Conducting Effective Background Checks

A frequent misconception about background checks is that there exists a massive, centralized data repository that stores every piece of information the government has ever collected on every person. In truth, information is often incomplete and fragmented between different agencies and non-governmental organizations. Sometimes the data available is simply unreliable.

Furthermore, there is not a universal way to perform a background check, given that the level of depth and scope will vary based on the purpose of the search. The background check for a construction worker will not be the same as that for a high-level manager, and a check on an individual will differ greatly from one performed on an organization.

This online self-study course will help you make sense of these issues by reviewing the fundamentals of performing background checks, exploring the various types of background checks and the purposes of each and addressing the legal considerations to take into account when performing a background check.

Note: While the principles of this course are applicable to investigators worldwide, many of the specific resources may not be as applicable to investigations conducted outside the U.S.