Any good company is aware of the importance of hiring the right kind of talent to join their company, which is why pre-employment background checks are so important. It is always in any business’s best interests, regardless of the size, that they clear a potential employee’s background before they proceed with hiring a potential employee.
A good background check usually looks into the potential hiree’s past employment, education, criminal records and personal references. To ensure that your new employee is the best person for the job, there are some best practices to follow when conducting a pre-employment background check.
Here are six tips for conducting pre-employment background checks:
Inform the Hiree and Request Their Permission For a Check
This should be done early on in the hiring process, preferably during the initial interview. By letting the candidate know that you will be conducting a background check, allows them to be more forthcoming about any potential skeletons in their closet and also shows that you are taking your business’s hiring process seriously.
Some laws require explicit permission for you to proceed with a background check, so double-check these and obtain the needed consent from the applicant. These laws will also inform you about what information is grounds for a candidate’s dismissal. Always cover yourself legally when performing background checks because violating these laws can open your business to potential lawsuits.
Define What You Hope to Achieve With the Check
There are different types of background checks with different purposes. Some companies might want to focus on a criminal history check, while others might focus more on employment verification. Knowing what information you hope to uncover will help guide you in which type of check to conduct.
Remember that a full background check can be time-consuming and costly, so determining what you’re looking for beforehand can help narrow your scope and avoid any unnecessary checks that could slow down the hiring process.
Make Sure That Your Checks Are Consistent For All Applicants
If you run a background check for an employee’s employment, you have to ensure that this check is consistent among all applicants. It will not do for you to check the background of one applicant and not the other.
Not only is this unethical and unfair, but this also opens up your company to potential liability for any discrimination lawsuits if this practice is found out. While some positions may require more extensive checks than others, the requirement for a check must be consistent throughout.
Check Their References
When you have all the necessary information and documentation, it’s time to proceed with the background check. Start with the references that the applicant has provided. These people can provide valuable insights into an applicant’s character and work ethic.
They can also verify the information that the applicant has given you, such as their dates of employment and job titles. Have a set of questions to ask each reference to maintain consistency among your background checks.
Give the Applicant a Chance to Explain If There Are Any Red Flags
If you find any information during a pre-employment check that raises any red flags, allow the applicant to clarify the situation before making your decision.
Keep in mind that any records you may pull up, whether employment, criminal or the like, may not tell the whole story of the applicant’s background, so giving them a chance to explain the situation is a good way of making a more well-informed choice for the hiring process.
Not only that, but basing your hiring decision on a background check without discussing it with the applicant can potentially have negative repercussions down the line. You can reject an applicant based on their background check only if the information you’ve found means that the applicant cannot perform the job as stated.
Leave Your Pre-Employment Background Checks to the Professionals
As outlined in the previous points, there are a lot of legalities and ethics involved when it comes to performing a pre-employment background check. It’s vital to comply with the requirements and due process needed to hire the best candidate for the role.
Instead of worrying over the minutiae of a background check, a background check company like Impeccable Background Solutions can handle this for you. With our results-driven process and network of expert record retrievers, we handle all aspects of pre-employment background checks, so you don’t have to. Start a background check and reach out to us today, or give us a call at 404-796-8419.
