Jacqueline McClure, Genesis Background Screening Services
Have You Heard These 3 Myths About Background Screening?
Depending on the size of your company, your HR department and your budget, it is likely you may question the necessity of performing background screening on your candidates. Before making a decision about whether you need to protect your clients, staff and information, consider the most common myths about background screening:
Myth #1: I don’t always need to do background screening.
Reality: So, you think you are a good judge of character and have the ability to weed out the bad ones? You will want to rethink this one. Some of the most destructive hires are sociopaths that have the ability to fool the best of us. They can be very charming and polished during an interview, but harmful if you let them into your business. At best, they will be an annoying addition to your staff: sabotaging, self-promoting and disruptive. Worst case scenario is that they will lie, steal from your business, increase staff turnover and possibly even cause violence. Background screening can’t guarantee you won’t end up with a sociopath, but it gives you much better odds to avoid them as many sociopaths will have items in their background that raise a red flag. Aside from sociopaths, there are plenty of other candidates that you may want to weed out – applicants with poor motor vehicle records, convictions or substance abuse to name a few. Don’t forget, to stay compliant with regulations, you need to treat applicants equally. Testing some candidates and not others can cause you to get involved with litigation.
Myth #2: There is a great big national data base out there that is easy to access so it doesn’t matter which background screening company I use. In fact, I can probably get the information myself.
Reality: Unfortunately, there is not one source of reliable, complete and accurate information and it is not easy to access what you need to help you hire the best candidate. Each state and even some counties have their own system. And…not all background screening companies are equal. Your best bet is to use an experienced CRA (Consumer Reporting Agency) that knows where to find the most accurate information and how to interpret it for you. CRAs must follow stringent regulations which will help you keep your company in compliance with the law.
Myth #3: Your candidate’s experience during background screening doesn’t matter.
Reality: Treating candidates poorly during the vetting process is not good business! First, make sure you are using forms that are up-to-date and include the proper information with them. Use a reputable background screening company that will handle your candidate’s information carefully and knows how to verify all information that is gained from the screening reports. One of the top reasons companies lose great talent is that the screening process takes too long and the candidate moves on because they get tired of waiting. A good CRA can get most screens done within 72 hours.
Partnering with a CRA (Consumer Reporting Agency) that has the services you need to fill in your HR gaps can be a very economical solution. The right partner can help you recruit, integrate your system, perform background screening, provide education and license verification, drug testing at convenient locations, and support throughout the process. Not only can you feel confident that you are bringing the best hire into your company, but you will know that you have done due diligence both legally and ethically for your employees and customers. In addition to accomplishing this at a price that fits your budget, a professional CRA partner pays for itself by avoiding costly hiring mistakes. For more information, contact Genesis Background Screening Services at 866 944-0041 ext 101, email getstarted@gbsspro.com or visit www.gbsspro.com
Genesis Background Screening is not a law firm and provides our blogs for informational purposes only. These blogs should not be considered as a substitute for experienced legal advice. Any laws or regulations mentioned in our blogs need to be researched by your company and any questions you have need to be answered by your legal counsel to be sure your organization is within the law and compliant with regulations.
