A background investigator may be hired by companies to check the backgrounds of potential employees, or even by government agencies, to handle checks of a more sensitive nature.
Depending on which capacity you want to work in, your work may differ a little. However, the nature of investigative work stays more or less the same.
There are agencies/organizations that hire background investigators to perform an entire plethora of investigative work related to both these areas. It all depends on where you want to work.
Apart from a high school diploma or a GED equivalent, there are no formal education requirements to work as a background investigator.
However, you do need to possess some physical and mental attributes that will help you work well in this area. These will include exceptional analytic skills, excellent communication, interpersonal and listening skills, the ability to derive information from the most unlikely of sources, and of course, the capability of analyzing and compiling information in a proper manner.
Working as a background investigator means that you will be on your feet most of the day, going around and asking questions. You have to be physically fit and dexterous if this is the work that you want to peruse.
A Background Investigator’s resume’s main purpose is to encourage a hiring manager to invite a candidate for an interview.
There are many ways in which resumes can be written to impress.
Since there is no one way to write a perfect resume, let us give you a format that you can use to base your resume on:
Background Investigator Resume Example
David Perez
64 Michigan Street South
Spearfish, SD 57721
(000) 547-5265
daveper @ email . com
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATOR
SUMMARY
Highly experienced background investigator with over 11 years of track record of success conducting comprehensive interviews with subjects, employers, associates, and references, aiming to obtain facts to resolve material issues and to establish the background, reputation, character, and suitability of subjects. Performs complete, thorough, and comprehensive background investigations, and determines applicants’ suitability by confirming and analyzing information determined through investigations.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
✓ Interview Handling ✓ Information Gathering
✓ Results Analysis ✓ Referral Requests
✓ Data Collation ✓ Research Work
✓ Selection Process Support ✓ Credit Checks
✓ Driving Records Review ✓ Employment Verification
✓ Criminal Checks ✓ Authenticity Confirmation
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
• Saved the company from potential harm by performing a detailed investigative background of a prospective employee, and highlighting his unsavory past.
• Implemented a novel data collection method, which significantly reduced the time it took to gather and collate background information.
• Conducted 12 background check interviews in one day, providing all reporting within 12 hours.
• Replaced the old credit checking system with a more efficient one, reducing the time it took to check online credit histories.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Background Investigator
Command Investigations, Spearfish, SD
1/2017 – Present
• Confer with employers or clients to determine their specific needs for background investigations.
• Make notes of required information, and determine ways of going about handling background investigations.
• Engage subjects in conversation to obtain information regarding previous employers and residential statuses.
• Conduct research to discover subjects’ past lives, including employment information, and personal background data.
• Check various public records, associated with subjects’ past and present professional and personal statuses.
• Confirm the authenticity of documents provided by subjects, and provide correlating information to the employer.
• Ensure that all acquired information is properly and confidentially placed in a safe place.
• Create and document clear and concise reports regarding each conducted investigation.
Assistant Background Investigator
Background Checkers, Spearfish, SD
2/2012 – 1/2017
• Assisted investigators in deriving background information from various identified sources.
• Performed research on applicants’ / subjects’ financial, professional, and personal backgrounds.
• Compiled all acquired data into reports and spreadsheets, and presented them to investigators.
• Created and maintained effective liaisons with different agencies to ensure easy and accurate obtainment of information.
• Ascertained that all obtained data was compiled according to protocol, and saved in a confidential manner.
EDUCATION
High School Diploma
Spearfish High School, Spearfish, SD
Background Investigator Job Description for Resume
- Engage employers or clients in conversation to determine their specific needs for background checks.
- Obtain and record information regarding subjects or prospective employees, for the purpose of reference.
- Interview subjects or potential employees to derive information regarding their backgrounds, including financial, personal, and professional.
- Perform complete, thorough, and comprehensive background checks and reviews for clients or employers.
- Determine applicants’ suitability for a position by confirming and analyzing information determined during background checks.
- Conduct and review criminal history checks through different agencies, and create and maintain contact with law enforcement agencies.
- Review subject or applicants’ files, and contact former employers to obtain references for the purpose of determining eligibility.
- Contact subjects’ or applicants’ references to verify the information that they have provided in referral documents.
- Gather and analyze personal, professional, credit, and educational documents, and ensure that they are run through a well-placed verification system.
- Research and obtain data from various databases and information systems, and analyze it to derive the required information.
- Prepare reports detailing findings of specified data collection and investigative activities, and submit them for review.
- Respond to requests for information, refer requests to managers, and answer subject or/and applicants’ questions according to company protocol.
Background Investigator Skills for Resume
Hard Skills
- Employers’ and clients’ engagement
- Interview employees
- Information gathering
- Credit checks
- Research and review data
- Data Confidentiality
- Reports creation
- Driving records review
- Employment verification
- Criminal checks
- Authenticity confirmation
Soft Skills
- Vigilant
- Creative
- Dexterity
- Communication
- Customer Service
- Teamwork
- Attention to detail