Having to wait 3 weeks for your background check results can be frustrating and leave you wondering what’s causing the delay. Background checks typically take anywhere from a few days to a couple weeks, so a 3-week timeline is on the longer side.
There are a few key reasons why your background check may be taking this long to complete:
More Extensive Checks Take Longer
The scope of the background check has a big impact on turnaround time. More extensive checks that dig deeper into your history, verify more information, and pull reports from multiple sources will naturally take longer to complete.
Some key factors that add time include:
- Checks that go back 7-10 years or more for employment and education verification
- Criminal record searches at county courthouses beyond just database checks
- Verifying multiple past residences
- Motor vehicle record checks with multiple state DMV agencies
- Professional and personal reference interviews
If your potential employer is conducting a very thorough, intensive background investigation, the process could easily take the full 3 weeks.
Delays in Verifying Employment History
Employment history verification often bogs down background checks. HR departments frequently take weeks to confirm someone’s prior employment, titles, and dates worked.
Some key reasons for slow verifications include:
- HR staff being understaffed and overworked
- Difficulty locating records for older employment history
- Employers requiring mailed or faxed verification requests
- Delays in responding from employer side
If you have a long employment history, the process of verifying every past employer can easily take multiple weeks.
Challenges Accessing Court Records
If your background check involves searching court records for criminal history, it can add substantial time depending on:
- How many past residences you’ve had
- The number of jurisdictions covered (counties and states)
- Whether physical courthouse searches are performed
- The availability and responsiveness of court clerks
In some jurisdictions, record searches take weeks because files must be retrieved from physical archives. Court clerk offices are also notoriously understaffed, further slowing access.
dragging Response Times from Schools
Similar to employers, getting timely verification of degrees and enrollment from educational institutions is frequently a bottleneck in background checks. Universities and colleges often have few staff handling a high volume of verification requests.
Factors causing delays include:
- High student privacy and compliance standards slowing release of records
- Staff shortages at registrar offices
- Older school records only available in physical archives
- Schools unresponsive despite multiple inquiries
Degree and enrollment verifications routinely take weeks to receive back, even if you only attended one school.
Volume of References to Contact
Many background checks include contacting personal and professional references to verify someone’s qualifications and background.
The more references the employer wants contacted, the longer this takes. Reasons references slow things down include:
- Having a large pool of references
- References being unresponsive to phone and email inquiries
- Needing to make multiple attempts to reach someone
- References requesting a call back at a delayed date/time
Just scheduling and completing 6-8 reference checks could easily exceed two weeks depending on responsiveness.
International History Adds Delays
If you have international history – like past education, employment, or residence outside the US – it nearly always adds extra time to background checks.
Some reasons why include:
- Language barriers and reliance on translations
- Regulatory differences around what data can be accessed
- Variability in electronic records vs physical records
- Time zone differences complicating communication
Depending on the countries and respondents involved, verifying international history can add weeks to the process.
Volume of Candidates Being Screened
In job searches involving hundreds or thousands of applicants, background check timelines are also impacted simply by the large volume of checks being processed simultaneously.
Having a high volume slows things down due to:
- Overloaded verifiers at courts, schools, and employers
- Screening vendors devoting less time per check to complete all in timeframe
- Batches of checks being submitted together then processed in order
The more candidates in process, the longer turnaround times tend to be for each person.
Unforeseen Data Collection Challenges
Despite best efforts, background screeners sometimes hit snags verifying certain pieces of information that significantly slow the process, like:
- Gaps in past employment records
- Misspelled school or employer names
- Incorrect SSNs or DOBs provided
- Past addresses with insufficient information
Having to conduct extra research or make corrections can easily add weeks to get pending items clarified or completed.
putting it All Together
In summary, background checks involve pulling together a wide variety of data points and input from many parties. With so many potential bottlenecks, delays are not uncommon.
While a 1-2 week turnaround is average, a confluence of factors can easily push completion past the 3 week mark, especially for very comprehensive checks.
Here are some of the most common root causes:
| Factor | Typical Delays |
|---|---|
| Employment verifications | 2-3 weeks per employer |
| Education verifications | 1-2 weeks per school |
| Criminal searches | 1-3 weeks depending on jurisdictions checked |
| Reference checks | 1-2 weeks depending on number of references |
| International history checks | 2-4+ weeks depending on country and data source |
| High volume of candidates | Adds 1-2+ weeks to overall timeline |
While waiting is unpleasant, rest assured the extended timeline doesn’t necessarily indicate any problems – just the complex reality of conducting diligent, quality background screening.
Conclusion
Background checks involve pulling together a wide variety of data points and input from many parties. With so many potential bottlenecks, delays are not uncommon. While a 1-2 week turnaround is average, a confluence of factors from employment verifications to education confirmations and reference checks can easily push completion past the 3 week mark for a very comprehensive screening.
The extended timeline doesn’t necessarily indicate any issues with your history. In many cases it simply reflects the intense due diligence involved in performing a thorough background investigation. Understanding the key factors causing delays can help you stay patient as the process runs its course.