worried. You haven’t done anything wrong. You’re excited about starting your dream job! You complete a background check verification form. Then, you learn that the employer is rescinding the offer. What happened?
Maybe you stated on your resume that you have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, when your degree is really in liberal arts, or maybe you need one more credit to graduate, but the school let you walk so you figure “hey, I have the degree.” If you have made either of these common errors on your resume and the background check company finds the discrepancy, the employer may conclude that you falsified your credentials and that hiring you, a candidate who is not honest about their education, may pose a risk to the company down the line.
Another reason you may not have passed your background check could be if you incorrectly stated the dates of your employment. The background check company is going to contact your past employers for verification. If you’re off by even a few months, this discrepancy may demonstrate to the employer that you falsified your credentials, and could in time pose a risk. 
Background checks are real and candidates make these kinds of errors—sometimes unintentionally— all the time.
“There is some perception among candidates that while employers may say they run background checks, they don’t really do them,” says Valerie Quinata, Vice President, Strategic Talent Solutions at Genesis10. “Today, we find the majority of employers not only request background checks, they require them as a condition of employment, to protect themselves and their employees.”
In a new video in Genesis10’s Hiring Academy series, Quinata interviews Sandra James, CEO of Private Eyes, a background check provider, about the background check process, why background checks are growing more common and are important to employers—and employees—and how candidates can ensure that the information they provide employers is accurate and verifiable.
One way that candidates can ensure the information they provide employers is accurate and verifiable is by completing a Resume & Application Worksheet. This simple document can serve as a resource for you to refer to as you go through the process of creating or updating your resume, applying for a job and completing a background check verification form. Ultimately, it should offer you some reassurance that you will be able to start your new job once you receive the offer!
Download Accompanying Resume & Application Worksheet