Background checks are still kicking job seekers to the curb in the rising unemployment that an economist has termed a "slow- motion recession" for workers.

A company in the huge background screening industry, employeescreenIQ, offers a plausible explanation for why employers will continue to order bucketloads of background checks even as their number of hires dips. No. 1 on the company's 2009 list of background screening trends is the critical importance of thorough background checking in a shrinking job market.

Here's the reasoning:

"The job market is destined to become even more competitive, which in turn could lead some individuals to stretch the truth in order to secure employment. ... It is imperative the items listed on [new employees'] résumés truly reflect the experience they are claiming."

The employeescreenIQ trends report says that a lot of résumé "fluffing" (bulking up a résumé with untruths) is going on. The company finds a 56 percent discrepancy rate between what is reported on a résumé and what is found when conducting employment and education verifications. Data vary about how many liars there are in the marketplace, but a 56 percent discrepancy is believable.

Among other trends reported: using social networking sites to screen individuals, screening outside contractors, screening existing employees, states' new focus on privacy for public records, and electronic verification of potential employees' citizenship and right to work.

What screening covers. The term "background check" can mean anything from a credit report to an intense verification of someone's background that includes previous addresses and interviews with family, friends and neighbors.

Checks usually review criminal and court records and may include driving records and vehicle registrations. Sex- offender databases may be reviewed.

Bankruptcies can stay on your credit reports for seven to 10 years, depending on the type of bankruptcy you file.

Bulletproofing moves. Screening information is usually reliable, but history shows it can contain errors, innuendos and grudge-induced lies. What's worse, as some scary court cases illustrate, when reporting mistakes are made in background checks, they can be nearly impossible to correct, even though employers must give a copy of background reports to rejected applicants.

Must you sign a waiver? If you're asked to sign paperwork permitting background checks, you won't be considered for employment unless you do. Under federal law, you can buy a pre-employment self-check to get a look at what an employer would learn about you. Not all jobs require background checks.

What if you expect a problem? If a red flag is going to turn up on your report, consider a pre-emptive strike by revealing the fact at the interview. This strategy gives you the opportunity to put yourself in the best possible light.

Fighting your way through a flawed background check is tricky. Learn all you can about the process. Search online for helpful articles and read books, such as Sleuthing 101: Background Checks and the Law, by Barry Nadell.

Remember, the employer is not out to burn you but to protect the organization by doing everything possible to ward off problems and legal liabilities. Don't become emotional when discussing an uncomfortable or employment-threatening issue. Look for ways to deal with a negative background issue in a manner that doesn't separate you from your career.

Tribune Media Services