Running a background check on employees is an important step in the hiring process. It helps narrow down your candidate pool, validates employment, and reveals criminal activity. To run a background check on employees, you first need to ask former managers and employees for references. The manager’s job is more than just verifying employment; they can provide insight into an employee’s performance on the job.
Important part of the hiring process
Background checks are crucial for keeping your business and your employees safe. They can cover a variety of issues, including education and employment history, civil records, and credit history. These checks can save your company from hiring someone who is dishonest, compromising the integrity of your organization. In addition, hiring people with clean records can reduce your insurance costs and prevent unnecessary lawsuits. Hiring the wrong person is expensive and frustrating.
Some jobs require a background check, including jobs in the healthcare industry, which are federally funded. These checks verify the identity and eligibility of employees by looking up criminal histories on their records. These background checks also include fingerprints, which identify people with criminal records. They may also include international employment verification, which checks the criminal and educational records of people living in another country.
Helps narrow down the candidate pool
Background checks are one of the most important tools for hiring a new employee. They help to eliminate weak candidates and unsavory individuals from the candidate pool. They are particularly useful for companies with high-risk jobs, such as those that handle patient care or company finances. They can also help you screen for criminal records and a history of illegal drugs.
Before performing a background check, explain why you are doing it. There may be a legal reason or company policy that requires it. You should also be upfront with the results and what they mean. It can take several weeks to get the results, so it is important to keep in contact with the candidate while waiting for them.
Verifies employment
When you run a background check on someone, the first thing you should look for is past employment. This information will verify the applicant’s skills and experience. It can also help you know when they were last employed and what their salaries were. Usually, the employment verification process will provide you with details such as dates of employment, salary, and rehire eligibility. You can also get proof of employment such as a pay stub from a previous job.
Although the federal government doesn’t limit employers from sharing this information, many states have laws regarding the information they can and cannot share with prospective employees. In particular, there are laws prohibiting employers from asking prospective employees about their salary history, so it is advisable to check the state laws first.
Reveals criminal activity
Running a background check on employees can be a very helpful process for employers. Not only can it help prevent criminal activity, but it can also reveal inconsistencies and raise questions about the candidate. These inconsistencies can have a big impact on an applicant’s performance. For example, an employer might not be interested in knowing why an applicant has been in jail or whether the person falsified his or her application materials. However, if an applicant has never worked in the same industry before, they might not be the best person for the job.
Protects your company’s reputation
Background checks are a great way to protect your company’s reputation. Many industries require background checks as a part of their hiring process. For example, if you’re hiring someone for a position that requires access to sensitive information, you need to ensure that your employee has passed a thorough criminal history check.
Background checks are also a great way to ensure the safety of your workplace. By running a background check, you can determine whether a potential employee has a criminal record or has committed violent crimes in the past. These checks will help you make an informed decision about the person you’re hiring.
