Why is a good background check mandatory for recruiters?
A better background check process can give you a hiring edge. Read further to find out more about background checks.
If you are hiring during this pandemic, then it is likely that it is being done with some urgency. Many hospitals, online retailers, online education companies, gig economy companies, and staffing firms are hiring at an accelerated rate to keep pace with current demands. Even firms that don’t have imminent hiring needs are planning to staff up rapidly as states begin to reopen.
Hiring is likely to surge as the lockdowns lift, and employers are now evaluating their screening processes to ensure they can properly inspect prospective candidates without creating bottlenecks in hiring. Some companies have even gone as far as allowing new workers to start before background checks are fully processed.
Even under these circumstances, companies should not sacrifice safety and should complete background checks for the welfare of the organization and its employees. You CAN and SHOULD have both. If your need to recruit is urgent, then so is your need to make the right hire.
What is an employee background check?
An employee background check is a review of a person’s criminal, employment, commercial, and/or financial records. Many employers conduct background checks on job candidates. Usually, employers conduct checks after the interview of a candidate. A background check helps an employer verify information shared by a job seeker and uncover any vulnerabilities, such as indebtedness or criminal history, that might make it more likely for the candidate to act unethically on the job.
What does a basic background check include?
1. Criminal records check.
Provides criminal history for the applicant. Especially important for positions of trust/security. Should include national and county records.
2. Social security validation.
Ensures the candidate’s social security number is legitimate and finds all names, including aliases and variations, date of birth, and address history associated with the social security number. This shows employers if the candidate has lived in undisclosed locations or under other aliases, which may reveal criminal records that wouldn’t have been found otherwise.
3. Address history check.
Trace previous addresses for the candidate. Finding out where a candidate has lived will make it easier to verify other research, and may reveal jurisdictions where criminal background checks should be performed.
Why do employers do background checks?
The background check is often the final step taken by recruiters to help ensure an ideal hiring decision and protect the firm from a number of potential risks.
1. Job Competence
For many employers, a background check is a definitive way of verifying claims made by job seekers during the hiring process. With a low employment rate, the appeal of exaggerating educational qualifications or enhancing job histories, for example, can grow.
2. Workplace Safety
Companies face certain responsibilities for their employees’ welfare, as well as the safety of customers, vendors, and visitors.
For example, if an employer hires someone who harms another employee, the employer may face claims for careless hiring if, for example, the employer had reasons to believe that the employee might be dangerous to others or the employer failed to conduct an inevitable investigation to discover whether the employee is unfit for the position or may cause harm to others.
3. Workplace Theft
Employers know that most business thefts today are performed by the insiders itself. A background check can help employers to make intelligent and right hiring decisions to help reduce their risk of theft.
4. Honesty and Integrity
A confirmed wrong statement or fabrication made by a candidate during the hiring process is enough for an employer to question the candidate’s integrity and potentially disqualify them from a job.
Conclusion
Looking ahead, the return of millions of people to work will make a significant impact on the hiring perspective in general and also on your company’s hiring program. As we emerge from the current crisis into a new set of unrivaled circumstances, proper employment screening cannot be forsaken. Whether you are bringing employees back from lay-offs or hiring brand new team members, ensuring the safeguarding of your employees, customers, and communities as well as protecting your brand, and reputation is important.
In addition, remote work policies are most likely to extend beyond the duration of the current crisis, and that means you will likely be interviewing, hiring, and onboarding virtually many candidates into the future. In that case, you need both a strong background screening program and strong identity authentication and verification. program. Adjusting to the new normal presents an opportunity for you to incorporate these best practices into your hiring process.
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