Even small businesses with fewer than ten employees often use background screening services to at least find the most basic information about their new hires. Basic background screening online can supply information about a person's address and employment history to see if the application information provided is correct. With a Social Security number or driver's license number, employers and potential renters can also find information about warrants and driving records, among other things. These are just the most basic types of applicant screening. Background screening services can also provide more advanced information about a person's aliases, criminal past and associations.

Government jobs may require extremely high level applicant screening, which could even delve into sealed juvenile records for the highest military clearances. In ordinary cases, though, employers can use background screening online to get the information they need, which will help them to determine if a person is appropriate for a job or not.