As companies in Indonesia start to realize the importance of background checks in their recruitment process, candidates or job seekers have to be aware of this due process. It is not an issue for some who understand, but it can be troublesome for those who do not understand.
Regardless if you are a fresh graduate or an experienced professional, understanding the background check process can help you throughout your life career, and it will give you a sense of how important it is for a company to conduct such checks. Before we go into further details, take note that whenever you are being screened or background checked by a company, always:
1. Be honest
Maintaining honest disclosure of your resume/CV, profile, experience, and family background is the best way to go. What if my records are not clean? Disclose it. But why is that? Simple, you do not want to be caught lying. It is better to let the employers who truly are rather than having to be judged as a liar and get blacklisted afterward. The right employers will eventually hire you when they feel that you are the right person for the job.
2. Confess your past mistakes
We all make mistakes, and that is what makes us human. If you ever did anything wrong in the past, whether it is a criminal record, negative employment record, or bad behavior that might show up on your background checks results, you should inform your future employers when the opportunity arises. By doing so, you have the opportunity to explain, clarify, and potentially clear your name before such records appear after the background checks process is completed, where you will have less chance to explain and make an honest impression.
3. Filter yourself
Many job seekers believe the more information, certificates, and experiences provided to the recruiters are better. Actually, it is the opposite. Imagine yourself sitting in a restaurant trying to choose the right food. Do you want to read 50 different kinds of foods or just 10 of their best choices? In the case of hiring, you are the food, and the recruiters are your customer. You should serve them with all the best credentials and information about yourself. Do not provide them with unnecessary documents or information. Always remember that the company wants to see what can you do for them. In terms of background checks, a single verified certificate that is relevant to the job will be very valuable compared to five verified certificates that are not contributing to your job responsibility.
Now that you know these three important mindsets when getting screened or going through a background check process, you need to understand the value of it. What is a background check for? First of all, to determine if your credentials are valid and authentic. Secondly, it is to see if you have negative records throughout your entire career. Last but not the least, it is to make sure that your honesty and integrity pass the due process of the company's internal control.
Understanding these reasons bring great value to your company, you should embrace the process, cooperate with the background checks screeners or consultants, and commit to maintaining the honesty and integrity value when you pass the process throughout your career journeys. Background checks can sometimes be a reminder that you maintain good and clean records at all times as you will never know when you will get checked throughout your career. Do take note that background checks should not be intimidating but rather prove yourself as a validated professional. Good luck with your background checks process!