Criminal Record Checks: Could prevent you from getting a job interview

When you apply for a position your potential employer will do background checks which can include:
criminal records checks
personal reference checks
credit checks
credential and academic verifications

Dependent on the field you are applying in could include other checks.

Hiring managers use the criminal record check to immediately rule out someone who comes back with a positive result of a record.

The criminal record check applies normally to vulnerable sectors of employment, for example; medical, lawyers, law enforcement, working with children and areas involving cash (for instance retail and the financial sector). But the check can also apply to other employment such as construction. As an example, I once took a job at an art gallery ran by the City Council for which I had to undergo a criminal record check.

Potential employers and pre employment screening services find that criminal records and education are the two things they see most often that do not match up to the information the potential candidate has provided.

The criminal record check through the local RCMP/ Police Station should be completed within 10 days to two weeks, however in Calgary for instance the average time for police checks is now taking up to six weeks. The system will either flag the candidate as “Clear” no record or can flag people “May or may not have a record”. where in fact they do not have a record.

It is a shame if you did something stupid and minor in the scheme of crime, when you were in High School 20 years ago and it prevents you from getting an interview. In summary the delay in finding out what the
actual criminal record is for, and the possibility that a positive result with one police force may not be the same on municipal databases, alerts potential employees to an imperfect system.

by Jackie Pitman CFO evo-go