It’s a natural instinct for humans to lie, but it’s always better to tell the truth – that extends to resumes, where lying is incredibly common. One survey estimated around 78% of people lie on their CV. That’s a remarkable statistic and while some small omissions can be relatively harmless, big lies lead to potentially massive consequences – imagine if an airline hired someone who lied about their qualifications. It’s because of this that 96% of U.S.-based companies run background checks on potential employees and why there are so many background check services around. However, not every service is the same, so it’s worth putting in the time to research which one will work best for you.
Background checks cover a wide variety of different aspects of an employee’s personal and professional life. Most companies scour the same records when they create reports as many are publicly available, but some services may offer different types of checks that others do not.
What checks you need o depends on your business and who you’re employing, but almost every employee background check should include past references and previous employment first. Often, employers will want to know more about any significant gaps in a candidate’s employment history. Similarly, education history is an important one to check, especially when a potential employee’s performance depends significantly on their previous qualifications.
There are other things that background check services look for as well. This includes financial aspects such as a person’s credit score and whether they have filed for bankruptcy in the past ten years. Another key aspect of background check services is the potential criminal histories they can uncover, including any arrests, convictions, or court records – the exact kind of thing many would want to leave off their CV.
When it comes to digging into a person’s past there are legal considerations, especially for employers. The most important thing is to avoid discrimination, so you’ll have to make sure you adhere to laws enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EOCC). When it comes to running background checks you also have to consider rulings made by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The FTC requires that before you even run a background check you have to:
In addition to this, there are also local and state laws to consider. So always take these into account before running a background check.
There is no right answer when it comes to choosing a background check service for your business since different services cater to different needs. There are some background check services designed for landlords or for personal use and, naturally, they won’t be ideal for your needs. However, there are plenty of services that specialize in background checks for employment.
Of course, each employee background service is different – one key factor being the overall cost. And although a cheaper solution may seem desirable, you could be missing out on key features. For example, some services have much faster turnaround speeds, so you can have your reports sooner. Other services can handle multiple reports, check international applicants, verify immigration status, perform identity document checks, and more.
Other services have specialist checking capabilities, like advanced academic history or directorship history searches. Some background check services will even scour social media for inappropriate behavior. Others will administer drug tests for you and do a health screening if necessary. Of course, not every service will have all of these extra features, so you’ll have to shop around to see which one suits your company’s needs the best.
There are plenty of options to choose from and here we present three of the very best employer background check services on the market:
Hiring the best employees is paramount to a company’s success. Most of the time, the person being interviewed is a stranger. So, using a service to reveal any negative information about them can separate a good hire from a time-wasting one. In 2018, one of the most reputable credit bureaus in the U.S., TransUnion, created a background check service for pre-employment screening: ShareAble For Hires. This online-based self-service platform allows companies to hire on the spot with lightning-fast background checks, providing information about the applicant’s identity, criminal records, and credit reports. With the addition of an incredibly easy-to-use dashboard and straightforward prices, this service promises to become your confidant when it comes to employee screening.
We live in a tumultuous time, where it’s hard to trust the information we’re given. So, having a service that can make everything that little bit more transparent is more than reassuring, it’s essential. Spokeo is a background check and data organization solution that helps you search and connect with people and understand the data.
Spokeo's user-friendly experience is only one of the reasons it’s so popular. The company provides a completely free service, but for users wanting more than just information about the age, relatives, and location of the person, upgrading only costs $14.95 with its 3-month plan. Members can also enjoy the benefits of the service on the go with its mobile-optimized site.
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