As an employer and manager of a business, one of your main concerns would be to hire the right people to make sure that your company’s human, financial and capital resources are safeguarded. Like all other employers, your employees’ competence, dedication and loyalty are of utmost importance to you. With that said, it would always serve your company best if you can identify your ideal employees right at the hiring stage. In order to make this possible, one of the first things you can do is run a background check on your potential employees.
A background check is one of the best ways to identify the best and most qualified candidates for the jobs you offer. But even so, it is possible for hiring managers to make mistakes when running a background check on job applicants. You should be aware of these common mistakes in order to avoid consequences and ensure that the employee you hire is the best candidate for your specific needs. You may also try using enterprise background check solutions to ensure a consistent and systematic hiring process.
Here are the employee background checking mistakes you need to avoid:
Inappropriate Timing
For a background check to work in your favor, you should observe proper timing. An improperly timed background check can hamper your ability to find the best candidate for the job you offer. Avoid looking up personal information way too early during the interview process. It can compel you to automatically reject qualified applicants because of a problem on their record.
The purpose of a background check is to expose a problem with a job candidate, like a criminal record or reckless driving. But this does not always mean that the individual is a risk to your company or incapable of doing his/her job.
If you are to run a background check, do it near the completion of the interview process or after you have made an offer of employment. Wait until the final stages of the hiring process in order to learn more about the person’s character and skill sets.
Mistaken Identity
When the identity of your potential employee is mixed up with another individual during the background check, it can certainly spoil the outcome as a result of inaccurate information. It’s even possible for a company to to lose the opportunity of hiring the best candidates because of mistaken identity.
The primary cause of mistaken identity cases during a background check is its own speed. An extraordinarily fast database service can cause errors. Prevent this from happening by asking your applicant to double check certain information they provide including their full name and social security number. If possible, you may also obtain a copy of the applicant’s state-issued identification card or passport.
Avoid cases of mistaken identity from happening in your background checks by making sure that the information provided by your candidates is accurate. If background check report on your candidate reflects an arrest or criminal offense, let the candidate know at once and make sure that the information is accurate. Talk to your applicant regarding the situation before making a decision.
Outdated Paperwork
Federal and state laws keep changing overtime. Sometimes, new laws are passed to make their earlier versions ineffective. It is along this line that you must provide your potential employees with accurate and up-to-date paperwork. Otherwise you won’t be able to obtain accurate feedback.
As a general rule, you must be sure to obtain the written permission of your prospective employee that you are running a background check as a part of the employment process. Additionally, you also need to explain to your candidate the kind of information you need as well as the reason why you need them. You should take note however that a job applicant has a right to refuse a background check. If for any reason a prospective employee refuses to sign the permission form, you may also remove that applicant from your job offer and proceed to the next candidate.
A background check is a source of information that can form part of your basis for hiring or rejecting a job candidate. The sad part is, mistakes can happen and this can prevent you from hiring applicants with the best potentials. Avoid these mistakes by making sure that you have obtained the right information before you decide to cut a qualified applicant off a job opportunity in your company.