You have several positions to fill and a number of candidates to evaluate. According to the information found on their resumes and what you learned during the interviews, that list of potential employees has been narrowed down to a select few. Now is the time to take one final step before offering any of those candidates employment: conduct background searches. Here is what this addition qualification process will do for you and for your business.
Confirm the Information Provided
One of the most important aspects of background checks and searches is that it provides a means of independently verifying the information that each candidate provided on the resume and during the interview. This is important because verification provides an idea of how honest the candidate will be on the job if he or she is selected.
It’s one thing to present facts in the best possible light on a resume or during an interview. It’s another to embellish or falsify information in an attempt to appear more qualified. For example, it may be true that a candidate attended a certain college or university and did pursue a degree related to the job in question. If the candidate indicates on the resume that he or she did graduate but the background search reveals that no such degree was ever granted, that should be enough to raise some concerns.
The last thing you want to do is extend an offer of employment, invest time and money in the training process, and then find out the candidate is not really qualified for the position. In this scenario, that background search will help you avoid wasting your resources on someone who would be better suited for seeking opportunities with a different employer.
Uncovering Information That Was Not Provided
Background searches can also turn up information that has some bearing on the ability to carry out responsibilities and perform in an ethical manner on the job. In this scenario, the focus is on finding out more information about the candidate that was not revealed. While it may be of no consequence to find out that the candidate had a few parking tickets over the last couple of years, learning that the candidate has been involved in more serious encounters with the law could mean hiring the individual is not the best idea. This is especially true since those encounters were omitted from any discussions or the candidate specifically stated that he or she had not been convicted of any misdemeanors or felonies.
Serious failures to disclose relevant information, especially when the right questions were asked, could leave you and your company in an awkward situation. Depending on the nature of that information, you could find some of your clients unhappy enough about the hire to start looking for another service or product provider. You may also find that the nature of the information is severe enough to negatively impact the morale of your other employees. That can only lead to an increase in productivity and a breakdown of the team atmosphere that once prevailed.
While most of the background searches you order will confirm everything your job candidates provide, there is always the chance of at least one being less than honest with you. Take the information you learn seriously and consider how it would impact the ability of the individual to perform on the job, how it would affect other employees, and what the hire could do in terms of undermining the business. In the long run, doing so will help you find the right candidate and do what’s best for you and your company.
