This is an article “The Proper Way of Doing Background Checks” by Marc Primo
You’re the boss and you call the shots. Yet one of the hardest things you may encounter as a decision-maker is hiring the right people in the fold. For bigger companies, there’s a Human Resources department that handles background checks for potential hires. But then, hiring capable employment hunters is still ultimately up to you as the boss.
For smaller businesses, hiring the most qualified people for the job can be easier by doing the proper background checks-- a thorough review of an applicant’s character, soft skills, education, social status, and employment record. It doesn’t stop after you’ve conducted interviews either as sometimes, others can simply be dishonest about their background.
Hiring people involves taking risks and to help you avoid welcoming someone who will eventually exhibit poor work ethics, unwanted character or past liabilities, here are some useful tips you’d want to check out first.
Check for criminal history
One of the most common and logical types of background checks for potential employees, screening for criminal records whether at the local or federal levels is important before you acquire a hire. This includes looking into sex offender registries, national court records, and the federal terror watch list. With over 150 million employees in the US workforce today, and no thanks to COVID-19, a few million more looking for jobs, there’s no telling what characters are out on the prowl for victims. Needless to say that now more than ever, this is one background check you’ll need to do so you can ensure your business and employees’ safety.
Verify if an applicant’s CV is true
Checking on an applicant’s curriculum vitae, particularly on his educational background, can indicate one’s character and integrity. Ironically, there are also shady companies in the printing industry that forge fake credentials for a fee. These may include character references from people they have never met for $100, or fake diplomas for up to $175.
Fortunately, there are ways to verify if details written on an applicant’s CV are true or not. Hiring the services of personnel who can conduct phone calls, interviews and background checks to universities, colleges, former employees, or social communities to establish a clear profile of an applicant is the way to go. This review should not only show an applicant’s character or work ethics, but also indicate his qualification for the job, justifiable compensation, and past performance. For any boss, you sure won’t want to miss out on the details.
Reference checks will give you more than what’s on paper
Another opportunity to learn about an applicant’s past performance and personality is by doing reference checks on people of good standing which he indicated in his CV. Making calls and asking about a variety of things about your applicant such as soft skills, reason for job separation, or loyalty indicators can give you an idea who you’ll be dealing with for the long run. Just make sure that you are calling legitimate character references so do checks on those profiles as well with a simple Google search or a review of his industry circles.
Some may find it too extreme but these days, you can never be too sure. In fact, many states have already made it a law to give employers the right to integrate drug tests in the interview process. This ensures that when hired, the employee can perform his duties without any problems or danger to both himself or his co-workers.
Doing all you can to know more about your potential hires is necessary if you want to foster good culture in the workplace and avoid attrition rates. When you do hire someone, get to know them a little better by talking to them about more personal stuff like preferences or interests. That way, you’ll also know who to go to when you suddenly need something from out of the box.
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