Recruiting the right people is one of the most important decisions of any organization, as incorrect hires can impact an organization in many ways. Although most candidates are honest when providing personal and professional information at an interview, there is a large percentage of candidates who place false information on their resumes. Therefore, employment screenings have become an essential element to reduce negligent hiring, theft, and workplace violence. Here are three areas to consider when background-screen a candidate.
Not all criminal background checks are created equal – Criminal checks differ from one another regarding its accuracy and how up-to-date the information is. For example, some databases will only look at national or statewide information and not consider information country wide. Although smaller database searches will cost the company less, it can mean that the company hires an employee that is not suited for the position and the organization. Look at records that physically search the candidate’s country which include where they have lived, worked and schooled for over 7-10 years.
On average 50% of applicants falsify information – Candidates will try to inflate their resume to get an interview and finally the position. Look at discrepancies in resumes in term of dates of employment, education, experience, salary, and criminal history.
Diploma mills – Diploma mills will sell degrees and diplomas that are not legitimate. Look at contacting the institute prior to confirming a hire. For critical positions, physically visit the Institute to confirm that it is legitimate.