The hiring process is arduous for employers, but the applicants have no picnic themselves. They must balance dozens of applications, countless cover letters, and multiple in-person and over-the-phone interviews while still maintaining open availability for prospective employers. Trying to get a job is challenging and can be genuinely stressful for many people.
The negative feelings are only made worse when employers not only ask you for your background but will often require you to take a drug test prior to employment.
If you want to beat the pre-hiring jitters, you need to understand the process and learn how to prepare for it. The following paragraphs will cover whether a background check or drug test comes first and what else to expect from the hiring process.
The Timeline of A New Hire
If you are new to employment or have been in the same job for a lengthy period, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed when trying to get hired. Interviews are nerve-wracking, and the process can be wildly convoluted depending on who is hiring you. While some jobs require a quick meet-up and a brief background check, others are far more in-depth.
If you are concerned about what will appear on your background check, try a free people search engines to get an idea of what employers see.
There is no legal standard for which must come first in the hiring process when it comes to background checks and drug tests. That said, it is common for most companies to run a background check on candidates they are interested in hiring. If the background check is satisfactory, they typically make the drug test the last step before full employment.
Drug tests are not created equal, however. If you take a urine test, you will need a lengthy period of sobriety before it will appear negative. Contrarily, a saliva test does not go back nearly as far and is a much simpler test to “beat.” If you use substances in your recreational hours, it is wise to take a lengthy break while you are pursuing employment opportunities.
Background checks can also vary quite a bit depending on who the employers use to conduct them. They can examine a person’s criminal history, former aliases, credit, driving record, educational background, and fingerprints. These checks verify an applicant’s experience and academic history, ensuring they are fit to perform the job.
Background checks typically take a few hours to five days to return a result, with some notable outliers for intensive checks. Depending on the test and which company oversees the screening, drug tests will take one to two days to return a result.
The hiring process usually takes one to two weeks to complete. This allows people the time to properly prepare for the interview, better understand the position, and clean out their system if they need to pass a drug test. Similarly, it may be helpful to understand if any previous criminal charges can be expunged or even automatically removed from your record.
Quick Summary of The Employment Process
While there aren’t any legal requirements for what must come first in the hiring process, it is very common to perform a background check first. While most companies perform background checks, not all will ask you to take a drug test prior to employment. Your employer does not share drug test results unless you explicitly consent.
Oftentimes, companies have reviews and information from previous employees online, which can give you some insight into what to expect when trying to apply for a position.
The good news is that background checks and drug tests are often the biggest hurdles to employment after the interview. If both come back with passing grades, you almost certainly have the position you have hoped for. Prepare ahead of time, give yourself a break from any recreational vices, and ensure you disclose any prescriptions before taking a drug test.