when employers do a background check, does it show your whole work history, or do they just verify your resume

Answer 1

A background check refers to your credit and criminal history. Nothing to do with your work history that's what your resume and business references are for.

Answer 2

Differs from Job to job, industry to industry and country to country.

Research shows that most applicants lie to some extent, so as an HR practitioner, i try to determine where they have lied and check that. Typical things:
1. Qualifications that seems not to follow a logical sequence e.g. no school qualifications but have a masters
2. Gaps in employment
3 Unusual career progressions (Sudden drop in job level, or unnusally big jumps in job level).
4. Gaps in employment
5. Foreign qualifications
6. Employment not in line with quals and exp
7.... so many more obvious ones

In many instances it is not possible to find the 'truth', but one can merely verify that the applicant has lied.

In South Africa you are not allowed to do a criminal background check unless you have specifically asked the permission of the applicant.

Answer 3

The employer will verify the information on your resume and information gained during the interview, as well as run a criminal check, and often, a credit check.

Answer 4

Employers sometimes do a back ground check also. But now a days you can't take a risk. It is very common

Answer 5

This is just speculative, because I don't really know...but I thought the IRS was the only one that had your complete work history, and as far as I know, that's not a matter of public record...unless you're a politician ;)

Answer 6

they look at your criminal history