New hires in high-tech industries often have immediate access to important information. They see proprietary source code, trade secrets, strategic business data, customer information, and intellectual property.
If they choose to do something nefarious with any of this, your company is at risk of disruption and damage to your reputation. A single hiring mistake can expose you to security risks, compliance issues, and costly losses.
That’s why background checks for high tech are more than a routine hiring step. For employers and HR professionals in high-tech organizations, they are a critical part of verifying candidate qualifications, protecting sensitive assets, and supporting risk management and business continuity.
With thorough, role-appropriate screening, employers can protect valuable assets and build a workforce they trust. Below, you’ll learn why background checks matter in high tech, the industry-specific hiring risks to watch for, what a thorough screening should include, how education and credential verification fits in, the compliance issues to manage, how to choose the right screening partner, and answers to common questions.
Why Background Checks Are Critical in the Tech Industry
Tech industry background checks are a must, given the access employees have to sensitive data. They access corporate networks, cloud environments, development platforms, and customer databases. In many cases, a new hire can obtain critical systems or sensitive information within days of joining the organization.
As if that didn’t make hiring risky enough, the intense competition for talent is leading to frequent résumé fraud. Credential inflation and misrepresented work experience are common. Candidates may exaggerate technical skills, claim degrees or certifications they didn’t earn, or overstate their role in key projects.
Thorough background checks for high-tech employers help verify qualifications and reduce the risk of costly hiring mistakes.
Unique Risks in High-Tech Hiring
Tech employers have to avoid hiring pitfalls that are perhaps more common in this industry than in others. Some of the risks are:
- Degree and certification fraud: Candidates may lie about or exaggerate their education to gain an advantage over others.
- Employment gap misrepresentation: Tech changes fast. Some companies perceive candidates with employment gaps as falling behind, so applicants may lie to cover up gaps.
- Undisclosed conflicts of interest or moonlighting: The remote nature of many IT jobs tempts workers to have multiple jobs, sometimes with competing companies.
- Intellectual property and non-compete concerns: IT workers with access to proprietary material from their previous or current job might be subject to certain restrictions.
- Insider threat risk for roles with privileged system access: Trustworthiness becomes a huge priority when hiring anyone who gets deep access to systems.
- Global workforce complexity: Many IT workers live overseas or move to the U.S. for jobs, making international background checks important.
What Background Checks for High-Tech Employees Should Include
Background checks for IT workers can include many different components. It depends on the employer’s specific needs and the role itself.
- Criminal background check: A thorough criminal history screening should cover county, state, national, and even international jurisdictions.
- Identity verification: This helps employers conduct background checks with more confidence by confirming the applicant is who they claim to be using government-issued IDs.
- Education verification: Contact institutions or bootcamps to be sure the candidate holds the degrees and certifications they claim. In tech, this often includes in-depth verification of technical degrees and certifications and, where relevant, a review of code repositories or similar proof of work. Learn more in our Education Verification Guide.
- Employment history verification: Check with previous employers. If they can’t confirm the work or the role the candidate had done, that’s a red flag.
- Professional reference checks: These are useful for getting a sense of the candidate’s character, approach, and managerial style.
- Credit check: This is important for any IT role that has access to payment or financial information. Bad credit and financial issues can tempt employees to commit fraud. Knowing a candidate’s credit situation can help identify these risks.
- Civil records search: Get insight on any non-criminal court proceedings your candidate was involved in. This can identify whether they’re under financial pressure or other stresses. It’s particularly useful for senior or executive hires.
- Social media/online presence screening: In jurisdictions where it’s allowed, screening a candidate’s online activity can give you a real glimpse into who they are. You may see posts about their work or their opinions on your industry.
- Drug screening: Drug testing that complies with all regulations and laws should be a cornerstone of most IT background check processes.
Education & Credential Verification in Tech
The tech industry is competitive. To make themselves appear qualified, candidates may list credentials that they don’t actually have, like:
- University degrees
- Coding bootcamp completions
- Cloud certifications
- Cybersecurity credentials
- Technical training
- Other technical qualifications
Education screening confirms that a candidate attended the institution they claimed and earned the listed degree or credential. It also verifies educational qualifications and whether they completed them within the reported timeframe.
Let’s say you run a background check on software engineers. One may claim to have a Bachelor of Science degree when in fact they have a Bachelor of Arts. Another may list a certification for a program they attended but did not complete. Screening should catch these discrepancies.
Traditional college and university degrees are typically easy to verify through registrar records or authorized databases. However, less formal credentials, like those from coding bootcamps or online learning programs, may require additional research and direct outreach. For technology jobs, employers may also verify specialized skills tied to technical training and certifications.
Compliance Considerations for Tech Employers
Tech industry background checks must comply with all applicable laws and regulations to ensure legal compliance. These include:
- FCRA requirements: The Fair Credit Reporting Act laid out steps you’re required to take when hiring. These include disclosures and written consent before you conduct background checks. They also include what you can and cannot do when taking adverse action (choosing not to hire or promote someone). Learn more about FCRA-compliant background checks.
- Ban-the-box laws: Many states and cities, including tech hubs like California, New York, and Illinois, have enacted ban-the-box laws. These restrict when employers can conduct checks involving criminal records. Read our detailed article about these laws.
- EEOC guidance: Employers must follow the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s rules about disqualifying applicants based on their criminal record.
- State privacy laws: States often have their own laws governing reference checks and social media screenings. It’s crucial to use a background check service that complies with all applicable state and local laws. Some may restrict reporting of criminal records older than seven years.
- International considerations: If you have a global team, you’ll want your background screenings to include information from around the world.
How To Choose the Right Background Check Partner for Tech
When evaluating providers of background checks for high tech, look for:
- Turnaround time compatible with fast hiring cycles: Scaling up and managing turnover require efficient and accurate background checks. Fast results in minutes or hours can protect the candidate experience, and 34% of candidates drop applications due to slow hiring processes.
- Education and credential verification capabilities: A screening service should be able to do in-depth searches for degrees, certifications, and other credentials.
- International screening coverage: Does the service provide accurate, fast screening globally? Cisive covers more than 200 countries and territories.
- ATS/HRIS integration: Screening tools with integrated background checks built into your HR systems or delivered through one platform can reduce administrative overhead and improve the background screening process.
- FCRA compliance infrastructure: Your background screening vendor should explain how to remain compliant and should offer workflow support for adverse actions. When comparing background check providers or background check vendors, mobile-friendly workflows also matter, since 80% of candidates complete checks from mobile devices.
- Dedicated account support for high-volume or senior-level hiring: Make sure you’re comfortable with the customer service team’s accessibility and knowledge.
Frequently Asked Questions About Background Checks for High Tech
Let’s answer a few of the common questions about tech industry background checks.
What Background Checks Do Tech Companies Run?
Tech companies typically perform pre-employment background checks, including criminal record checks, education verification, and employment verification as part of the screening process, and, for certain roles, credit and reference checks. The exact screenings IT companies run depend on the nature of the role. The more sensitive or senior the role, the more thorough the background check. These checks help tech companies make informed hiring decisions and mitigate risk when evaluating potential employees.
Do Tech Companies Check Education Credentials?
Yes, most tech companies thoroughly screen candidates’ educational claims. Degree fraud is a known issue in the tech world, and verifying degrees and certifications helps identify highly qualified candidates and top talent for specialized roles. Verifying education can be a massive undertaking if done manually, as you need to contact registration offices at institutions worldwide. Talent acquisition teams often use background check providers or human resources workflows to confirm those claims efficiently. This makes a third-party service indispensable.
How Long Do Background Checks Take for Tech Jobs?
The full background check process varies based on the depth of the check. A standard background check for high tech can be finished in 1–3 days, but delays in data collection, education verification, or international checks can push back a candidate’s start date and affect hiring decisions. Faster workflows also help retain qualified talent.
Do Startups Run Background Checks?
There is a misconception that smaller tech companies skip background screening to scale faster or keep costs low. But even smaller technology companies need screening to reduce insider threats, lower the risk of data breaches, and protect startup reputation and trust. Smaller companies are best served by finding a provider with affordable, scalable solutions that can keep up with their growth plans and help staffing firms or lean hiring teams manage the hiring process efficiently.
