Background Checks for Employment: Six Tips for HR Professionals

February 7, 2022

Background Checks for Employment; Resource for Hiring Managers

A background check for employment is an essential tool for HR managers to save time and money and ensure that workforces are of the highest quality. With so much labour turmoil in North America, HR managers are under pressure to secure great candidates and conduct proper pre-employment screening as fast as possible. Background check companies can assist with this, but that doesn’t mean a hiring manager’s work is done. Best practices for screening and recruitment can help hiring managers get to the bottom of a candidate’s history, and ensure they are the right fit for your organization.

An employer’s duty of care obligations cannot be overlooked during these high-stress times. Companies are pushing their HR managers to hire quickly but skipping out on proper due diligence can be a legal disaster.

Six Tips for Screening and Conducting Employment Background Checks

Use these six tips to screen employees properly and promote best practices in your company for hiring and recruiting talent that thrives and stays with the organization. Background checks are essential, but your hard work doesn’t stop there.

1. Professional References

Requesting references from a candidate should be simple, but don’t take this information at face value. Dig a little deeper and seek out an alternative reference. If the prospective candidate worked at a specific location or workplace, other employees and managers working there should be able to attest having worked with them in the past.

2. Test the Candidate and See What They Know About Themselves

Some prospective employees may look great on a resume but have a hard time articulating themselves during interviews. This may be a red flag, and recruiters should consider asking simple questions about their experience, including how long they were employed in certain roles and specific details about their work. Ask them questions about projects that required a team effort. Taking credit for large projects is a common issue during recruitment and can be recognized if a prospect can’t recall the details of their work experience.

3. Inquire About Name Changes

It’s a simple question but ask prospective employees if they have ever changed their name. If the answer is yes, there could be a good reason. In some instances, a name change may mean that they are attempting to hide criminal histories, cover up their past financial mistakes, or they are providing fraudulent education credentials.

4. FCRA Background Check Services

There is a multitude of background check providers online that offer free services. When selecting a background check company, only use one that is FRCA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) accredited. These background check providers offer comprehensive criminal and financial record checks that adhere to all privacy regulations.

Many “free” background check providers are not comprehensive and could rely only on publicly available data. Further, they could offer inaccurate information, resulting in a hire that has a problematic criminal history.

5. Ask for Explanation

In the event a background check reveals a criminal history or other questionable information on a candidate, give them a chance to respond. Best practices for conducting background checks include consent on behalf of the candidate and an opportunity to respond to any results that are found. Further conversations may reveal more information and help hiring managers make the most appropriate decision possible.

6. Consistent Practices and Procedures

Collaborate alongside your entire HR department and ensure that your hiring practices are consistent among all candidates. Should one candidate but subject to a criminal record check and others are not, it could present complicated legal challenges. In order to properly hire a high-quality workforce, candidates must be subject to the same procedures and screening as everyone else.

Background Checks for Employment: Service Offerings on Behalf of ISB Global Services

ISB Global Services maintains a wide range of screening products that can help businesses of any size screen mass amounts of candidates and ensure the quality of their workforces. Dive deep into the histories of candidates with comprehensive background checks that include criminal, financial, and driving records.

ISB helps hiring managers make the right choices and build a workforce free from problematic criminal histories, ultimately ensuring long-term productivity and satisfying an employer’s duty of care responsibilities.

Contact us directly to learn more about available screening solutions tailored to the needs of hiring managers and business owners.