Advice for Streamlining Your Background-Checking Procedure
Background checks are more than just an HR chore; they can be a key factor in recruiting top talent. Slow pre-employment background checks can lead to lost time and potential risk for your organization. Using the right technology can help speed up your background check process. The right system can also leverage communication types that applicants use, like text messaging, making it less of a burden on your candidates.
Take Action
A fast and thorough background check is essential for hiring the right employees. It helps you avoid hiring criminals and other bad hires, protects your clients and staff, and maintains a positive reputation in the community. Whether you do background checks in-house or outsource the process, you need a consistent policy and procedure that is fair to all candidates. Some of the most common reasons for background check delays are under your control, such as inaccurate or incomplete forms or failure to provide required release forms and authorizations to a screening agency. A clear submission process and a CRA with a cutting-edge technology platform can also help speed up the turnaround time.
Other reasons for delay may include weather events or other unforeseen circumstances that temporarily prevent access to records or data. Working with a reputable screening firm that has extensive resources and can quickly tap into alternative sources of information can help you reduce your risk of hiring the wrong person for the job. Fingerprinting and criminal background checks may be required for some positions, such as law enforcement and security clearance jobs.
Use the Right Tools
When you use a quality background check provider, they can expedite the process by using cutting-edge technology and leveraging communication methods that your candidates are familiar with (like text messaging). It allows your team to focus on hiring rather than chasing after information. Sometimes, delays in the background checking process can happen for unavoidable reasons, such as when the governing body of a school or employer fails to respond to inquiries about information that is required by law to be disclosed. In addition, natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, and blizzards can temporarily affect access to records, slowing the screening process.
Another common reason for background checks to take longer than expected is when applicants need to disclose all relevant information and refuse to permit a background check to be conducted. Providing clear disclosures and obtaining authorizations from candidates upfront can help prevent this and make it easier to manage exceptions to adverse action decisions later in the hiring process.
Review the Results
Disputes of background check results are common, and it is important to provide candidates with a clear policy for disputing findings. In some cases, disputed results may result from mistakes made by the candidate or inaccurate information from sources such as schools or former employers. In other cases, a court may have sealed or expunged records that should not have been reported on the report. The best way to prevent disputes is to work with a trusted screening provider with streamlined processes for requesting and receiving reports. It will help you ensure that all information in the notice is accurate, and it also helps to reduce turnaround time for your searches.
A fast turnaround time can help reduce the risk of candidates losing interest in your business or accepting another job offer before you finish their background check. It is also critical to ensure that your screening partner has the resources and capabilities to conduct thorough checks accurately. An experienced background screening provider will commit to a high standard of accuracy and can provide metrics for demonstrating their reliability.
Communicate with Candidates
Many candidates aren’t familiar with the background check process, and they may worry that the results will show up on a report that will affect their chances of hiring. Keeping open lines of communication throughout the process can ease their fears and reassure them that you are using the checks to protect your company. In addition, if you are considering several candidates for the same position, it’s important to let them know where they stand in your process. Top applicants often interview with multiple companies, and it’s easy to lose them if they don’t feel like you’re interested in moving forward.
Make sure your communications are clear, consistent, and timely. Personalizing your communication can also help you build a connection with the candidate and create engagement. You can do this using social media, calls, or emails. It’s important to use the communication channels that your candidates prefer and be responsive to their feedback. Doing so will give you a better chance of a successful hire and a good reputation for your hiring practices.
Stay in Compliance
Aside from the advantages of selecting a high performer, background checks can save money by preventing expensive lawsuits. That’s why ensuring that your screening process is up-to-date and compliant is important. Laws and ordinances regulate background checks and the information they uncover. These rules can vary from state to state or even by county or city. As such, ensuring that your process is compliant requires ongoing work. For example, you may need to update your policies or procedures in response to new legislation. You must also monitor your system to identify areas that need improvement continually. This process includes establishing an internal data security protocol and partnering with a provider with robust safeguards against data breaches. It also clearly states to candidates that they are subject to background checks and getting them to sign off on this, as the law requires. It’s also essential to provide this information early in the interviewing process so that applicants can be prepared. Then, a company can make informed hiring decisions and mitigate risks.
