Carrying out background checks on prospective employees is a common practice in the United States. While nearly all organizations check character and former employer references, many go further by looking into a candidate’s criminal, credit and even driving histories. It’s understandable that companies go to great lengths to avoid the time, cost and embarrassment that can be incurred by making a wrong decision. However, conducting background checks on potential employees isn’t an uncomplicated procedure. Below are three tips to help you navigate this process.
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Federal law requires that you obtain the job candidate’s consent prior to conducting the background check. Before giving consent, they should be told why you are conducting the check, what information will be pulled and which company will be performing it. Once you have obtained the report, the prospective employee should also be given a copy and told how it might inform your decision.
Use a Professional Service
You may not feel that hiring a professional service to conduct the check is within your budget and instead resort to Google or Facebook when looking into your candidates’ backgrounds. This could be potentially disastrous as it may not provide you with the information you need. When a company only has a few employees, each one is indispensable to the continued success of the business. A professional service, like identification services San Fernando Valley CA, can also help to advise you on the legal parameters regarding performing background checks.
Avoid Making Decisions Based Only on the Background Check
Again, communication is important. If the check has yielded an unexpected or unfavorable result, ask him or her about it. Dismissing a candidate based solely on the information in the report could be illegal. Moreover, doing so might eliminate someone who would otherwise have made an excellent employee.
Obtaining a background check is a vital step in the hiring process. Not only can it save time and money, but also prevent lawsuits and negative publicity. Nonetheless, it should be used with caution. A background check isn’t infallible and it should be only one of many factors informing your hiring decisions.
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