Background check
Also called: pre-employment screening
What gets checked
Standard scope for a European SMB:
- Identity : passport or ID card.
- Right to work : visa or residency status.
- Education : degree verification when the role requires it.
- Employment history : dates and titles, sometimes salary.
Optional and role-dependent:
- Criminal record : only when the role objectively requires it (finance, working with children, security clearance).
- Credit check : rare in EU, almost never used in SMB hiring.
- Social media review : not technically a background check; do not confuse the two.
What the candidate has to agree to
In the EU, no check happens without explicit, documented, role-specific consent from the candidate. Generic consent in an application form does not cover a credit check.
Timing
After the offer , before the start date. Doing it earlier wastes money on candidates who don’t get offers and risks GDPR exposure on data you didn’t need.
Where TalentGleam fits
Background-check vendors integrate with TalentGleam so the result attaches to the candidate record without leaving the tool. See the features page .
