This is a great comment, and it actually highlights some additional problems with it all. Let's say your name was "Mike Smith." Pretty common name, right? Ev

This is a great comment, and it actually highlights some additional problems with it all. Let's say your name was "Mike Smith." Pretty common name, right? Even if HR took your Hiring Scenario 1, it will be most likely it will take until the offer-pending-official-background-check is made. Why? Because "Mike Smith" brings up hundreds and thousands of results even with a geolocated search. Living in a city of several million is a boon to reformed misdemeanor teen Mike Smith. That's not even considering the legitimate criminal Mike Smith's that need to be ignored for our innocent Mike Smith's sake. Now, if your name was "Quincy Brouwer" (Dutch Surname), its easier for this arrest to pop up. The reality of the situation, at least from what I've seen, is that there is a hybrid of Scenarios 1 & 2 that actually go on. they will do some rudimental Googling on your name, but it won't be until the offer is about to be made that they'll do the formal, paid, background check and look into your credit history and other things. Unfortunately on the other side of the coin, for developers in particular, many will go through several rounds of sometimes grueling technical interviews only to find out a silly mistake they made as a youth disbars them from the job.