Saturday, May 19, 2012
Employment screening is important to both job applicants and employers. Recent surveys of Human Resources professionals revealed 75 percent of businesses – 3 out of 4 – conduct criminal background checks and verifications of employment and education as part of their employment screening process. Why use ESRCheck.com? The answer is because MyESRCheck.com helps smart employers find and hire safe, honest, and qualified applicants!
FAQs for Applicants running their own background checks |
FAQs for Applicant sent here by an employer |
As a third party verification organization, MyESRCheck.com must contact the past employer or an authorized agent of the past employer directly to begin the process. If a Job Seeker has not provided enough detail to identity and locate the past employer, MyESRCheck.com may need to contact you. There are also times when past employers are difficult to contact because they have moved, merged, changed names or gone out of business. If the past employer no longer exists, MyESRCheck.com may contact you to ask for W-2 or other information that can be used to verify past employment.
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Simply log into the system using your user name (your e-mail address) and password that takes you to the MyESRcheck.com Home page. Hit the button "Manage Background Reports." From that link, you can see the exact status of your order and you can preview exactly what employees will see.
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What code does an employer use and how does the employer get the code?
You simply provide the employer the website for MyESRCheck.com, your e-mail address (which is your Job Seeker ID) and the access code. Your default Access Code is "My Report". From the Job Seeker MyHome/Advanced tools, you can easily change the access code word.
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Simply log back in and your information will always be there. All you need is your e-mail address. If you forget your password, there is a “My Password” button and you can have your password e-mailed to you.
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We realize that this can be a sensitive issue. However, a great many employers and schools utilizes the Social Security Number as a unique identifier. It is needed very often to complete a verification. When it is transmitted to MyESRCheck.com, it is done with state-of-the-art encryption. Without it, we are unable to provide this service to you.
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What is the best way of getting hold of a live human being to talk with about my verifications?
Send a message from the 'Contact Us' page including your best contact phone number. Your message will go through to the verification specialist in charge of your order.
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How does MyESRCheck.com help job applicants?
Why is this service valuable to me?
There are millions of resumes on the Internet, and they all have one thing in common--they all depend upon what people choose to say about themselves. Yet employers know that up to 30% of resumes contain serious misrepresentations or omissions.
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What types of information are included?
MyESRCheck.com currently verifies employment, education, training, and professional credentials and licenses. In addition, MyESRCheck.com offers applicant-supplied background checks for criminal records and other public records.
For employment, MyESRCheck.com will verify start dates, end dates, job titles, and salary data (if past employers will provide this information). MyESRCheck.com does not obtain reference information from past employers, including such qualitative questions as "Please describe the quality of the applicant's work" or "Did the applicant show leadership skills?" The reason is that there are too many variables. MyESRcheck.com will obtain and report only verifiable facts.
For education, MyESRCheck.com will verify dates of attendance and degrees or certificates granted. This service is currently limited to the US, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Australia and, English-speaking areas of Canada.
For professional credentials and licenses, MyESRCheck.com will obtain the names of the credentials and licenses, identifying numbers, names of the issuing agencies, when obtained, and periods of validity. MyESRcheck.com can also obtain verifications of Certifications from courses completed or exams taken in the United States only. MyESRcheck.com cannot obtain the following:
MyESRCheck.com specializes in contacting past employers, schools, and credentials granting organizations in the United States, and English speaking countries. This is NOT a database service. Actual “live” researchers do the work. However, MyESRCheck.com cannot guarantee that information is always available. For example, if an employer has gone bankrupt, moved, merged or has destroyed or cannot locate records, information may not be possible to obtain. That is why the following steps are critical:
Step 1: Provide us with sufficient information to perform a verification.
For employment verification, MyESRCheck.com needs at a minimum the company name, city/state, contact person and phone. IF THIS IS AN EMPLOYMENT WHERE YOU KNOW THE COMPANY HAS BEEN SOLD, IS OUT OF BUSINESS, HAS MERGED, OR IS OVER 2 YEARS OLD, please provide us with all available info but also be prepared to have acceptable backup paperwork. For degrees and credentials, MyESRcheck.com also needs sufficient identifying information.
If for any reason, MyESRCheck.com is unable to verify past education or a credential, MyESRCheck.com will also need to contact you.
Step 2: Check to see if you have back-up documentation:
If we cannot reach your former employer, or if we are unable to verify your past education or a credential, check to see you have backup paperwork ready to fax us to help us verify your information.
For employment, we can review three types of paperwork: W2s, printed pay stubs (including your name, company name, dates), or tax paperwork (for self-employments). We attempt to contact your former employer first, but if no record is located or available we will need this information from you in order to complete your verification. If you have no paperwork and your former employer has no record, we will be unable to complete your verification - but our research costs will still apply.
For past education or a credential, we may need a copy of the degree, license or other document.
Step 3: Watch your email account
MyESRCheck.com will e-mail if there is any reason that information is not available. Please check your e-mail for our communications and confirmation of verification. Verification typically takes 2-7 business days. If MyESRCheck.com is unable to locate or contact your former employer, we will e-mail you. You can also track our activity through our 'progress notes' on your MyESRCheck.com account site.
Please do not order verifications for which you have no supporting documentation.
Please note: you are paying for the efforts of live researchers that are providing this service. If the information cannot be obtained, through no fault of MyESRCheck.com, you still are charged for the service since time and effort is being spent to obtain these verifications.
Just $19.95 per verification. Submit your resume with the necessary contact information and we will do the rest. Pay once and use your entire working life. Prices for other services are contained on the 'Services and Prices' page.
How does MyESRCheck.com get this information?
MyESRCheck.com utilizes the services of a nationally recognized Credentials Verification Organization (CVO). This is an independent third party that specializes in contacting past employers to verify information on behalf of employers. The CVO uses accepted industry practices and techniques to obtain information. The primary method is to make telephone contact with the appropriate party. On some occasions, fax and mail are used to obtain the information. The CVO also has access to various national and regional databases.
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MyESRCheck.com normally requires seven (7) working days to obtain the information. This excludes weekends and holidays. However, some delays may be beyond our control. Such delays can include:
If the delay exceeds seven days, MyESRCheck.com will provide with the reasons for this on the web site, which always is available to you.
If you have questions about what is happening with your order, contact MyESRCheck.com through the 'Contact Us' page. Because of MyESRCheck.com's advanced computer systems, an e-mail will get a faster response than a phone call.
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What happens if you cannot get the information?
MyESRCheck.com cannot guarantee that information is available. Sometimes it just is not possible to get all of the information one would like. For example, if an employer has gone bankrupt, moved, merged or has destroyed or cannot locate records, information may not be possible to obtain. NOTE: In such situations, there is value in having a third-party CVO verify that the information is not available. That way, an employer who checks Verifications already knows from the MyESRCheck.com report that the information cannot be obtained. Please note: you are paying for the services required to attempt to obtain information. If the information cannot be obtained, through no fault of MyESRCheck.com, you still are charged for the service.
Please keep in mind that MyESRCheck.com does not sell information--it provides a service. However, by updating your Report with MyESRcheck.com every time you change jobs, you ensure that necessary information always will be available.
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What happens if I disagree with some of the information?
There may be occasion when an applicant disagrees with information obtained by MyESRcheck.com. Here is how that works:
How far back should I go when creating Verifications?
Most employers keep records on past employees for between 5 and 10 years. We do not recommend trying to verify employment histories beyond 10 years unless you are certain the employer can be contacted and that they have a record of your employment. If you are not certain of an employer’s records, a W2 form may be used to verify employment.
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How private is my information?
MyESRCheck.com has a very simple privacy policy--it is your information and you control what we do with it. Therefore, we only obtain information you request, and release it only with your permission. In between, it stays safe and secure in our servers, which have state of the art protection. For the information to be given to anyone, you must either:
An Access Code is a code word or number combination that a JobSeeker may give to a prospective employer to allow that employer to access his or her on-line Verification Report at MyESRCheck.com. Use of an Access Code allows JobSeekers to protect their information from unwarranted access.
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Your JobSeeker ID is the e-mail address you use to sign up for the service. Your e-mail is critical. You need to provide your email to a potential employer along with your Access Code so they can look up your verification online. It is also used for all communication between you and MyESRcheck.com.
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What happens to my information in the future?
The information stays in the MyESRCheck.com database for your future use. Since MyESRCheck.com is a lifetime verified job history site, it can assist you throughout your entire working career. After you find your job, you can simply de-activate any Access Code and no one can look up your Verification Reports. If you are in the job market again, you simply go online and reactivate the service at NO COST. Of course, you may wish to add another verification, such as your last employment.
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What is the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)?
The FCRA is the federal law that governs the use and collection of information for employment purposes. For an applicant, the most important point is that a consumer reporting agency may not collect or utilize the information without your specific approval. In the event you apply for job, and you signed a FCRA release, then the information is made available to a consumer reporting agency to help you get that job.
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We use a fully protected SSL secured server. It is the same technology used by other sites that contain sensitive and confidential information. Of course, that does not mean that no one could ever break into a secured web site. After all, no web site in 100% guaranteed. However, we use state of the art procedures to provide maximum protection.
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Will my information ever be used for marketing?
Your information will not be used for marketing without your express written permission. At sign-up, you are asked if you want certain services or notifications. If you say NO, the information goes nowhere you do not want it to go.
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How do I decide whether it is worth the price?
That depends on the value you place upon your accomplishments and your future. For a person who understands the advantage of furthering his or her professional career with a verified job and credential history, the fees are minimal. The cost of each verification is about the same as going to the movies and buying popcorn.
Think of all of the sundries and things you have sent money on just in the last month and as yourself--"Are any of those going to benefit me the rest of my life? Is any other thing I just dropped $20 on going to help me better my job or career, so I can support myself or my family better?"
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MyESRCheck.com provides a service. We make best efforts to obtain information. You are charged for these efforts. You are charged by a credit card through a secured system when the order is placed and the information gathering process begins.
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Can I change my order after I send it?
The answer depends upon how soon you get the corrected information to us. Because we are providing a service and not a product, the answer is generally NO. Once the order is finalized, we begin working on it. Unlike sites that sell products that you can return or cancel, we are selling services provide by human beings. Once they start to work, we cannot return their time.
However, if you get the information to us soon enough, then our verification team can use it. For example, if you realize that after sending the order you had the phone number incorrect, or you remember some additional details, you can send that information to MyESRCheck.com.
Am I charged even if MyESRCheck.com does not get the information?
If MyESRCheck.com is not able to obtain the information through no fault of our own, then you are charged. We make our best efforts on your behalf.
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Are there sometimes extra third-party fees?
The fee for verification of past employment, education or credentials includes any third party fees charged by some schools or services. For criminal record searches, MyESRcheck.com has published a court fee schedule.
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What about International verifications?
At the current time, MyESRCheck.com can verify employment and education for the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and English-speaking areas of Canada. Credentials, such as professional licenses, can only be verified if issued in the Unites States. MyESRCheck.com will be expanding its international services in the future.
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Because we are providing a service, once an order is placed, it is final. However, our goal is to have satisfied customers that will refer us to other job seekers. If you feel that you are entitled to a refund due to extraordinary or unusual circumstances, or you are not satisfied with the service, please contact MyESRCheck.com through the 'Contact Us' page and supply details.
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What does my information look like?
See sample report under "DEMO"
How is the information made available to employers?
You have several options:
After you have ordered a verification and it has been completed, you will be able to create a Seal and/or Certificate of Verification to include with your Report. It will contain your JobSeeker ID and Access Code, giving employers a direct link with your online Verification Report. Or, simply give an employer your email address and access code and they can look you up.
Can I use a shared e-mail address?
No. For this service you need a unique e-mail address because it serves as your unique identifier. If you share an e-mail address someone else may receive confidential information about you. Your e-mail address can be on any e-mail system, even a free e-mail service such as Yahoo or Hotmail.
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Why don't you ask past employers for actual references, instead of just factual matters?
MyESRCheck.com sticks to the facts. Reference questions (such as "Describe the applicant's strengths") can be very sensitive matters to past employers and applicants alike. Many employers will provide only factual information and have a policy against reference information. In addition, most prospective employers have their own specific questions when doing reference interviews. However, just having the verified facts is extremely valuable in a job search.
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I am an independent contractor. How can MyESRcheck.com help me get assignments and confirm assignments?
MyESRCheck.com is ideal for independent contractors (IC) and free agents. One of the challenges facing an IC is validating past work. Now, by using MyESRCheck.com, an IC can maintain an ongoing list of verified projects. At the end of a significant assignment, an IC simply goes to MyESRCheck.com and requests a verification of the assignment just completed. In the future, prospective employers can view an IC's verified Report on MyESRcheck.com and see a whole list of satisfied past clients. If an IC is using a Free Agent job site, be sure to include your MyESRcheck.com Access Code number on your listing, so potential clients can immediately see who you are and what you have done.
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Can I use my MyESRcheck.com verifications with a Job Board?
YES! When you post your Verification Report on any online job board, simply note somewhere near the top that you are a pre-verified job candidate. Add a sentence such as:
"MyESRCheck.com has independently verified my job history, education, and credentials. To view my verified qualifications, go to www.MyESRCheck.com. My Job Seeker ID is: xxx@abc.com: My Access Code is: Hirethebest."
MyESRCheck.com is currently working with job boards and Internet sites to allow applicants to place a copy of their SEAL, or some other indication that they are a VERIFIED candidate, on the site.
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How do I get in touch with MyESRCheck.com about an order I have already placed?
Once you have registered and started on MyESRcheck.com, the way to get hold of us is through the 'Contact Us' page. MyESRcheck.com uses a very advanced "Help" system so nothing falls through the cracks. Every applicant who contacts us through the 'Contact Us' page is given a tracking number. To protect your confidentiality, customer service issues cannot normally be handled over the telephone. The security risk is too great and we have no way of knowing who we are talking to. However, since each applicant has a unique email, we can communicate by email to ensure we are talking to you.
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How long will it take MyESRCheck.com to respond to my concern?
Your request is placed in a queue and our customer service team handles every request promptly. We also conduct a daily review of all requests to make sure everything is handled in a timely fashion. We are committed to responding to all applicant concerns within five (5) working days.
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If I disagree with a verification, how do I request a re-verification?
Contact MyESRcheck.com through the 'Contact Us' page. Remember: MyESRCheck.com does not mediate or make any independent judgments or determinations in any disagreements between an applicant and a previous employer, school or other organization--we just report the facts. Part of the value of our service is that you find out ahead of time what a past employer or school is saying about you. Of course, if the information is not what you expected, don't shoot the messenger.
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What if I disagree with my billing?
Contact MyESRcheck.com through the 'Contact Us' page. Please remember before you order that MyESRCheck.com is a service provider. We provide our time. Sometimes you may not get the results you wanted or expected, but even that is valuable. For example, a MyERScheck.com client found out through our service that his school was not reporting his second degree and that a former employer was giving out a different job title. MyERScheck.com reported what we found accurately. At first, the applicant was upset with us, but soon realized if it was not for our service, he never would have known what his past school or employer was saying about him. That information was certainly worth the small fee we charged.
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If I have a disagreement with your service, what is the best way to resolve it?
Please contact MyERScheck.com through the 'Contact Us' page. Every inquiry is handled individually. Our goal is to satisfy our clients. In the event a matter is not handled to your satisfaction, simply contact MyESRcheck.com and ask that your request be escalated to the CEO of MyESRcheck.com, who will personally review any unresolved issues to your satisfaction. Our goal is satisfied clients.
What if I have a question not answered here?
Please contact MyESRcheck.com through the 'Contact Us' page.
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What is the reason an employer would request a background check?
Employers are increasingly turning to background screenings of job applicants as a way of minimizing legal and financial exposure. Concerns about workplace violence, negligent-hiring lawsuits, wrongful termination and other problems are leading many employers to be more careful about who is hired in the first place.
For applicants, however, background screening can create an uneasy feeling that they are mistrusted from the start or that Big Brother is watching.
The fact is, however, that background screenings of job applicants benefit employers and employees alike. And with the recent changes in the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, job applicants have a great deal of legal protection.
For applicants, the advantages of working for a company that requires screening is that efforts have been made to ensure that co-workers have the qualifications and credentials they say they have. In addition, employers typically screen for criminal records, especially those involving violence or dishonesty.
For the employer, screening saves the time and money wasted in recruiting, hiring and training the wrong candidates and eliminates potential difficulties in the work force. It also demonstrates due diligence in hiring.
Of course, a background screening is not a full-fledged FBI-type investigation. Screening companies are typically looking for red flags indicating potential problems or resumes that are not factual or omit important information.
What rights and privacy protections do I have?
Job applicants have been afforded substantial legal rights to ensure the accuracy and fairness of the process. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), as well as numerous state laws, give consumers the right to know exactly what is going on and to assert their rights in case of errors or mistakes. An applicant’s rights are listed in detail on the Federal Trade Commission Web site at www.ftc.gov. You can also find additional information at The Privacy Rights Clearing House.
In addition, MyESRcheck.com takes substantial measures to protect your privacy. The MyESRcheck.com Privacy Policy is very simple: MyESRcheck.com only collects applicant data pursuant to written Authorization and Disclosure under the FCRA and only disseminates consumer reports to employers, businesses or schools as directed in the written authorization of the consumer. In other words, data is only collected and distributed at the direction and authorization of consumers. The data is maintained in a secured site. MyESRcheck.com maintains strict policies and procedures in all aspects of its operation to protect the privacy of consumers.
More information can be found in the Privacy Statement on the MyESRCheck.com website.
Where can I find out about my rights during the background check and verification process?
The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) promotes accuracy, fairness, and privacy of information in the files of Consumer Reporting Agencies (CRA). MyESRcheck.com refers applicants to the document "A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act" at http://www.esrcheck.com/docs/Consumerrights.pdf
Where can I find out about answers to questions I didn't find here?
Ask MyESRcheck.com any question by through the 
on the Contact Us page..