What shows up on an employment background check? What employers may check, and your rights.
Employment background checks vary by employer and role. The FTC lists the kinds of information employers may check, and federal law gives you rights when a background reporting company is used.
An employment background check can include your employment history, education, criminal or other public records, financial or credit history, and public social media activity, according to the FTC. What a specific check covers depends on the employer, the role and state or local rules. Employers using a background reporting company must get your written permission first, and must give you a copy of the report before acting against you because of it.
What may be checked
Employment history
Employers or screening companies may verify dates and titles with former employers.
Education and credentials
Degrees, attendance dates and professional licences.
Criminal and public records
Court records and other public records, subject to federal, state and local rules about what can be reported and used.
Credit history
Some roles include a credit check; state and local laws may limit when employers can use it.
Public social media
Publicly visible posts may be reviewed. Check what's visible on your profiles.
Prepare for a check
- Make a list of employers, dates and titles that matches your resume.
- Check your credit reports for errors at AnnualCreditReport.com.
- Review your public social media.
- Tell references and former employers to expect contact.
- Be ready to explain anything the employer asks about, briefly and honestly.
2 copy-ready templates
Illustrative: names, companies, dates and numbers in these templates and examples are fictional. Replace every bracket with your own true details before you use anything.
Disclose something proactively
When to use: When you know a record will appear and prefer to explain first.
Hi [Name], before the background check goes ahead, I wanted to mention that [brief, factual description, e.g. a record from 2017]. I'm happy to talk about it and what I've done since. Thank you for your understanding. [Your name]
Request your report
When to use: If the employer used a reporting company and you haven't received a copy.
Hi [Name], could you tell me which background reporting company completed my check, and send me a copy of the report? I'd like to review it for accuracy. Thank you, [Your name]
Disclosure: TryHired makes HIRED, a paid job-search program, so we have a conflict of interest when we mention it. Everything on this page is free to use without buying anything.
What to do
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Employment dates differ from your records | Correct your resume or explain before the check. |
| A record may appear | Consider explaining proactively. |
| Credit check included | Check your reports for errors first. |
| You think the report is wrong | Dispute it with the reporting company. See failed background check. |
The same move, done two ways
Illustrative example with fictional details.
| Version | Example |
|---|---|
| Weak | Listed approximate dates on the application that didn't match what former employers held. |
| Strong | Checked dates against old pay records before applying, so the application and verification matched. |
Why it matters: Mismatched dates are one of the easiest problems to prevent. Accuracy on the application avoids awkward questions later.
Mistakes to avoid
- Approximate or inflated dates and titles.
- Not checking credit reports for errors.
- Forgetting public social media.
- Not knowing your right to a copy of the report.
What official sources say
Quoted word for word from official pages; state law, local law and your contract can add rules.
- Federal Trade Commission, Employer Background Checks and Your Rights: employers might check your background for things like your "employment history," "education," "criminal or other public records," "financial or credit history," and "public social media activities." Accessed Nov 3, 2026.
- Federal Trade Commission, Employer Background Checks and Your Rights: "Employers must get your written permission before running a background check with a background reporting company." Accessed Nov 3, 2026.
- Federal Trade Commission, Employer Background Checks and Your Rights, on what an employer must do before acting against you because of a report: "They must give you a copy of the report and a “Summary of Rights”". Accessed Nov 3, 2026.
Keep going
Questions people ask
Do background checks show employment history?
Do background checks show social media?
Can an employer run a background check without permission?
Can I see my background check?
How this page is built
Written by Maid Dizdarevic, a career coach and 8x LinkedIn Top Voice. The steps, scripts and timing guides are practical advice, labelled as advice. We do not publish response rates, success rates or shares of employers, and every example uses fictional details. Official facts are quoted word for word from the pages listed under Sources.
- How a specific employer, recruiter or manager will act: practices vary by company, industry and person.
- Legal advice: for contracts, background-check disputes, pay classification or a termination, talk to an employment attorney, the U.S. Department of Labor or your state agency.
- Outcomes: no message, plan or program can promise an interview, a raise or a job.
- TryHired editorial guidance by Maid Dizdarevic, career coach, Nov 4, 2026.
- Federal Trade Commission, Employer Background Checks and Your Rights: employers might check your background for things like your "employment history," "education," "criminal or other public records," "financial or credit history," and "public social media activities." Accessed Nov 3, 2026.
- Federal Trade Commission, Employer Background Checks and Your Rights: "Employers must get your written permission before running a background check with a background reporting company." Accessed Nov 3, 2026.
- Federal Trade Commission, Employer Background Checks and Your Rights, on what an employer must do before acting against you because of a report: "They must give you a copy of the report and a “Summary of Rights”". Accessed Nov 3, 2026.