Why It's Important to Know the People You Surround Yourself With

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash
Photo : Austin Distel on Unsplash

It's often said, 'you can never really know someone.' Even in this day and age where social media offers us an in-depth look at our friends' and colleagues' lives, and we're more connected than ever before, there is never a lack of skeletons lingering in closets.

It's essential to know as much as possible about those that could have the most significant impact on our lives, such as potential new romantic connections, employees, or business partners.

Here are some steps to take to ensure that what you know about the people surrounding you is accurate and authentic, ways to find out more information on their backgrounds, and why it could be essential to do so.

Background Checkers

One of the best ways to get the information you need about someone is by using a background checker. There are now lots of these available, so have a look to find the one that'll best suit your needs and budget.

Background checkers can typically give you information to confirm an individual's name, date of birth, and current and previous addresses. These services often include details on any known aliases, relatives, criminal records, sex offender information, traffic violations, social media information, and even public photos.

To get an in-depth idea of the type of service you can expect from a background checker, look at this People Looker review. It's important to be aware that you're not allowed to use some types of checkers to look up information as part of employment or tenant screening or the hiring of household workers, to determine creditworthiness, or to check academic qualifications. Look into the background checker you're considering using carefully to find out what it can be legitimately used for.

Scour Social Media

As mentioned at the top of this article, a person's social media pages can reveal much more about them and their lifestyle than they realize. 

Taking time to scroll back through the individual concerned's feed and paying attention to photos, comments, friends, and followers can help you learn a bit more about their past, personality, and lifestyle.

How we use our social media pages can also reveal a lot about our personalities. For example, a recent study found that extroverts update their status and post new photos significantly more than their introverted friends. At the same time, you can spot a conscientious person by the way they organize their files and pictures on Facebook.

Hire a Private Investigator

This could be another option to get the information you need, but it comes at a price: expect to pay between $50 and $100 an hour for the services of a private investigator.

The job of a private investigator is to gather information discreetly - this can range from surveillance to combing through public records and even to going through an individual's trash to get the details required.

Background Checking Employees

As an employer, running background checks on potential employees is vital. Certain types of background checks are FCA compliant and can therefore be used as part of the recruitment process. 

These checks perform an important function: as well as allowing you to verify the information that the individual has provided about themselves; they help ensure that the workplace is a safe environment for both other employees and customers.

Knowing that a background check will be performed also promotes honesty in the hiring process and discourages those candidates with something to hide from applying. Carrying out the correct employee background checks means that your business is not at risk of litigation regarding due diligence in the hiring process.

Reasons It's a Good Idea to Find Out More About Someone

There are many good reasons to use one of the above methods to check that someone in your life - either in a business or professional sense - is who they say they are. Here are some examples of when getting some extra info on an individual may be especially useful:

When Recruiting

Before hiring someone or going into a business partnership with an individual, it's important to ensure the information they have provided you is correct.

To Avoid Scams

Unfortunately, many fraudsters out there will do everything they can to gain your trust and access your money or personal details. 

To Protect Your Personal Safety

From helping to ensure your safety when going out on a first date to wanting peace of mind that your new neighbor isn't on the sex offenders register, there are many ways to find out more about certain people in your life that could keep you and your family safer.

For Checking Financial Health

For example, if you're thinking of renting out your property, then finding out more about a potential tenant's financial health could be vital. This information can determine how likely- or otherwise - the individual is to pay their rent on time reliably.

The Takeaway

As we've explored, there are many reasons to do some digging on those surrounding you. Whether to double-check their credentials or for simple peace of mind, taking some time to find out whether someone is exactly who they say they are could be time (and possibly money) extremely well spent.

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