(Newswire.net — August 18, 2020) — Every new hire offers an opportunity for business growth, but every person added to a team also presents business risks. To help minimize the risks, employers perform background checks during pre-employment screening. The information derived from it can help provide further insight as to whether an applicant is well-suited for a specific role.
What to Look For
Generally speaking, a background check is a broad term that may entail credit checks, criminal history checks, driver’s history, education, and more. However, employers tend to focus on ‘relevant’ details that can aid in evaluating a candidate’s character and competence to help protect against a bad hire.
Here are some of the things to look out for in an employee background check:
- Criminal History
Employers need to learn about the criminal history of applicants for several reasons. First, it provides a glimpse into an applicant’s prior criminal convictions that could potentially be a risk to the organization, and even other people. As an example, an applicant with multiple DUIs is not suitable for a driving role. National police checks can be useful in pulling that information. These days police clearances can be obtained easily online.
But more importantly, employers should focus on criminal history that has bearing on the job. For instance, disqualifying a driving applicant on the bases of a past animal cruelty charge may be unjustified.
- Educational Claims
A report by ICAC indicates that 20 to 30 percent of job applications contain some false information. One area many applicants try to embellish is their educational qualification. An applicant’s education directly relates to their knowledge and might be crucial to them executing their role successfully. Therefore, employers should verify the educational credentials of applicants.
- Credit History
An employer can request permission to run a credit history check on an employee. This can be very helpful if the potential employee is going to be responsible for financial issues within the organization. Employees that are financial-stressed may face a lot of temptation for the role and may not be well-suited. Similarly, employees with bad spending habits or a history of fraud or theft may be a bad fit.
- Contact The References
Employee background checks are also a useful tool for confirming an individual’s work history. While an employee cannot be certain that references are being truthful, taking time to speak with professional references of prospective employees can help provide valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the applicant, as well as their competence for the job.
- Social Media Profiles
One comment or post from an employee can devolve into a big PR problem for their employer. That’s why HR managers and recruiters are now spending more time looking into the social media profiles of prospective employees. Looking into an applicant’s social media profiles gives employers a peek into their private life. This enables them to access the prospect’s ‘online character’ and potential to cause problems down the line.
Dealing With Negative Information
During pre-employment screening checks, employers sometimes uncover negative information about an applicant. Should this be enough grounds for disqualification?
Background checks should be used to inform the hiring decision, not make a decision. That’s why companies need to develop their hiring policies for the different roles in the organization. Decisions must be made based on the position an employer is looking to fill. If the negative information uncovered is severe and relevant to the role, it might be enough grounds for disqualification.