Today, it’s nearly impossible to find a job without preparing a good resume and character references. Even if you’re looking for an entry-level position where no resume or formal application is required, you will still likely be asked for some sort of recommendation before being offered the job.
This same principle applies to having strangers or new people in your life. You will first have to know them very well before you can trust them completely. But you can only really get to know someone personally after spending more time with them, or if you learn more about their past. In situations where it can get awkward to ask too many personal questions too soon, but you have to be sure about the integrity and legitimacy of the person you are dealing with, conducting a background screening could be very useful.
Below, we’ll tackle seven reasons why you should get a professional background check service before dealing with a potential employee or business partner:
1. You can ascertain their financial status
A person’s financial standing could be considered a very private matter. However, it is important that you know if someone is legitimate to do business with or not. With the help of private investigators, they can review a person’s assets, properties, credit score, earnings and revenue, and even a business’ bankruptcy records.
2. You can uncover their relationships
If you want to know more about a person’s past or ongoing relationships, you can’t just simply be upfront and ask them about it. To know the full score regarding this person, you can seek help from professionals who can conduct an in-depth background investigation. This will give you peace of mind before committing to a serious engagement.
3. You can find out their affiliations
One can come up to you and claim that they have the same political, community, or organizational affiliations as you. However, you can’t simply be convinced by that mere statement. For you to confirm such a declaration, you can get a professional to do the checking for you.
4. You can check if they have a tendency to be violent or abusive
Having a violent or abusive person in your life or business could pose a serious threat to you and others. Therefore, a complete review of a person’s background can assure you that you are not dealing with someone dangerous.
5. You can review their reputation
With a quick social media check, you may gain a better idea of a person’s character; but you can never be sure if what they present online is close to the truth. Private investigators who can conduct background investigations can run a comprehensive check on a person’s lifestyle and daily activities to check if they have any negative reputation or are doing questionable activities.
6. You can find out if someone is a fraud
Identity theft has been rampant in this digital age, and a civilian cannot simply pinpoint if a person is pretending to be someone else. You cannot easily trust a stranger in your business or personal matters unless you have verified this person’s real identity. There are different types of fraudulent acts, and by getting a professional background check service, you can review if someone has been convicted, questioned against, or is currently being investigated for fraud.
7. You can find out if someone has a criminal record
You can never know if someone has committed a crime or not without doing a thorough background check. This is vital information when you want to check the credibility of a person you are planning to deal with. Hiring professional investigators can help you double-check someone’s criminal record, and/or if they have been falsely convicted or not.
But having this kind of history doesn’t automatically say they are a bad person. At the end of the day, you’re still the judge of this person’s character; at least, by doing this background check, you will be aware if they have or have not committed a crime at some point in their life.
Bottom Line: Why Do a Background Check?
On one hand, a stranger’s presence in your life might mean that you can have someone to help you when you need it most. On the other hand, they are generally people with whom you have very little connection and know very little. The problem, however, is that because you don’t know them very well, it is hard to tell if they can be trusted or not.
Having a stranger in your life can be a double-edged sword, and this is why background checks are something to give due importance to.