In looking for work after being released from prison, those who have experience in working at a car rental agency might consider applying for a job at a company like Enterprise.
Of course, the typical question is whether or not Enterprise runs background checks.
Let’s look at this.
In this blog post, we’ll cover the following:
- Does Enterprise Hire Felons?
- Understanding the Application Process
- What to Know About the Enterprise Background Check
- Does the Type of Felony Matter?
- Background Checks For Car Rentals?
- Can You Run a Background Check on Yourself?
- What to Do if You Fail the Enterprise Background Check
Contents
Does Enterprise Hire Felons?
Yes, Enterprise does hire felons.
This doesn’t mean they will hire all felons, but they have been known to give many of them a chance.
Enterprise does not have a stated policy on hiring felons, but there is evidence that the company is willing to give jobs to those with a criminal record that includes having a felony conviction.
It will require a willingness on the part of felon applicants to go through the hiring process and consent to whatever type of background check Enterprise has in place.
In other words, it will take an interest and persistence to land a job there, but it can be done.
Let’s look at the relevant factors.
Understanding the Application Process
Enterprise Rent-A-Car is an international car rental company with more than 6,500 locations around the world.
Enterprise hires employees for customer service, administrative, and professional positions.
Entry-level job positions are mostly in customer service.
The Enterprise interview process begins with an online application and involves a series of phone and face-to-face interviews with hiring managers.
You must have knowledge about Enterprise along with the car rental business to have a chance at success here.
A first interview for a more basic entry-level position is a face-to-face meeting with the hiring manager.
Questions focus on past work experience, skills, and customer service. If you pass the initial phase, you will typically interview with a branch manager.
Enterprise interview questions focus on your ability to serve customers and improve rentals.
Questions often involve selling company products and services to specific types of customers and rating your service and sales skills.
What to Know About the Enterprise Background Check
Enterprise does not ask any questions about your criminal history on the job application.
However, as you can expect there is a background check that will take place if the company is interested in possibly hiring you, typically after a conditional offer of employment has been made.
Enterprise will inform you that there will be a background check before proceeding and will request permission to conduct it.
A typical background check at Enterprise takes approximately one week.
Of course, Enterprise wants to protect the company, employees, and all customers from any criminal behavior by applicants through its background check.
Enterprise looks at felony convictions case by case and will consider the amount of time since the conviction as well as the nature and severity of any crime.
Usually, Enterprise looks at criminal convictions within the past seven years.
Does the Type of Felony Matter?
Yes, the type of felony does make a difference according to Enterprise’s hiring practices.
Typically, Enterprise does not hire felons who have a theft charge or any financial crime on their record.
Because of the heavy reliance on the transactions in car rentals, the company will not consider hiring anyone who has any offense related to finances or other types of fraud.
Other felonies that will likely cause difficulties in getting a job at Enterprise are violent felonies and sexual offenses.
Crimes against others are not in keeping with the company’s customer service views.
Other than those, if you have any other type of felony conviction, you may still be considered for a position at Enterprise.
Of course, if it is a position involving a driving offense, chances for being hired in driving rental vehicles for the company are not good.
Background Checks For Car Rentals?
Now, while you might think about background checks strictly from the viewpoint of employment, there is another side to this also.
What about a background check on persons who want to rent a vehicle?
Let’s look at this issue.
Every rental car company maintains a “Do Not Rent To” list.
Typically, you could land on this list after an incident with a rental car, although this can also be because of a poor driving history in other cars.
When you rent a car, you will be asked for your driver’s license for identity verification and to see if your license is valid.
Some rental car companies run a driver check through the DMV in that state, but Enterprise does not.
There are no legal requirements to run driver record checks.
However, there are two issues that will cause a driver to be rejected by Enterprise along with every other car rental company.
These are having a requirement on your driver’s license for an ignition interlock device due to repeated DUIs or being caught using a fake ID.
This might be an issue for you if you have a DUI conviction or if you have ever falsified your ID for any criminal reasons. Otherwise, you will be fine.
Can You Run a Background Check on Yourself?
Yes, you can run a background check on yourself.
We recommend doing exactly that to know exactly what Enterprise will discover when they run their check. Be prepared and avoid any surprises.
You can call an attorney and not risk the results.
You would probably have the best opportunity to get a job at Enterprise by having your record expunged, if you are eligible to do so.
What to Do if You Fail the Enterprise Background Check
So, maybe you don’t pass the Enterprise background check.
After running your own background check, Enterprise may still not hire you based on their results or for any other reason.
You could challenge the background check results if you think there was a mistake made in yours.
They don’t hire all felons.
If you aren’t hired at Enterprise, it’s not the end of the world.
You aren’t going to get every job you apply for.
Regardless, you can learn from your experience, and be ready for the next job application.
There are jobs available with other employers.
Look at other fields and find a type of job that might suit you better. Don’t give up.
There is an employer who will give you a chance.
You just haven’t found that one yet.
It takes perseverance, but you have to be persistent.
Keep on looking until you come across the one that will give you a chance.
They are out there if you are persistent in looking for them.
So what do you think about this blog post about whether Enterprise runs background checks?
Have you or someone you know had Enterprise run a background check?
What was that like and what happened with it?
Please tell us in the comments below.
