Make Smarter Hiring Decisions with Pre-Employment Background Checks

A background check service helps organizations verify the information provided by job candidates or employees. It includes a range of checks, such as criminal background checks, employment history, educational background, credit history and professional references, to ensure a candidate’s qualifications and integrity align with your hiring standards.

Background check companies offer various screening solutions, including SSN traces, driving records and sex offender registry searches, to provide a complete background report. Depending on the screening needs, businesses can also request credit reports, bankruptcies and misdemeanor searches. Many background screening companies, such as Checkr, HireRight, Sterling and First Advantage, provide ATS integrations to streamline the screening process and improve hiring efficiency.

Using a background check service helps mitigate risks by verifying the truthfulness of a candidate’s application, assessing potential red flags and identifying candidates with the best background. It ensures that you're hiring qualified individuals who meet your organization's security and compliance standards, protecting your business, employees and reputation.

Background check services provide functionality that helps businesses of all sizes, including small businesses and staffing agencies, streamline hiring while maintaining compliance. These services offer various screening options, such as a criminal search, date of birth verification and employment history checks, to create a thorough candidate profile. Many providers offer different pricing models, allowing businesses to choose screening packages that fit their hiring volume and budget.

Background checks can include various screenings, such as criminal record checks, employment and education verification, motor vehicle records, drug testing, credit history checks and social media screening. The specific checks depend on the position being filled and the requirements of your organization.

Many background check companies offer ATS integrations to automate employment screening and improve hiring workflows. Depending on screening needs, businesses can request SSN verification, sex offender registry searches, bankruptcies and sanctions checks. Pricing varies based on the depth of screenings and turnaround times, helping businesses of all sizes stay compliant with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Turnaround times can vary depending on the background check provider, the type of checks being conducted and the responsiveness of external sources (e.g., universities, previous employers). In general, background checks can take anywhere from a few hours to several days to complete, but expedited services are often available for faster results.

Certain screenings, such as criminal background checks and SSN verification, are typically processed quickly, while employment verification, education verification and reference checks may take longer due to third-party response times. Factors like court processing delays, international screenings and specific industry requirements, such as healthcare sanctions checks, can also affect completion times. Businesses can choose background screening services that align with their hiring timelines to avoid delays in the onboarding process.

Yes, isolved background check software integrates with your applicant tracking system (ATS) and onboarding software. This connection automates the flow of candidate information, triggering background checks when a candidate reaches the required stage in the hiring process. Results are linked directly to your ATS, eliminating manual data entry and reducing the risk of errors.

Once a candidate is cleared, their information transfers automatically to the onboarding system, allowing HR teams to move forward without delays. This integration improves efficiency by standardizing the screening process and maintaining accurate records across hiring and onboarding workflows.