I believe that the hardest part of the recruiting process is doing the “checking up” on a candidate. There have been a few times when I’ve been ready to make a job offer, and have had some issues come up on a reference check that gave me pause.
First let me say that a candidate that isn’t aware of issues that may come up in background checks, and not alerted the recruiters to the fact, are either not very astute or trying to hide something. As an interviewee it is always good to check at least your credit history, and even background reports, as we deal with identity theft or just plain mistakes on reports.
The employer also needs to give this process some thought. First, how much information do you need based on the job functions of the person you are hiring. The more access the new employee has to vital company records (or to sensitive client information, as in the healthcare field) the more cautious one needs to be. A company doesn’t want to make headlines because one of their delivery people was arrested for drunk driving!
There are also cost/benefit considerations for the company. Some of the work can be done in-house by making phone calls to former employers and educational institutions. The company can ask for a credit report if they obtain a release from the applicant. There is a small fee involved. Criminal records searches and motor vehicle records require more time and skill. Obviously any outside screening service should be carefully selected, for accuracy and integrity.
The standard background check usually includes the following (Courtesy of Society for Human Resources):
- Verification of Social Security Number
- Credit report
- Motor vehicle record check
- County and state criminal records search (past 7 years)
- National criminal records search, including sex offender records
- Verification of the past 2 employers
- Verification of educational background
Each of these factors requires time and skill to sort out and interpret properly. The company needs to understand how to read the reports, and in the case of court records, have some understanding of the legal terminology. In addition, the company needs to make certain that these records are kept confidential, with only the HR people directly involved in the process having access. They should be stored securely once the process is complete.
It is becoming more and more important to do the due diligence before hiring. A wrong decision can have a major impact on the company’s reputation, as well as the morale of current staff. Better to be safe than sorry!
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