Why it’s Important to Conduct Background Checks, and How to Do It the Right Way

There are many good reasons why it’s important to conduct background checks for all potential new hires. For one, people are not always who they say they are in the interview process. People will very often say anything to get a job, especially when there is an average of 10% unemployment rate in the country as of this article. Conducting a background check protects not only the company, but also the existing and future staff at the company, from possible issues such as workplace violence, theft and property damage.

Did you know that in just 2009, there were nearly 572,000 non-fatal crimes that occurred in workplaces around the USA? These figures were released by the Justice Department Bureau of Justice Statistics’ newly released publication, Workplace Violence, 1993-2009. Those figures may seem staggering, but more and more cases of workplace violence and crime are making the news daily. It’s important to reduce the chance of workplace crime by conducting thorough background checks as part of the new hire process.

A best practice for conducting background checks is to use a reputable employment background check company to objectively provide information on candidates before an offer of employment is made. This information can be obtained within a matter of days by a good background check company, but keep in mind that all candidates must give their written consent to this check. Require each candidate to sign a background release form, which gives you permission.

Another best new hire practice is to check employee references, from past employers. Find out if the candidate is being truthful about his or her work titles, duties, dates of employment, and reason(s) for termination. While sometimes a candidate may use an incorrect date or embellish actual work duties on a resume, look for glaring differences in the information provided by the candidate vs. the actual information received by references.

You will also want to require a drug test as part of the background check. You would be surprised at the types of people who are actively engaged in drug usage in this country – an epidemic that has spread to all socio-economic communities. Again, do this before making any offer of employment, and make sure to consistently check all candidates regardless of the job itself.

Lastly, work with a quality staffing company that can conduct background checks for all your candidates. This can save you a great deal of time and money with your recruiting efforts. Any candidates will have already been checked for criminal histories, drug use, false information, and more before they have a check to become part of your corporate environment.

Want more information on how using a staffing agency to conduct your background checks can best work for your company? Consult with the career experts at Advance Temporaries today!

 

 

 

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