Verify Employment

The hiring of new employees can be sort of like walking a tightrope. It is important to find the right candidate with the qualifications and integrity to do the job, but in today’s hiring climate it’s impossible to accept clients at face value. To be effective in hiring practices involves delving into the background of applicants to get a better idea of their abilities and employment performance. However, this has to be measured with respect for the privacy of each individual candidate as well as staying compliant with relevant laws. The purpose of the background check is to help evaluate aptitude and skills and needs to be carried out with this the primary goal.

Verify Employment Qualifications

Any employer can be overwhelmed with the number of resumes received for an open position. There could be several applicants with outstanding qualifications to do a job. It can be difficult to determine one that sticks out. At the basic level, the background check is to determine if information provided by an applicant is true and accurate. It also helps paint a picture about the applicant beyond what is on paper or discovered in a short interview.  Previous employers give an idea of what kind of work habits an applicant has. References can provide information on personal characteristics.

Protecting the Organization

The background check can be considered as a pre-emptive measure to ensure the integrity of the organization and the safety of employees. Individuals may not be appropriate for certain positions due to some aspect of their history. Someone with a criminal background may not be appropriate for a security officer position. If someone has had issues with substance abuse, they may not be able to work in a hospital with accessibility to drugs and medication. Certain kinds of information can only be found with a background check.

Legal Issues with Background Checks

One of the most important aspects of the background check is that information is gathered for job related purposes. Some activities of a background check may not be necessary. It is easy for an organization to go overkill in a background check to err on the side of caution. Before a background check is initiated, evaluate what the purpose is for it. Certain information such medical and credit history require written consent from the applicant.

Background checks may be somewhat different for applicants and should be planned on a case by case basis, however they must be consistent for all candidates. If an applicant feels they were