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"For many jobs on the market today, a background check is par for the course during the application and hiring process. In fact, around 87% of organizations report that they conduct background checks on at least some applicants. Considering one in four American adults has an arrest or conviction likely to show up on a background check, you can never be too cautious about looking into what an employer might find. \nSo what are employers discovering about your background \u2014 and is it even true?\nBackground checks have made it into the news cycle recently, in part because of an EEOC filing against BMW and Dollar General for their extensive use of criminal background checks \u2014 some of the crimes that the organizations used to weed out candidates happened more than 20 years ago. \nWhile a little controversy isn't going to get rid of traditional background checks altogether, more people have become aware of the potential consequences of a check gone wrong. Background checks are far from perfect and can sometimes turn up incorrect information. While this situation only occurs for a small percentage of job seekers, it's important for candidates to understand the possibilities and the preventative measures they can take to ensure their background checks adequately reflect their records. \nAs the founder of eKnowID, a self background-checking site site, I\u2019ve heard it all when it comes to cases of mistaken identity \u2014 here are some of the craziest stories I've com across, illustrating the worst-case scenarios and how you can avoid these fates.\nA dramatic first day\nWalking into work her first day at the San Diego Country District Attorney's office, a recent law school grad was thrilled to finally start building her career. When she reported to work with high expectations and great enthusiasm, she was immediately handcuffed and taken to jail. \nThis young woman can thank a faulty background check for her trip behind bars. Someone had stolen her wallet and assumed her identity, and the DA's routine background check revealed an arrest warrant on charges of marijuana possession. The woman had no idea she'd been a victim of identity theft. \nThe takeaway: Protect your identity! Unfortunately, this story isn\u2019t at all uncommon: The 2013 Identity Fraud Report found 12.6 million victims of identity fraud in 2012, which amounts to about one victim every three seconds.With the rising number of identity thefts, it is crucial that you protect your personal belongings and information.\nImage: Flickr, Maegan Tintari\n\nIn other words, be vigilant with your personal information \u2014 you never know what someone will do with access to your personal data. Make sure you\u2019re careful with the sites you visit, guard your personal information, be careful when sharing computers and always treat your mail with care. \nA crushing blow over a mistaken identity\nIn a tough market, Darlene Martinez finally found the perfect position at a local hospital and was happy to get back on the job. Just one problem: The job offer quickly flew off the table. The criminal background check from her employer found that Darlene had a criminal record and a conviction for a drug charge. \nDid Darlene have a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-type split personality? Not quite. The background check actually pulled up the criminal history of a Darlene Ramirez instead. The two shared a common first name and an \"ez\" in their last name, but nothing else. \nThe takeaway: Take control of your story by running a background check on yourself so that you can nip problems in the bud before they snowball. You need to be proactive, not reactive. \nOnce you look up your own records, consider submitted (or offering to submit) the correct background check with your application. This way you know exactly what information employers are discovering about your candidacy. Employers are likely to be impressed with your forward-thinking and drive, and you\u2019ll avoid the problems Darlene encountered.\nMy evil twin did it\nWhen applying for a job, be sure to present all the facts about who you are and where you've been. \nImage: Quinn Dombrowski\n\nWhen working mom Donnie Ward decided to get a part-time job, she didn\u2019t realize it would become a traumatic experience. On her first day, HR called Donnie into the office and accused her of lying on her application about her criminal background. Donnie was asked to leave the premises, even though she explained the information they had was false. \nAs it turns out, Donnie Ward has a twin brother \u2014 who has a conviction for battery on his record. Like most twins, the two shared a birthday in common, a fact that easily confused the criminal background check. Of course, there was the small difference of gender; but that was clearly something the HR office \u2014 and the background check \u2014 overlooked.  \nThe takeaway: The mix-up between the twins was, at first glance, an easy one to make \u2014 but most candidates assume criminal background checks go deep enough to avoid these mistakes. This assumption could cost you, as national databases have a 41% error rate. If you foresee an issue that may cause confusion, warn potential employers before it becomes a bigger problem. This way, employers won\u2019t immediately discount your candidacy because of a simple misunderstanding.  \nIt is critical that you know and address what's in your background before a misunderstanding or simple error causes you to miss out on a great opportunity. \nWould you ever run a background check on yourself? Have you been the victim of a mistaken background check? Share in the comments. \nMashable Job Board Listings\nThe Mashable Job Board connects job seekers across the U.S. with unique career opportunities in the digital space. While we publish a wide range of job listings, we have selected a few job opportunities from the past several weeks to help get you started. Happy hunting!\n\nPublic Relations and Social Media Manager at The Ad Council in New York, N.Y.\nAccount Executive at HowAboutWe Couples in San Francisco, Calif. \nProduct Designer at ooVoo in New York, N.Y. \n\n\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2014/04/08/background-check/>