How to Find My Employment History (with Dates) Easily Online
5 Revisions
Job hunting can be stressful. Maybe you’re updating your resume, or tackling a background check form that’s dozens of pages long, but can’t quite remember: What was the name of that company I worked for years ago? And when exactly did I start and leave? Or perhaps you weren’t completely upfront about certain job details in your interview, and now you’re wondering—will the company find out?
We’ve all been there. The good news? There are ways to track down your employment history and even get a sense of what potential employers might see when they look into it. In this guide, we’ll break down the best methods, along with their pros and cons.
Quick guide: 5 ways to find your work history
| The Work Number Report | Includes employment dates, free online access, but may not cover your entire employment history. |
| Wage and Income Transcript (IRS) | No employment dates, can show work history going back up to the last 10 years. |
| Social Security Earnings Information (SSA) | No employment dates, requires a fee and a waiting period, must be requested by mail. |
| TruthFinder Personal Background Report | Includes employment dates, quick and simple name-based search, may not be fully accurate or complete, requires a small fee. |
| Credit Reports | No employment dates, may not include all of your work history. |
Editor’s note: We’ve researched and ranked the most effective ways to find your work history. But the best method depends on your specific needs. Check out the summaries before each method in this guide to pick the one(s) that’s right for you.
Before we start…
Here are a few things you’ve probably already thought of, but just in case:
- Check online job platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, or Glassdoor to see if you’ve listed any past employers.
- Dig up your old resume—it might be sitting in a forgotten folder on your computer.
- Look through your tax documents, such as past W-2 forms.
- Check old pay stubs and expense records.
1. Find your employment history using The Work Number
Information provided:
Employer’s name, employment dates, employment status, job titles, how much you got paid, verifiers who have viewed your data in the past 2 years
The Work Number (TWN), operated by Equifax, is a central database of employment history. They receive data directly from employers, payroll providers, or third-party administrators who choose to use TWN for employment verifications.
This means that The Work Number only includes employment information from companies that actively use it to hold their records and may not have a complete list of all your past employers. For example, one Reddit user mentioned that only about half of their previous employers had submitted data[1], while another shared that, despite having worked for numerous companies over 30 years, the report only listed three retail positions she held as part-time jobs.
In general, larger employers are more likely to report to it, whereas smaller companies, startups, or employers that pay “off the books” may not show up at all.
So, if you want an exhaustive list of your past employers, your best bet is to get a report from government agencies like the SSA or the IRS. However, if you’re looking for more detailed information about your jobs, such as start and end dates or job titles, TWN can be helpful.
How to view your TWN employment data report
Because The Work Number database complies with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the employment data report is available to you for free. Here’re the steps to follow:
- Start by going to The Work Number website.
- Select “Log In” and follow the simple prompts.
- Enter your employer’s name or employer’s code, and click Search. (If your most recent employer didn’t come up, try a different one.)
- Click the right employer after a list of results appears. Then click Select Employer.
- If this is your first time – pick “Register Now”; If a returning user – enter your username and password you set up.
- The screen prompts will walk you through all the steps to help verify your identity (you’ll need to provide your SSN/FN/LN/DoB) and keep your account private while offering helpful messages if you have problems.
Note: The information provided in this document is an unofficial report, intended for personal use by the employee-recipient only. It is not a verification and cannot be used for verification purposes.
If you have trouble getting your report, contact The Work Number Employee Service Center at: 800-367-2884 M-F 8:00 am – 9:00 pm (ET). Or you can drop us a line in the comments section and we’ll do our best to help.
You might be wondering, is this information completely accurate? Unfortunately, not always. There have been instances where reports contained errors, like showing someone still employed after they’d left, or listing incorrect job titles. It really boils down to the accuracy of the data employers provide. If there are mistakes on their end, they’ll show up in the report.
Besides checking your own employment information, getting a report can also give you a glimpse of what potential employers might see about you. Many companies actually use it for employment verification. If you receive a job offer and they decide to pay for access[2], they’ll be able to see details like how long you worked at a previous company (if this company used TWN).
But one thing to clarify is that, the report you receive isn’t exactly the same as what an employer sees when verifying your work history. A potential employer can request employment verification to confirm your job history, but they do not have the right to access your income verification. Only banks and lending institutions are permitted to pull that information.
So if you’re worried that prospective employers might see your past earnings through The Work Number, you can rest easy.
We give you the option to control who can view your data: You can request an employment data freeze. When you place a freeze on your data, verifiers cannot view your data on The Work Number.
Information on freezing your data from The Work Number website
If you prefer, the website allows you to freeze your data. This can be useful in certain situations. For example, maybe you didn’t mention a short-term, potentially negative job on your resume or during the interview, and you don’t want the new employer to see it. (Of course, you can also pull your report in advance to check if that particular job appears on it).
Note that freezing your report only prevents others from accessing it. You can’t stop The Work Number from recording your employment information from now on or delete any past data.
2. Request your W-2 details from the IRS
Information provided:
Employer’s name and EIN (Employer Identification Number), Employer’s address
Each year, you handle various tax forms, such as the W-2s (Wage and Tax Statement) your employer issues to you at the end of the tax year and the tax return (Form 1040) you file with the IRS. If you need a list of past employers, your W-2s are the ones to check. They not only show how much you earned and the taxes withheld from your paycheck, but also include the names of your employers and the years you worked for them[3].
If you kept those old W-2 forms at your home, you can simply find them and check for employment details. But if you didn’t, you can request your Wage and Income Transcript from the IRS. The Wage and Income Transcript lists tax data from the IRS received from employers, such as Forms W-2, 1099, 1098, and 5498. You can’t get your actual copies of W-2s, but it shows the important details.
Online access: You can simply get an IRS wage and income transcript via the IRS Get Transcript Online portal. These transcripts are available for the past ten tax years[4].
By mail: You can also use Form 4506-T to request a wage and income transcript. The transcripts will arrive in about three weeks.
How to request your Wage and Income Transcript online step by step:
- Go to the IRS website.
- Click Sign in to your online account.
- Follow the prompts to verify your identity. The IRS uses the ID.me verification system. If you do not already have an ID.me account you will be prompted to create one. You will need to provide your Social Security number, date of birth, and filing status for the tax year in question.
- Select “Wage and Income Transcript” as the type of transcript you want to receive.
- Choose the tax year(s) for which you need the transcript.
- Click “Continue” and follow the prompts to complete the request.
- Once your request is processed, you will be able to view, download, or print your transcript.
Some of you may have used a tax service like TurboTax or or H&R Block. Unfortunately, they generally don’t have a copy of your Wage & Tax Statement issued to you by your employer, nor do they have copies of your 1099’s.
3. Request your employment information from the SSA
Information provided:
Names and addresses of employers, years of employment
Social Security Administration (SSA) maintains a record of your employment history to track your earnings for Social Security purposes.
With the SSA, the focus is more on the amount of wages you earned each year than employer details. So if you’re looking for exact start and end dates, this may not be the best option. However, if you’ve forgotten the names of companies you once worked for, it could be useful since SSA statements generally cover all past employers who paid you wages.
Can I just view my employment history for free on my online SSA account?
If you set up an account on their official website (my Social Security portal), you can access your online Statement, which displays your yearly earnings history free of charge. However, it does not show any employer information.
Therefore, in this guide, we primarily focus on showing you how to obtain the SSA’s itemized statement of earnings via mail.
You have to pay a fee to get your records from the Social Security Administration. As of the time of writing, the official website lists the following fees[5]:
| Non-Certified Itemized Statement of Earnings | Certified Itemized Statement of Earnings |
| $61.00 | $96.00 |
Both options provide a statement that includes years of self-employment or employment (without dates) as well as employer names and addresses. If you simply need the report for your own records, there’s no need to get a certified statement. A certified statement is only necessary if you’ve been asked for it.
How long will it take SSA to process your request?
The SSA may take up to 120 days to process your request. The actual time may vary depending on how busy the SSA is when you submit your request. If 120 days have passed and you haven’t received your report, you can call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to request a status update.
How to request your employment history from the SSA step by step:
- Go to the Request for Social Security Earnings Information page of the SSA official website or download the SSA-7050-F4 form directly.
- Fill out the form on the computer and print it out, or you can print out a blank form and fill it out by hand. (If you prefer, you can also choose to ask for a paper form in person at your nearest Social Security office)
- Mail the form to the SSA along with the fee. When you’ve completed the form, send it to the Division of Earnings Record Operations at the address shown on the form, along with payment of $61 for a non-certified statement of earnings, or $96 for a certified statement of earnings.
4. Conduct a background check on yourself with people search tools
Information provided:
Employer’s name, employment dates, employer’s address, other background data (criminal & traffic records, professional licenses, education, finances information, and more.)
A people search engine is an online tool designed to find detailed information about people. These sites have access to large amounts of data from various sources & platforms, including from local and federal government, social media, and even some exclusive channels. They can provide a detailed background report on a specific individual within minutes.
After trying out several of the most reputable people search services, I found that TruthFinder’s background report is the most valuable when it comes to finding employment history. Compared to many similar products on the market, TruthFinder stands out in several ways:
- First, it provides job records with employment dates, while many others only list employer names.
- Additionally, while some services rely heavily on a single source, such as LinkedIn, TruthFinder pulls data from a wider range of sources and can retrieve records from decades ago.
- The sheer number of records it provides can also be impressive, especially for individuals with an extensive work history. For example, out of curiosity, I looked up a local public figure, and TruthFinder displayed 16 job records for her!
It’s important to note that using people search services to look up work history is not an official method—employers do not directly provide data to these platforms. Instead, these services aggregate vast amounts of data from various sources.
Also, keep in mind that TruthFinder does not provide consumer reports and is not a consumer reporting agency. It cannot be used for employment screening due to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). However, if you’re pulling a report for personal use—such as checking your own work history or looking up your friend’s or potential date’s out of curiosity—that’s completely fine.
How to use TruthFinder to look up your employment history
- Go to the TruthFinder people search page.
- Enter your first and last name; selecting the state can help narrow your search
- Click SEARCH NOW.
- Wait for TruthFinder to comb through a wide range of public records sources and generate a detailed report. In order to view the report, you will need to purchase a membership plan that best fits your needs.
- View the list of results to locate the right person and click OPEN REPORT.
Here’s a pro tip for reading your report:
At the top of the report (title section), you’ll see a yellow button labeled “extended data available“. Click it and confirm, and you’ll be able to load the full data for a more complete report (no additional payment required).
There are generally two places to check when looking for your work history information.
One is the “JOBS” section under the “PERSONAL” category. It appears near the beginning of the report, so just scroll down a bit from the start to find it, if available.
💡To find it quickly:
Sometimes after loading the “extended data available”, the report summary at the top will directly show a “Jobs” label. Just click it to quickly jump to that section of the report.
In some cases, even within the PERSONAL category, job-related records may be scattered in different sections. For example, you might see two jobs listed at the beginning of the PERSONAL category, but as you scroll further, you may find additional records. (This is one area where I think TruthFinder’s reports could be improved.)
Anyway, if you only see one or two jobs at the beginning, don’t close the report right away. Take a bit more time to scroll through and see if more work history records are available.
Another place to check is the “EMPLOYMENT HISTORY” section under the “BUSINESSES” category.
The “Jobs” and “Employment History” sections have some differences. A job listed in the “Jobs” section may not appear in “Employment History,” and vice versa. The “Jobs” section includes job titles, while “Employment History” provides employer addresses. This could be because the information in these sections comes from different data sources. Either way, checking both might help fill in the gaps.
A note on data accuracy
While people search reports offer valuable information, they aren’t always 100% complete or accurate. These tools don’t create data but compile it from various public and commercial sources, which can sometimes be outdated or incomplete. There’s also a trade-off between efficiency and accuracy. These sites prioritize quick and relevant results over perfect precision. That’s why we recommend always carefully verifying the information you find.
Other background information that are worth checking out
TruthFinder’s report includes not only job history but also a wealth of other background information:
- Detailed criminal & traffic records (arrest records, court records, sex offenses, misdemeanors, traffic offenses, etc.)
- Education (schools attended, degrees and other qualifications, attendance dates)
- Professional licenses & certifications
- Financial information (bankruptcies, liens, judgments, evictions)
- Social media profiles
- Address history
- And more…
While this isn’t specifically for employment screening, it provides a detailed and all-encompassing background report that can help you get a sense of what potential employers might see. After all, if they were to run a formal employment background check on you, the results would likely cover similar information.
For example, below is my acquaintance’s report—it shows a traffic violation she received years ago when she was just 17.
The following screenshots are from a report of a practicing psychologist, showing details of her counselor license, as well as the education and training she has received.
5. Find your work history in credit reports
Information provided:
Employer name, date verified
It might not be the most obvious option, but yes, past employers can show up on your credit report. Think about it: when you apply for loans or credit cards, you are usually asked to provide employment details. Lenders sometimes pass that information to credit bureaus as part of your identifying information, and that’s how it ends up in your credit file.
That being said, lenders aren’t required to send employment information to the credit bureaus, and some choose not to. As a result, a credit report won’t necessarily provide a complete history of your past jobs. Essentially, they only know what has been reported to them.
How to get your credit report online
The three nationwide credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) have a centralized website, so to get your report, just head over to annualcreditreport.com. The website allows you to pull your free weekly online credit reports from each of the three credit bureaus.
Just follow the on-site instructions and the 3 steps outlined in the image below to claim your free report.
Before you can access your report, you’ll need to go through a fairly detailed identity verification process to confirm it’s really you making the request. You’ll be asked to provide personal information like your name, Social Security number, and date of birth, of course. Additionally, you’ll need to answer a few questions that only you would know.
Once you access your credit report, there should be a section called Personal Information where you can find “Employment Data Reported”. But the name and layout can vary slightly between credit bureaus.
Read more: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers detailed guidance on obtaining your free credit report.
Will checking my credit score impact my credit score?
No, checking your own credit report or score (a soft inquiry) does not affect your credit scores. Only hard inquiries, typically from lenders during credit applications, can potentially affect your scores temporarily.[6]
Final thoughts before you go
I know many of you are trying to find out the precise start and end dates of your previous jobs. But when it comes to this level of detail, even sources like public records can only serve as references and may not always provide perfectly accurate or complete employment dates.
My advice is, don’t stress too much over getting every date exactly right. From my own experience, as well as insights from friends and discussions on work-related forums, the key is to be honest and transparent. If you’re unsure, just be upfront that you’re providing the best information you can. The worst thing you can do is appear dishonest. You should never just ‘wing it’ when filling out important forms.
Looking at the various methods listed in this guide, you’ll find that most sources aren’t able to provide an exhaustive list of your work history or exact start and end dates, since they’re limited by their data sources. At the end of the day, your own records are often the most reliable.
That’s why it’s a good idea to keep track of important details yourself. While minimalism can be a beneficial lifestyle, it’s best to keep old W-2s and other important documents for your records, if possible. Having everything in one place makes it incredibly convenient for future reference.
Personally, I keep a Word document listing every job and internship I’ve had in chronological order, separate from my resume. It includes the company name, job title(s), wage, official job description, start and end dates, names and phone numbers of managers or supervisors, and any references from that job. Of course, you don’t have to do exactly the same—just an example.
In addition, managing your LinkedIn account well has been really helpful in today’s professional world. It not only serves as a convenient, up-to-date record of your work history, but is likely the first thing a potential employer sees if they decide to do a quick online search on you. Plus, It’s also a powerful networking tool.
*All product names, logos, brands, trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.
DISCLAIMER: You may not use TruthFinder or the information it provides to make decisions about consumer credit, employment, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance. TruthFinder does not provide consumer reports and is not a consumer reporting agency. (These terms have special meanings under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 USC 1681 et seq., (“FCRA”), which are incorporated herein by reference.)”
Footnotes
- r/cscarrierquestions[strangefellowing]. (May 22, 2023) US Devs: Check Your “The Work Number” Report. [Online forum post] Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/cscareerquestions/comments/13o0gl0/us_devs_check_your_the_work_number_report/↩
- Checking your own report is free, but companies are charged a hefty fee if they want to access your employment records.↩
- Your Form 1040, on the other hand, only shows your total income for the year, and does not list your past employers.↩
- You can’t get last year’s transcript until after the April filing due date.↩
- In addition to these two options, there’s another one that only shows total earnings per year, without employer names or addresses, so it’s not included in this article.↩
- Equifax. (n.d.). Will checking your credit hurt credit scores? Equifax. Retrieved July 12, 2024, from https://www.equifax.com/personal/education/credit/score/articles/-/learn/will-checking-your-credit-hurt-credit-scores/↩
There’s no guarantee you’ll find the information you’re looking for with the tools discussed in this article. They all source their information from publicly available data sources, such as county, state and federal courts, government departments, and police records, and those sources may contain incorrect or incomplete data. It’s illegal to use these tools to make decisions about employment, admission, consumer credit, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance. Read the Fair Credit Reporting Act to learn more....
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