Got an email from background check vendor asking for information -- does this mean I got the job?

went for a 2nd round interview this past week and have not heard anything since, but on friday I got an email from the background check vendor used by this company asking me for some information so they can perform the background check. does this mean i got the offer? have you heard of companies initiating the background check process before an offer has been made? i always figured companies waited until they made you an offer and you accepted before they started the process. any thoughts?

6 Comments
 

If you're positive they've been sent by the company, perhaps you should ask your contact at the firm about it.

in it 2 win it
 

Don't get ahead of yourself; this happens at a lot of firms. You can't interpret it to mean you have an offer. Many firms will have applicants fill out preliminary background paperwork but will only proceed with the applicants who are offered and accept positions.

Think about it - they could give someone an offer and have that person go to a different firm. They're not going to run a background check until someone has already accepted.

 
i hate auditheard from the background check vendor again today. this time they asked for more sensitive information including W-2 forms. the first time they contacted me was only for DOB. i emailed HR to confirm that this was indeed their vendor and they confirmed. i still havent heard anything abt getting an offer or not. what do you think of this?
Just reread my comment. Unless they know you are joining them (ie you accepted an offer) they won't actually carry out the background check, which also includes drug testing. This is a preliminary requirement. Chill out. The only thing that means you have an offer is if they give you an offer.
 

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