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Background Checks: Can You DIY?
A personal background check can alert you to crucial information an employer might discover.
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You aced the job interview and are confident an offer letter is coming. However, the hiring process isn’t quite over. The employer will likely run a background check, and what it reveals may derail your hopes. For example, application inconsistencies and resume discrepancies — even for something as minor as employment dates — are red flags that can disqualify you from job candidacy. More significant issues — such as a criminal conviction, inaccurate public records or false court records that appear online — could also affect your desirability as a candidate.
Running a background check on yourself may be a way to regain control and better understand how employers will perceive you. It can also give you an opportunity to identify and address potential issues before they become a problem. We’ll explain more about DIY background checks and how they can help you better prepare for the hiring process.
What appears in a background report
When conducting a personal background check, you’re looking for information an employer is likely to discover when researching you. You may already know about much of this information, but it’s not unusual to uncover something unexpected.
“One of the prevailing myths is that background checks will only turn up criminal history,” Eric Kingsley, employment lawyer and firm partner at Kingsley Szamet Employment Lawyers, told us. “They also frequently check for credit history, employment history, education and even social networking activity.”
Background checks can include far more information than many people realize. Employers may review or verify the following:
Social Security number (SSN)
Relatives and known associates
Criminal history
Sex offender registry
National criminal database records
Domestic watch lists
County criminal court history
Education and employment history
Professional licenses
Credit reports
Social media accounts
Background checks can extend well beyond the basics depending on the role and industry. Employers may also conduct workers’ compensation history checks, health care sanction checks and drug tests.
Motor vehicle records (MVRs), identity verification traces and professional licensing checks are also commonly included in employment screenings. When conducting your own background check, you won’t have access to all of the tools employers use, but you can still review much of this information yourself.
Did You Know?
Employers increasingly use background checks and identity-verification tools to help detect deepfake threats in job applicants and other forms of hiring fraud.
How to run a personal background check
Running a background check on yourself doesn’t require special access or professional assistance. You can use a paid service or conduct your own research through internet searches, social media reviews, public database searches and other tools.
“Anyone who is technologically savvy can learn a lot about themselves by searching public records online or electing to purchase a paid subscription or order with any of the online vendors,” said Daniel J. McBride, owner of American Eagle Investigations.
Do-it-yourself background checks
If you’d prefer to go the DIY route for your personal background check, take the following steps:
Trace your SSN: Your Social Security number (SSN) is one of the most important pieces of information used to verify your identity. While you can’t perform a professional SSN trace on yourself, creating an account with the Social Security Administration can help you verify that your name and SSN are correctly tied to your identity. (You’d need a paid service for deeper SSN tracing, such as identifying other names and addresses associated with your SSN.)
Search court records for criminal history: Criminal record searches are a standard element of preemployment background checks, so it’s important to know what your record reveals. Search federal and county courts for information about felony and misdemeanor charges, convictions, imprisonment history and current criminal cases tied to your name. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), consumer reporting agencies generally can’t report arrests or other adverse non-conviction criminal records that are more than seven years old, although exceptions apply. Criminal convictions may generally be reported indefinitely under federal law, though some states impose stricter limits. Accessing these records may require visiting court websites, contacting courthouses or using paid search services.
Verify your professional and educational history: To avoid the cost of a bad hire, employers often conduct an employment verification and check on a candidate’s educational history. You may think you’ve listed everything accurately, but even a small error could be viewed as a hiring red flag. You can verify your employment history through the Equifax Work Number service and confirm your educational history by requesting official transcripts from the schools you attended. If you hold professional licenses or certifications, keep those records readily available as well.
Contact your references: Many job seekers assume their references won’t be contacted and don’t realize their information is outdated or incomplete. Reach out to each reference to confirm they’re still willing to speak on your behalf and that you have current contact information. The last thing you want is for a potential employer to call a number that’s no longer in service.
Run a free credit report: Depending on the position, an employer may review your credit history as part of the hiring process. A credit report provides a detailed look at your financial history, including open and closed accounts, payment history, collection accounts and other credit activity. Individuals can request free credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion through AnnualCreditReport.com. Reviewing your report ahead of time gives you an opportunity to identify and address potential issues before an employer sees them.
Check and clean up your social media profiles: Much of our lives are visible online, and many professionals use social media for personal branding. However, these accounts can also reveal information that may not leave the best impression on a prospective employer. Review your profiles to ensure they present a professional image. Remove outdated accounts and consider deleting content that could be viewed as unprofessional, offensive or inappropriate. Depending on your profession, you may also want to adjust your privacy settings.
Perform an incognito internet search on yourself: Open a web browser in incognito mode and search for your name to see what a potential employer might find. If you have a common name, include additional identifying information. When using Google, check multiple categories, including All, Images, Videos and News. This can give you a sense of what employers are likely to see first when they search for you online.
Tip
Search your name online to evaluate your personal brand. Do the results support the professional image you want to project?
Third-party personal background check services
If you’d rather not conduct a background check yourself, several third-party services can do much of the work for you. While these services won’t necessarily provide the same information an employer may obtain through a professional screening company, they can still offer valuable insight into what appears in public records.
They’re also often faster than researching records on your own. “[Consumer-level background check companies] are just large databases of publicly available information, but instead of having to search online to gather all those data points (addresses, associates, family, etc.), you can get it all in one place,” McBride noted.
Most services compile information from multiple public-record sources and typically require basic identifying information, such as your name, date of birth, address and Social Security number. Results are often available within minutes, although some searches may take a few days to complete.
These background checks typically cost between $30 and $100 and may include the following:
SSN trace
National criminal search
Global watchlist search
Sex offender registry search
Keep in mind that many companies offering personal background checks aren’t considered consumer reporting agencies under the FCRA. As a result, their reports may not be subject to the same accuracy and dispute-resolution requirements that apply to employment background checks.
FYI
Employers often work with FCRA-compliant screening providers. If you decide to purchase a background check, consider choosing a service that complies with the FCRA and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines.
DIY vs. third-party services comparison chart
Both DIY background checks and third-party services can help you learn what an employer may discover about you. The chart below highlights some key differences between the two approaches.
DIY
Third-party service
Pros
Low cost, full control, learning experience
Convenience, aggregation of records, broader coverage, quick results
Cons
Limited data, time-consuming, may miss key records
Higher cost, potential accuracy or outdated data issues, privacy concerns with sharing personal information
Typical cost
Free or minimal fees
$30 to $100 per report
Turnaround time
Varies (hours to several days)
Minutes to a few days
Sources checked
Public records, state courts, SSA, credit bureaus, social media
Aggregated public records, court records, watchlists and people-search databases
Legal rights: FCRA compliance, candidate protections and fair chance laws
Understanding your rights under various federal and state laws is crucial when dealing with background checks, whether you’re conducting one on yourself or being screened by an employer.
FCRA protections
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) provides important protections for job applicants and employees during the background check process. Under the FCRA, employers must:
Provide written notice that they may use information from a consumer report when making employment decisions.
Obtain written permission from the applicant or employee before conducting a background check.
Certify compliance with FCRA requirements to the consumer reporting agency.
If an employer decides not to hire you based on information in a background check, they must provide a copy of the report and a notice explaining your rights under the FCRA. You also have the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. Unless the dispute is deemed frivolous, the consumer reporting agency must investigate the claim.
Fair chance laws
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019, which took full effect in October 2023, provides additional protections for job applicants with criminal records. The law prohibits federal agencies and federal contractors from requesting criminal history information before extending a conditional job offer.
The law is meant to prevent federal employers from automatically screening out qualified candidates because of a past arrest or conviction. That said, it doesn’t apply to every job. Positions involving security clearances, national security matters or federal law enforcement are generally exempt.
Applicants who believe an employer violated the Fair Chance Act can file a complaint within 30 days of the alleged violation.
Did You Know?
According to SHRM research, 92 percent of surveyed employers conduct background checks to help verify candidate information, reduce resume fraud and make more informed hiring decisions.
What to do if errors appear in your background report
Discovering inaccurate information in a background report isn’t the end of the world. If you spot an error, there are specific steps you can take to correct it.
Disputing inaccurate information
Under federal law, you have the right to dispute information that’s inaccurate, outdated or doesn’t belong to you. If you find errors in a background report:
Contact the background screening company directly and explain the issue in detail. Include copies of any supporting documents that help verify your claim.
Most background screening companies must investigate disputes and provide results within 30 days, although certain circumstances may extend the timeline to 45 days.
Follow up in writing if you initially contacted the company by phone, and provide as much detail as possible to avoid unnecessary delays.
If the company determines the disputed information is inaccurate or can’t be verified, it must correct or remove the information.
Addressing legitimate negative information
If the results are unfavorable but accurate, honesty is usually the best approach. Don’t assume an employer won’t discover information that appears in a background check.
“If there’s something in your background that would cause concern, be prepared to discuss it candidly and show how you’ve learned from it,” said Kingsley.
FYI
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, background check companies must take reasonable steps to ensure the information they report is accurate, up to date and free of records that have been expunged, sealed, or are otherwise legally restricted from disclosure.
What are the benefits of running a background check on yourself?
Running a background check can help you see yourself from a recruiter’s perspective and improve your chances of landing a job. Consider the following benefits of running a personal background check:
Identify and resolve red flags: If you discover unfavorable information — such as outdated records or inaccuracies — you can take steps to correct or explain it before a potential employer makes a judgment call. As a bonus, you’ll show that you’re prepared and transparent, which may strengthen your candidacy. “It’s a proactive step to ensure that your public records, credit history and criminal record are accurate — especially since errors are not uncommon,” said Kingsley.
Correct employment history mistakes: Resume fraud remains surprisingly widespread. According to a ResumeBuilder survey, 44 percent of Americans have lied at some point during the hiring process, and 24 percent have lied on their resumes by inflating skills, years of experience or other qualifications. Whether intentional or accidental, inconsistencies involving employment history, education or other details can hurt an otherwise strong application. Conducting a personal background check gives you an opportunity to verify employment dates, job titles and other information before submitting your resume.
Time to dispute errors: Unfortunately, background reports sometimes contain inaccurate information, including outdated records, same-name confusion and misattributed data. By running a background check on yourself before beginning a job search, you can identify potential issues and take steps to correct them. That way, employers are less likely to encounter inaccurate information during the hiring process.
Detect identity theft: Identity theft remains a serious and widespread problem. The Federal Trade Commission received more than 1.15 million identity theft reports in 2025 alone, underscoring how frequently fraudulent activity surfaces in personal records. If undetected, you may miss out on job opportunities and have no idea why. Running a background check on yourself can alert you to identity theft and allow you to start measures to rectify the situation. You can also alert potential employers that your identity was stolen, so you’re not held accountable for fraudulent activity in your name.
Tip
Credible job references can help employers assess your skills and character and may counterbalance inaccurate or misleading information they encounter elsewhere.
Resources to run your own background check
Consider the following resources (some free, some paid) when conducting a personal background check:
A personal background check is a consumer-level background check that lets job seekers view general information about themselves online. Unlike the extensive informational and criminal background checks employers can access, personal background checks are often limited in what they reveal.
"There are two levels of background checks: those that require a special license that's reserved for law enforcement and investigators, and those that any consumer can pay for," explained McBride. "Unfortunately, a lot of the nitty-gritty details you think of when considering a background check are actually reserved for the more experienced system."
Still, a personal background check can provide valuable information about how a potential employer might view you.
No. While criminal history is one of the most common elements of a background check, employers may also verify employment history, education, professional licenses, credit history and other public records. Depending on the role, employers may also review driving records, conduct drug tests or perform additional screenings.
No. Employer background checks are often more extensive and use different reporting services. Additionally, employers must comply with the FCRA, which requires your consent and provides protections you don't necessarily have when checking your own records.
No. Background check services vary widely in scope, accuracy and legality. Some use public records only, while others partner with FCRA-compliant reporting agencies. It's important to choose a reputable provider if you're using the results for anything beyond personal knowledge.
It depends on the jurisdiction and type of report. Some criminal records that have been sealed or expunged may not appear on employment background checks, particularly those conducted by FCRA-compliant consumer reporting agencies. However, less-regulated services that scrape public databases may still surface outdated or inaccurate information.
Yes. While you can't control every piece of information that appears in a background check, you do have the right to dispute inaccurate information and challenge false reports. Seeing something unfavorable in a report can be unsettling, but if the information is incorrect, there are steps you can take to have it corrected or removed.
"One myth is that you never have control over what comes back — when, really, people are entitled to correct info and can challenge a false report through the FCRA," said Kingsley.
It depends on how you run the search. If you're willing to do the legwork yourself, a personal background check may cost little or nothing beyond the occasional court-record or document fee. Paid background check services are more convenient, but they can range from a few dollars to more than $100 depending on what's included.
Third-party background check services often deliver results within minutes, although some searches can take a few days to complete. A DIY background check may take anywhere from a few hours to several days, depending on how much information you're trying to verify and which records you're reviewing.
Jennifer Dublino contributed to this article. Source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.
Skye Schooley is a dedicated business professional who is especially passionate about human resources and digital marketing. For more than a decade, she has helped clients navigate the employee recruitment and customer acquisition processes, ensuring small business owners have the knowledge they need to succeed and grow their companies.
At business.com, Schooley covers the ins and outs of hiring and onboarding, employee monitoring, PEOs and HROs, employee benefits and more.
In recent years, Schooley has enjoyed evaluating and comparing HR software and other human resources solutions to help businesses find the tools and services that best suit their needs. With a degree in business communications, she excels at simplifying complicated subjects and interviewing business vendors and entrepreneurs to gain new insights. Her guidance spans various formats, including newsletters, long-form videos and YouTube Shorts, reflecting her commitment to providing valuable expertise in accessible ways.
