Employer dragging their feet on background check?

Hi there,

Well, that’s super frustrating!

The first thing I should say is that this isn’t reflecting badly on you, but on your (soon to be former) employer. Hopefully this isn’t stressing you out but if it is then bear that in mind.

Secondly, this is an issue for the verification company and your employer to sort it out. Your future employer has hired the verification company to do something – they need to do it, not you.

Of course, you have a role to play in helping where you can but there’s only so much you can do. In the spirit of trying to be helpful, some of the below might work:

1. Raising the issue with your HR contact’s boss;
2. Raising the issue with your boss (or boss’s boss) who is a at the same level as your HR contact’s boss and get them to lean on HR to get it done;
3. Speaking to Consulting Co to explain what you’ve done and see if they have any work arounds (maybe you can provide notarised copies of performance reports, employment contracts, etc).

Good luck!

B.

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the offer!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your situation:

• First of all, I would advise you to directly contact the hiring manager or your point of contact at the consulting company. Explain the situation calmly and ask if they can intervene or suggest another approach.
• Moreover, you could also reach out to another representative in your current HR department or to the representative's boss for help. Sometimes, a different point of contact can yield faster results.
• Lastly, as a proactive step, gather any documentation that proves your employment history and be ready to provide it to the background check company if necessary.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

Sorry to hear about the situation, it sounds very frustrating. In terms of your question:

Q: The background check company has reached out several times with no response. I've asked the HR rep what's going on and they've told me they're looking into it, and then they've ignored further follow-up emails. How do I handle this?

I would recommend the following:

1. Call the HR person. Clarify that the background check company has an urgent need to complete the process
2. If they don’t oblige, escalate to their manager (calling, if possible)
3. If also the manager doesn’t reply, call your new employer to explain the issue and align with them on the next steps

Hope this helps,

Francesco

This might potentially be against the law for the company to do, at least in the United States.

Best regard,

This actually might even be illegal for the company to do (at least in the US)

At this point your best bet is to go in person and talk to someone responsible and explain the situation. It is not okay or normal for HR to stop a background check.

Hi there,

It's time to escalate. Find the HR rep's boss in the department. Find the boss's boss.

Pick up the phone.

Reach out to other HR people in the department.

LinkedIn. Email. Call.

Of course, do it in a respectful yet firm way.

Good luck!

Good luck!

Hi there,

• Just contact HR directly, not via email. Find out their number, pick up the phone, and call them. 
• These things are much easier handled face-to-face or at least voice-to-voice, not via email.
• If they do not cooperate, escalate to your manager.

All the best,

Florian

Oh, sorry to hear. 

Reach out to the most senior relationship in your former company that you had a good relationship with. 

Explain the situation to them and ask for help. 

That's it.

Best,
Cristian