Can a prospective employer ask for background check info before they interview you?

We don’t even ask, we just do it. Your submission of an employment application to us gives us specific authority to do so.

That’s a problem? You don’t want to give us that authority? Your choice, but your application will proceed no further unless we can do a background check. It’s irresponsible to hire anyone without one, and we don’t waste time interviewing people we know we’re not going to hire.

Originally appeared on Quora