According to a survey carried out by the Society for Human Resources Management, about 69% of organizations conduct a criminal pre-employment background search on their potential employees. Though this may help in finding criminal records, it goes a long way in assisting the employer in knowing whether the applicants are proficient and competent for the positions they are applying for. Some organizations carry out their own background checks for any of the following reasons:
- To fulfill state legislation that requires them to do so and therefore avoid legal liabilities
- Lack of knowledge or enough resources to hire an independent firm to do it for them
- They have the resources and knowledgeable manpower to perform their own pre-employment background search.
Outsourcing the pre-employment background search is however imperative as most of these screening firms have a criminal database search and court researchers to access any county in the USA to pull county criminal checks to ensure information accuracy.
Here are the top 5 reasons you should perform a pre-employment background search:
It lowers employee turnover
The hiring of employees is a tedious and time-consuming process not to mention that it is risky. Accurate evaluation of potential employees based on the resumes they submit and consequent interviews is a gamble. Some screening firms offer tests to candidates that are tailored to the company’s specific needs. These evaluate aptitude and skills for the specific job. By providing additional information on the employee, a pre-employment background search helps ensure a good hire.
It highlights past violations that might hamper the employee’s performance
Credit history and driving records are not indicated on resumes and candidates might be unwilling to willingly divulge such information. Though these may not affect every employee, this information is absolutely relevant if the candidate will be handling money or driving.
It gives a clear perspective of the applicant
Any job hunter goes out of their way to charm the interviewer by being professional and friendly. In most cases, this extends to the resume with candidates excluding certain jobs or adding others so that they are deemed fit for the position they are applying for. Screening cuts through this façade and aids in deciding in whether this person is fit to hire.
Helps uphold workplace balance
New employees can destabilize the existing workforce if they are unable to blend in and work as a team or have poor work ethics. A comprehensive pre-employment screening can help determine the right candidate.
It saves resources
Hiring is a long, expensive and stressful process. Pre-employment screening saves time and money. Employers with a huge number of applicants can speed up the interviewing process. For all these reasons, employers should hire pre-employment screening firms to conduct their background checks.
Disclaimer Statement: All information presented is never intended as legal advice and is for information purposes only.
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