We can all agree that the employment process is a costly and significant investment for most companies. At the same time, the goal is to find someone who will boost your business’s productivity so that you can get a return on your investment.

However, a bad hire can lead to severe consequences, especially financial ones. For instance, you may find out that you made a mistake before that particular employee creates a real and severe mess.

On the other hand, the worst-case scenario is that a single bad hire can lower workplace morale, reduce the overall productivity, and create severe expenses. In all cases, you need to think about handling and assessing a situation and find someone else instead.

The easiest way to reduce the chances of making a bad hire is to conduct recruitment checks before offering employment.

That way, you will obtain all details about a particular person, especially since most people tend to exaggerate and lie on their CVs and during interviews.

You will obtain details that may help you determine whether a candidate is a good or bad hire.

What is Background Check?

You have probably heard it on TV shows and movies. Still, background checks use someone’s name, social security number, and birthday to gather a wide array of information from both private and public databases.

You can easily find numerous third-party professionals with experience and expertise to conduct checkups for you by using all relevant sources.

That way, you will reduce the time spent doing it yourself, and you will get a simple-to-understand report that will help you determine whether you should hire someone or not.

Remember that background checks tend to cover these areas:

• Identity Verification – The main goal is to confirm that the applicant has provided an accurate social security number and name. That way, you can determine whether he/she has legal rights to work in the country and whether he/she is a US citizen or not.
• Criminal History – The critical consideration in determining whether an applicant had prior criminal convictions or probation issues. You can determine whether a particular candidate is on the sex offender registry or has outstanding warrants, which can affect your business in general.
• Education and Employment History – Background checks will confirm that an applicant has all degrees he/she stated within a resume. At the same time, you will determine the past companies applicant worked with and whether he/she provided an accurate work history, among other things.
• Motor Vehicle Records – You can determine whether an applicant has a history of vehicle accidents and citations, which are essential, especially if the position requires constant driving.
• Government-Issued Licenses – You can confirm that an individual has a special license that allows him/her to work a role you wish to offer, such as a medical license, teaching credential, CPA license, and many more.
• Credit Check – Finally, you can determine whether a potential employee is a financially responsible individual, which is essential, especially if he/she will have access to company funds and manage a budget.

As you can see from a list we created here; a pre-employment background check will ensure that a candidate is candid and without a past that can affect your reputation. You will be able to get a report by doing it yourself and using online resources and references.

Remember that with more information you gather, you will hire the right person with ease. You should check here to learn more about background checks in general.

Importance of Background Checks

• Verify Qualifications – You should know that some people tend to exaggerate and be dishonest when it comes to their prior education and work history. By conducting a check, you can make sure that everything an applicant said was sincere and real.
• Character Check – Remember that exaggerating a background is not a crime, and most of us tend to do it. However, it is a sign of dishonesty, which can be problematic for some positions. It is better to hire someone whose resume is 100% accurate instead of risking and choosing someone dishonest. We are not saying that honest people will bring more productivity, but they come with less risk in general. That way, you can rest assured and find a candidate that will prove the investment you’ve made while hiring him/her.