Screening Intelligence

Intelligence to Make Informed Decisions!

 
Screening Intel
 
Screening Intelligence Background Checks BBB Business Review

3 Easy Tips to Help Recruit Millennials Who Are Goal-Oriented

by Leave a Comment

Millennials are the focus of recruitment for most industries these days and it can be a challenging to effectively recruit Millennials. This generation, born between 1980 and 1999, are one of the largest demographics within the United States. In addition to representing a large portion of the population, they are unlike any generation that came before them, especially when it comes to employment.

Recruit Millennials

These 17 to 35-year-olds have lived a life unlike others—they grew up in a technology-laden age. From smartphones to tablets to smart cars, they rely on technology because they don’t know any other way. As a result, they value convenience. They value flexibility and some value working harder and not smarter. When it comes to trying to recruit Millennials and hiring them, they are a new frontier. However, it is their intimate knowledge of technology that makes them the most sought-after demographic when it comes to jobs.

Offer Flexible Jobs To Millennials In The Workplace

Since Millennials are unfamiliar about the pre-technology age, they are more receptive to jobs that leverage technology. Companies that offer flexible jobs are able to recruit Millennials with ease. From job sharing to remote workspaces, flexible jobs leverage technology, which keeps working Millennials interested and allows them to keep their autonomy.

Utilize Social Media To Recruit Millennials

Millennials love social media platforms. They rely on these networks to share experiences and likes with others. Additionally, they use these platforms to help them make decisions, including whether to work for a company. In fact, research shows that reviews on social media platforms are similar to recommendations from friends and family members. Companies who can effectively use social media platforms can recruit top talent, even those Millennials who may not be actively looking for a job.

In addition to access, companies can easily weed through posts to determine what candidates would make a great fit for their company.

Offer Growth To Recruit Millennials

Since graduating, Millennials are looking for a job that offers high-paying salaries and growth. Companies that can’t offer both should focus on their ability to offer growth within the company. Ultimately, growth may help them achieve the salary they desire while helping the company retain their talent over the years.

Companies shouldn’t allow their budgets to prevent them from aggressively trying to recruit Millennials, who are considered top talent. With a focus on meeting their needs, including the need to establish their identity, management may find they have exactly what this generation is looking for in a career.

Disclaimer Statement: All information presented is never intended as legal advice and is for information purposes only.

5 Hiring Process Changes For Employers To Consider

by Leave a Comment

Employees are the lifeblood of a company, and an effective hiring process and employee retention is key to success in this area. The start of a new season offers an opportunity to assess what’s working (and what isn’t) in terms of recruitment, employment screening and hiring.

Hiring Process

Businesses and HR departments should consider addressing the following five areas to improve the hiring process going forward:

1. Choose and Implement Strategies Intelligently

When making decisions about policies and procedures, employers should consider each component carefully. Each aspect contributes to the whole and could make or break the success of a recruitment process. All precedents and parameters should be carefully tested and discussed with management, from application content to employer interview questions to employment screening.

2. Create a Consistent Hiring Process

Recruiting and interviewing each applicant differently may seem like a positive and flexible thing to do, but it can actually lead to issues with legality and consistency. For example, looking at social media accounts to determine the character of some applicants but not others can lead to a lawsuit down the road. Inconsistencies like these can also result in improper screening across a range of applicants.

3. “Brand” Your Workplace

When a company gets a reputation as a desirable place to work, they will naturally attract a larger pool of applicants from which to draw. To this end, “branding” a workplace can be just as important as the branding of a product or service. Building in natural procedures for branding from the marketing and HR departments can revolutionize the hiring process from the inside out.

4. Recruiting By the Book

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires consent from job applicants to look into their backgrounds and take a credit report, so care should be taken that a signed release form is garnered. It is also illegal to discriminate based upon qualities like race, gender and age. If an applicant is passed by, the employer must be able to link the reason to their inability to adequately perform the job, and not because of a personal characteristic.

5. Outsource Employment Screening to a Professional

Trying to do all screening in-house can lead to a host of problems, including legal ones. Employers who are not experienced with proper employment screening methods may do so in a way that is inadequate or not in compliance. Outsourcing employment screening such as criminal background checks and credit checks to a professional screening service can assist with the hiring process and ensure that these important steps are conducted correctly.

The start of a new season is the perfect time for employers to take stock of their recruiting and hiring processes. Addressing and refining these five areas can lead to a stronger, more talented and more effective workforce.

Disclaimer Statement: All information presented is never intended as legal advice and is for information purposes only.

7 Employer Interview Questions All Employers Should Ask

by Leave a Comment

Employer Interview

Just like employment screening, the employer interview is a critical part of the recruitment and hiring process. It’s crucial to ask focused, high-quality questions. Like the famous Proust Questionnaire from Vanity Fair, queries should be compelling, open-ended and assist the interviewer in finding out how creative and insightful the job applicant can be.

The following are seven employer interview questions to help glean valuable insights from prospective new workers:

1. So, tell me a little about yourself?

Beginning an employer interview this way can garner valuable information that wouldn’t otherwise be procured through direct questioning. It’s open-ended, conversational and allows the interviewer to get a sense of the individual’s communication style and skills.

2. Describe your favorite responsibilities or assignments from your last job and why you enjoyed them?

While resumes tend to offer a list of accomplishments and duties, the answer to this question will delve more deeply into some of their activities. The applicant’s true aptitudes and passions will be revealed.

3. What was your biggest challenge in your last job, and how did you deal with it?

Finding out how a new hire will tackle problems and pressures in the workplace is essential in determining if they will be a good fit.

4. What is your typical role in group projects?

The answer to this question will reveal if the person is a leader, a follower, or someone who can take both roles as needed.

5. How do you think your previous employer would describe you?

This query is another way of finding out the job applicant’s strengths and weaknesses as well as more insight into their self-concept. It will also help to reveal if they will be a fit in an organization’s culture.

6. Where do you see yourself in two years? Five years?

This classic interview question can help to expose the job applicant’s longer-term goals and motivations. Employers can get a sense if they plan to stay long-term at the company.

7. Would you like to ask me any questions?

Wrapping up an employer interview with this question allows for turning the tables and seeing a little more about how the candidate’s mind works. If they answer “no,” it could indicate a lack of depth and interest in the company; however, it could also mean the interview felt complete and they have done their homework about the job.

High-quality employer interview questions along with professional reference verification can assist in determining if a job candidate is a good fit. Employer interviews should consider asking these seven questions during the recruitment and hiring decisions process.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2014/06/18/10-job-interview-questions-you-should-ask/

Disclaimer Statement: All information presented is never intended as legal advice and is for information purposes only.

Reading Between the Lines: Interpreting LinkedIn Profiles During Pre-Employment Applicant Screening

by Leave a Comment

A new job applicant might have an impressive LinkedIn profile with lots of interaction and hundreds of endorsements, but how does an employer tell the different between someone with social networking savvy and someone with actual, relevant skills and expertise? Find out how to read between the lines on LinkedIn so you can find candidates during the pre-employment applicant screening process that truly meet your needs.

Pre-Employment Applicant Screening

Understanding LinkedIn Profiles During Pre-Employment Applicant Screening

Endorsements Likely Don’t Mean Much

LinkedIn’s endorsement system lets users endorse each other for various skill sets and knowledge. On the surface, an endorsement is someone backing a user’s claim that he or she has a specific skill. In reality, it’s hard to tell whether endorsements are genuine or are just users patting each other on the back. LinkedIn’s system suggests users endorse each other, and agreeing with a self-stated skill on the platform is as easy as liking a post on Facebook. Take the skills and endorsements list with the same grain of salt you would take similar information listed in a resume.

Look for Knowledge Displays

As with information on traditional resumes, experience, education, and work history on LinkedIn can be falsified or inflated. It’s harder to pass off incorrect information in an online environment where past coworkers and bosses might also have profiles, but it’s not impossible. Instead of taking a profile at face value, dig deeper into the descriptions a candidate supplies on their profile. Look for industry or career-specific verbiage. Lack of any verbiage—or verbiage clearly used in improper context—is a clue that the person has inflated his or her experience. Other knowledge displays that help you decide if an applicant is genuine include links or lists of publications, education lists, and interaction in groups on the platform. Pre-employment applicant screening services can include verification options for past employment verification, education verification, and professional license verification.

Don’t Rely Solely on LinkedIn

Never rely solely on the information in a LinkedIn profile—or a traditional resume—when hiring a candidate. Verify professional references and work history and use pre-employment applicant screening services to ensure the candidate meets your requirements when it comes to issues such as driving records or criminal background checks.

Disclaimer Statement: All information presented is never intended as legal advice and is for information purposes only.

The Buck Stops With Human Resource Managers: The Importance of Pre-Screening Applicants

by Leave a Comment

For human resource managers, the importance of finding qualified candidates, in a timely fashion, must be carefully balanced with who that person really is. With the increase of violence in today’s workplace, these human resource decisions are more critical than ever.

Human Resource Managers

What is workplace violence? According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) it is defined as “Any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site.” It can range from simple verbal threats to physical violence, and in some cases, even homicide. In 2014 alone, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that there were 403 workplace homicides.

When such instances occur, many times the employee’s file will be reviewed to see if there were any other instances of this behavior at work. But what that won’t even uncover is what a thorough background check may have uncovered prior to hiring.

Thorough background screenings and checks can help better determine the character and quality of a candidate before they are hired. They can also demonstrate that human resource managers have done their due diligence in each hire. This can be critical when the human resource office is where the buck stops.

Beyond conducting extensive background screenings, OSHA also recommends workplaces initiate a zero tolerance policy when it comes to workplace violence. They also believe a well-constructed and implemented workplace violence prevention program combined with administrative controls and training can minimize violent incidents.

OHSA makes a point in reminding employers that their workers have a right to a safe workplace. In fact, Federal law requires that employees have “a safe and healthful workplace.” It is important to note that the law does not make a distinction between small or large businesses in this matter.

As violence in the workplace increases, human resource managers should step up the intensity of their applicant pre-employment screening.

Simply contacting past employers and personal references may not be enough anymore. Acquiring the services of a background screening company can help. This step can better protect fellow employees, the company involved and the human resource managers. It is a step that, especially in today’s environment, should be carefully considered.

Disclaimer Statement: All information presented is never intended as legal advice and is for information purposes only.

Background Screening News

Stay Connected

Follow Screening Intelligence
Background Screening News and Blog
Background Screening Press Releases
Employment Screening Resource Videos