Employment Background Check Sample

Amanda Stein - July 4, 2025

Background checks are among the most important parts of the hiring process. They help employers determine if an applicant meets the qualifications, education, and other standards necessary to work for a company or within an industry. 

While background checks are important, most companies turn to background check agencies to have them run, and that takes the process out of your hands. For this reason, sometimes we recommend running a background check on your own, especially if you’re a small business.

That said, you might not know where to start or what tools you should use. Sure, you could hop on Google, but that can end up wasting time and costing you money if you don’t know where to look. The good news is that we’re here to help. Not only do we offer background check tools, but we’re also going to take you through a handful of employment background check sample options. 

Read on to learn more below.

What Is a Background Check? 

Before we can show you any employment background check samples, you first have to know what a background check is. While it may seem like one specific thing, it’s a lot more than that. You’ll find that most background checks are more of a process than a single thing, and they can be lengthy processes if you don’t use the right tools or work with the wrong organization. 

There are also various types of background checks to consider. For example, an AHCA background check is for the medical field, while a level 2 background check tends to be for positions requiring security clearance or that have many responsibilities.

Due to the different types of background checks, it can be hard to know which one you should run or what the process looks like for each one. This is where background check samples come into play.

Types of Background Checks with Samples and Examples 

Several types of background checks are available. At Information.com, we offer general background checks, but it’s also important to note that MVR reports, specialized checks, and even drug tests can all be part of the background check process. That said, when you run a check with one of our tools, we’ll give you a little bit of information about all of these areas.

Social Security Verification 

Social Security Number (SSN) verification is the first part of most background checks. This portion of the background check is usually the foundation because if there are any inconsistencies here, there’s a good chance the candidate will fail the rest of the test.

An SSN verification ensures that someone is who they claim to be. For example, records might be pulled and compared against what the applicant claims during the interview process. This can include where someone went to school, jobs they’ve worked in the past, and even something as simple as their name. 

With identity fraud on the rise, running an SSN verification before hiring an applicant has never been more important. When you open our full report, you can see a sample of someone’s work history, education history, and more. This can help you verify their identity or give you a place to start as you dig even deeper.

Criminal Records Check 

One of the most common types of background checks that you’ll come across is a criminal records background check. This is a part of the process that checks for criminal records in someone’s public records. Employers want to know if someone has committed crimes in the past, and they may even want to know details about those crimes. 

While many states have laws that control how long this information can remain public or be used during background checks, there’s a good chance that any background check you go through will provide details about criminal records. After all, it’s one of the most important aspects of the test, especially in industries where working with children or other people is involved.

A sample of a criminal records check might look like a form with lines for someone to list or explain any crimes they’ve committed. Most criminal records checks will require the applicant’s signature, which may be a few pages long.

Pre-Employment Drug Screening 

Pre-employment drug screenings are an important part of the background check process, and while we don’t offer drug screenings at Information.com, we can take care of the rest for you. Once you contact an agency for a urine, hair, or blood sample, you can use our background check tool to find criminal records and other background check information. 

Pre-employment drug screenings tend to be five-panel or ten-panel drug tests, but this depends on the job. For your average government job, it’s usually a five-panel drug test that looks for THC, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, and PCP. 

However, a CDL background check may require a ten-panel test, which tests for the same drugs but also prescription drugs like benzodiazepines, oxycodone, and similar drugs.

Financial Records Check 

Some background checks include a financial portion of the check. This is common in industries where people act as fiduciaries or are in close proximity to people’s money, like in a bank. Financial records checks are also a good indication of someone’s responsibility because a poor credit history can show that someone doesn’t always make the best decisions. 

Financial records checks tend to reveal someone’s credit history, prior bankruptcies, and other financial records. While these checks are common, they’re among the most regulated. The FCRA, for example, has many laws and guidelines in place to ensure that companies don’t use information that’s more than five to seven years old to evaluate an applicant.

Like a criminal records check, applicants will have to fill out a form, provide information about any violations, and sign before you can run the check. 

References Check 

Last but not least, background checks will check personal and professional references. This is an essential part of the process to ensure that someone’s character is solid and up to a company’s or organization’s standards.

References tend to be provided on a resume, and employers can call, email, or contact them in other ways to learn more about an applicant. Permission will have to be granted first, but this is one of the best ways to get an idea of someone’s character.

A sample of a reference check may be something as simple as a form that applicants can fill out to provide details about their references and contact information for those references.

How to Run a Background Check with Information.com 

Now that you’ve seen the types of background checks, along with a few examples, it’s time to cover how you can run a background check with Information.com. We make the entire process a breeze, and the only time you’ll have to look elsewhere for information is if you need a drug test. Otherwise, we have you covered. 

To begin the process, navigate to our background check tool and enter the applicant’s first and last name, city, and state. Then, select the person when they appear in the results. To help you find the right person, we might ask for additional information, including details about their age, relatives, and previous locations. 

Once you find the person you’re looking for, you can agree to our terms and conditions and then open the full report. Within this full report, you’ll find everything publicly available about someone. This includes:

• Full name 
• Date of birth 
• Identity verification 
• Death records 
• Civil court records 
• Marriage and divorce records
• Criminal records 
• Military records 
• Social media accounts 
• Dating profiles 
• Work history 
• Employment history 
• Licenses and qualifications 
• Financial records 
• Driving records

Overall, the amount of information you find may change based on the person. 

This is because some people may have more information about them online. You can also use this tool for your own benefit in order to prepare for your next background check. It’s also important to note that you have to have signed permission to run a background check on someone. 

Without it, you can run into legal problems, or you won’t be able to use the results of the check. Also, you can’t run these types of checks on domestic help.

Run a Background Check With Information.com Today!

Background checks will always be a relevant part of the hiring process, and they should be. They’re one of the few things you can do as an employer to learn more about an applicant without having to pry information out of them. While you can always work with a background check company or visit state databases yourself, it’s better to start with a reputable tool like one of our people search tools. 

Any of our tools can help you pull public records and learn more about applicants. In fact, we even recommend checking your own record for any red flags before you apply if you’re on the employee side. This can make it easier to address any issues during the hiring process. 

Whatever your motivation, the background check samples we covered today should be enough to get you started. Take some to evaluate your background check goals, and get ready to find everything you’re looking for with Information.com.