Don’t Make These Three Mistakes When Conducting Background Checks

The importance of pre-employment screening cannot be overstated. Some recent statistics related to background checks suggest that about one-third of resumes have some degree of “puffery, according to the financial website, Bankrate.com.

To ensure the candidates you hire for your organization don’t bring baggage you can’t deal with, be sure to complete a thorough background check and avoid these three costly mistakes.

No Standard Background Check Policy

The September 2010 report from Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company, “Employment Screening: Mitigating Risk, Driving Down Cost,” found that organizations using automated tools for background checks experienced 60% better quality of hire compared to those without employment background screening solutions in place.

The only way to ensure uniform background checks is by having a standard written policy and procedures. Doing so helps to create a safe and secure work environment and ensures that your employees are qualified to perform the jobs for which they are hired.

Neglecting to Verify Education and Certifications

According to the Bankrate.com website, two-thirds of all job applicants say they have stretched the truth at least once in an effort to land a job and non-existent college degrees or scholastic honors, plus wrong majors and minors are common distortions.

It is important to verify education, certification, and other scholastic awards not only to ensure you are hiring the person with the right credentials, but also to determine a candidate’s honesty.

Overlooking Temporary and Volunteer Workers

In 2010, over one-fourth of all jobs added by private sector employers were temporary positions, while in 2011, 64.3 million Americans volunteered. Yet most employers frequently overlook these two groups when it comes to conducting background checks.

Nearly ten years ago, Vtech Communications sued temporary agency Robert Half, Inc. alleging breach of contract and negligence, when a temporary employee who Vtech subsequently hired embezzled over $1 million from the company. Vtech lost.

Don’t make the same mistakes when you conduct background checks. Let us help you get it right. If you need assistance with fast, accurate, comprehensive background checks, investigative screening and verification services, contact us. We are dedicated to excellence in customer service and to building long-term client relationships.