How Do I Figure Out Whether an Employer Will Do a Background Check?

If you have a criminal record, you should try to figure out if a company does a background check before you apply, and if so, what kind. For a big company, there is probably a lot of info about this. If you have felonies, you should pay close attention to this information. If the company has a policy that says they do not hire people with felonies, unless you have some fantastic connection at the company that can override policy, you are probably wasting your time.

 If you can’t figure out whether the company does a background check before you apply or have your interview, you should prepare as if they will - just in case - and then be ready to read the situation. 

Source: Security Online

 I would avoid asking directly if they do a background check. Instead, if, after talking to the interviewer, it sounds like a job you want, towards the end of the interview, I’d ask something like, “What does the rest of the hiring process look like?” This is usually when they will mention things like the type of training you’ll receive for the position and whether there will be drug testing or a criminal background check.

 If they mention a background check, then that would be the time to clarify what type of background check it is - whether it is a felony only or includes misdemeanor offenses (of course, if you have felonies, you can skip this question. EVERY background check looks for felonies. But not all background checks include misdemeanors). 

 You could also ask if there are any “disqualifying offenses.” A disqualifying offense is exactly what it sounds like - a criminal offense that disqualifies a candidate from being eligible to hire.

 One of the most common questions I get is: “When do I tell them I have a criminal record?”

 The answer is it depends. If they aren’t going to run a background check, then never. There is no need to give them information that doesn’t pertain to your employment.

 If their policy is to perform background checks, you should disclose after you have interviewed with the company and before they run it.