Why Perform a Background Check?

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None of us go through life without leaving a trace. We interact with people, fill out paperwork, and appear on records related to everything from marriage to traffic tickets. And trained professionals know how to find all of these things - which is why we should always remember that what we do may someday show up on a routine background check.

But it shouldn't be only our own potential background checks that we're thinking about. Sometimes, we may want to have a background check done on somebody else. There are a lot of good reasons to invest in a trustworthy and professional background check. We'll lay out four examples below.

You're hiring an employee

Managers and business owners work hard to build their careers and their business. They rely heavily on their employees, and hope that each new team member adds value to their operation. If they choose incorrectly, it could cost them big-time: Employee turnover isn't cheap. Worse yet, a poor choice of employee could lead to a crime or other serious problem in your workplace.

That's why you should make sure to get a thorough background check on every potential employee before you hire them. If your would-be employee was once fired for stealing from his or her employer, you need to know that. Don't rely on references and information from past employers alone. Your job candidate will choose her or her own references, past employers may be barred from telling you the whole truth in some states, and there could easily be some employers left off of a candidates resume or CV. A resume won't tell you everything - far from it. Make sure that you know about big issues by performing a background check.

You're seeing someone new

Relationships are about trust, but trust is earned - and, these days, many of us date near-total strangers who we meet on online dating apps. We need to be careful and to protect ourselves.

You should use common sense to protect yourself when online dating. For instance, make sure that you choose a public place for your first date with a prospective partner. And when you're thinking about letting someone be a bigger part of your life, you may want to check out their past. A discreet background check should do the trick.

You're renting out a property 

When you apply to rent a property, you'll usually face a background check. That's for good reason. There are a lot of ways for a lousy tenant to hurt a landlord. If a tenant is unable or unwilling to pay the rent, they turn an investment into a non-performing asset. And if they commit crimes on the property, that's very bad news.

So if you're now in a position to rent out a property of your own, do the same thing that all responsible landlords do: Get a background check done on any prospective tenant before you let them sign the lease.

You're considering trusting someone with your children

If you were hiring an employee for an office job, you would want a background check done. So don't skimp on that step when you're looking for someone to handle an even more important job. From full-time nannies to friendly neighbors who offer to watch the kids for free, there's never an excuse for entrusting your loved ones to someone you don't know enough about. It's much better to be safe than to be sorry, so get a background check done on anyone who you will trust with the welfare of your children.