Taking Control of Your Narrative
In today’s competitive environment, being proactive about your professional documentation is key. While we often think of background checks as something an employer requests, obtaining a personal background check one initiated by you is a powerful tool for self awareness, readiness, and career preparation.
A personal background check allows you to see exactly what potential employers, landlords, or licensing bodies will see. It’s your chance to verify the accuracy of your records, understand your legal disclosures, and address any unexpected issues before they cause a delay or jeopardise an opportunity. As a leading accredited screening provider, Rapid Screening helps countless individuals take this crucial, empowering step toward career success.
Understanding the Scope
A personal background check is a voluntary application made by an individual to an accredited screening provider like Rapid Screening to obtain their own National Criminal History Check (NCHC). It is the identical document that an employer would receive, processed through the same official channels (the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, or ACIC), and subject to the same strict legal filtering rules, such as the Spent Convictions Schemes.
Key Components of the Check
When you initiate your own check, the results cover disclosable court outcomes and pending charges recorded across all Australian police jurisdictions. A comprehensive personal background check typically reveals:
- Disclosable Court Outcomes: Findings of guilt, convictions, and sentencing for criminal offences.
- Pending Charges: Offences currently before a court, awaiting judgment.
- Warrants and Apprehended Violence Orders (AVOs): Depending on the jurisdiction and the nature of the check.
The check applies the relevant Spent Convictions legislation, so it filters older, less serious offences that meet the legal criteria and does not disclose them on the certificate.
The Power of Proactivity
The greatest benefit of conducting your own personal background check is the element of control. Instead of waiting for a potential employer to initiate the process and encountering an issue that you were unaware of, you can review your own record first. This allows you to:
- Verify Accuracy: Ensure your identity details, dates, and any record entries are 100% correct. Errors, though rare, can happen and are much easier to fix before an offer is on the table.
- Understand Disclosability: Clearly see what information the check releases, and understand the difference between your full history and the legally disclosable history.
- Prepare Explanations: If your certificate includes a disclosable offence, you gain time to prepare a professional and honest explanation instead of being caught off guard during an interview
Three Reasons to Get Your Own Personal Background Check
While employer initiated checks are standard, there are compelling reasons why more Australians are choosing to get a personal background check upfront.
1. Career Readiness and Reducing Delays
In a competitive job market, speed is everything. Many employers require a police check as the final hurdle before a candidate can start. If you already have a current NCHC certificate, you can provide it immediately upon request, potentially shaving days or even weeks off the onboarding process.
2. Licensing and Regulatory Compliance
A personal background check is often a necessary requirement for professional licensing or accreditation, separate from job applications. This includes:
- Financial Services: Obtaining an Australian Financial Services (AFS) License.
- Transport and Logistics: Taxi or ride share accreditation.
- Trade Licences: Certain state based trade and security licences.
By initiating your own check, you ensure that you meet the regulatory requirement promptly, avoiding delays in starting your own business or obtaining the required credentials to practice.
3. Verification of Identity for the Gig Economy
The rise of the gig economy means that individuals are increasingly responsible for their own compliance. Platforms and clients often require a recent check for onboarding. A current personal background check validates your identity and suitability across multiple contracts without needing to repeatedly pay for separate employer initiated checks, saving you time and money.
The Process
Obtaining your check through an accredited online provider like Rapid Screening is a simple, secure, and fully digital process designed for speed.
Step 1: Online Application and Consent
You begin by completing an online application form. This requires basic personal details and, critically, your signed consent allowing the accredited provider to submit your request to ACIC on your behalf. This digital process is much faster and more accurate than filling out a paper form.
Step 2: Digital Identity Verification
Instead of visiting a police station or post office, you use our secure online portal to verify your identity. This involves:
- Uploading Documents: Submitting clear images or scans of primary and secondary identity documents to satisfy the 100 point check requirement.
- Digital Verification: Using secure, encrypted technology to verify the authenticity of your documents against government databases.
This digital step is highly efficient and eliminates the need for any in person queues, making the personal background check application seamless.
Step 3: Fast and Secure Results
Once you submit your application, ACIC processes the check. For most applications with “No Disclosable Court Outcomes,” ACIC returns the results within hours or less than one business day. They then deliver your official certificate securely usually by email giving you an immediate, official copy of your personal background check.
Interpreting Your Results: Disclosable vs. Spent
One of the most valuable aspects of getting your own personal background check is learning how the Spent Convictions Scheme has been applied to your record.
The Role of Spent Convictions
The final certificate you receive only includes Disclosable Court Outcomes (DCOs). If an offence occurred, but it meets the criteria for being spent, that conviction will be legally filtered and will not appear on the certificate. This is a critical legal protection. If a record is not listed, you are legally entitled to act as if it never occurred for most employment purposes.
Addressing Potential Disclosures
If a DCO does appear on your personal background check, you have time to prepare. This could involve:
- Gathering Documentation: Collecting court documents that explain the context and resolution of the offence.
- Writing a Statement: Preparing a brief, professional statement to provide context to a potential employer, focusing on rehabilitation and the role’s non relevance to the offence.
Being able to hand the employer your police check and a prepared, honest explanation shows maturity and professionalism.
Conclusion: Invest in Your Certainty
In the modern Australian career landscape, being prepared means more than just having a polished resume. It means understanding your legal status and eliminating any potential roadblocks before they appear. Obtaining a personal background check is not just an administrative step; it is an investment in your peace of mind and your future employability.
Whether you are preparing for a new job, renewing a licence, or simply seeking certainty about your personal history, initiating your own personal background check through a trusted and accredited provider ensures you have the official, accurate documentation in hand, ready to seize your next opportunity.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q) Why should I get a personal background check if my employer will just request one?
The main advantage is control and speed. By having your own current check, you can verify its accuracy and address any potential issues proactively. Most importantly, you can provide the certificate instantly to an employer, avoiding the typical 1 to 2 day delay for an NDCO result and speeding up your onboarding time.
Q) How long is a personal background check valid for?
An Australian National Criminal History Check has no formal expiry date. It is a record of your disclosable history up to the date of issue. However, most organisations (employers, licensing bodies) require a “current” check, which usually means it was issued within the last three to six months.
Q) Is a check I order myself legally the same as one an employer orders?
Yes, absolutely. The source of the information is always the same: the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC). The final certificate is an official, legally compliant document, regardless of whether you or an employer submitted the application, provided it was processed by an ACIC accredited provider.
Q) What documents do I need for my personal background check?
You will need a combination of documents (such as a passport, driver’s licence, Medicare card, or birth certificate) to meet the 100 point identity check. Accredited online providers offer a straightforward digital process for submitting and verifying these documents.
