The Essence of Background Checking
Apart from selecting prospective employees based on work-based accomplishments and skills, hiring managers should also check the applicants’ background. An effective background check seeks to authenticate the information supplied by a job applicant on his or her resume and interviews. Once the hiring manager spots an inconsistency to the applicant’s claims and credentials, the company would simply look for another suitable candidate.
In contrast, when hiring an employee without making sure whether the information he or she provided during the selection process, then it turns out to be untrue, it would cost a lot of money to the organization. Firing an employee is not that easy nowadays.
What should companies check in every job applicant? Here are some examples.
Verify academic credentials – Some job applicants may think it is convenient to claim they are part of the Top 100 on their graduating class or have finished their majors with honors, but with faster information gathering (thanks to the Internet) companies can be able to see through the lies of these liars.
Check prior employment history – One of the most common things applicants lie about is how much salary they receive in their former employers, hoping that would jack up their rate once they get the job. Hiring managers should also be on a lookout about the candidates’ previous job position, longevity, and job performance, sometimes for even ten years prior the application.
Talk to personal professional and personal references – Some applicants think adding reference is just for fun, but they do not realize that companies do call these references to verify their relationship to the applicants. Referral letters, meanwhile, should be made sure that it is authentically written by the sender.
Utilize drug tests and even physical exams – If the company runs on a drug-free environment, hiring managers should screen their applicants for drug use early on. In some instances, organizations may even want a physical exam for their job applicants, but this is usually applied for health insurance purposes.
Check the applicants’ social networks – If the applicant has social networking accounts like on Facebook and Twitter, it is best to check their user profiles and scrutinize the information provided. If, for instance, the candidate has been posting photos of his or her collection of stolen office supplies, then that is a red flag. Companies should also be on a lookout for evidences of rude behavior, language skills, and even the groups they belong to. Companies may never know if the applicant is actually a Neo-Nazi.
Criminal background checks – Search through police files on any instance that the applicant has committed a crime, no matter how petty.
Tags: Background, Checking, Essence
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