How Do I Know if My Background Check Company Is Reliable? 29 Jun 2018

Before buying a new car, you’ll likely look at many reviews to find one that’s reliable. You know that if your car isn’t reliable it won’t last long and you’ll have to find a new one, starting the whole process over again.

The same is true of hiring new employees. When you can’t rely on your background check partner, it’s likely that you’ll hire applicants without seeing the whole picture. Making it necessary to start the hiring process all over again. If you want to make sure this doesn’t happen to you, you first need to start with a reliable screening company.

How can you know if a company is reliable? What should you look for? What should you avoid? Let’s look at what you should know when researching background check companies.

What Should You Look for in a Reliable Background Check Company?

Legal Compliance: One way to determine if a company is reliable is checking if they follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) guidelines and are a member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners. In fact, if you are an employer performing a background check on a job applicant, you’re legally required to use a company that follows FCRA guidelines.

You can find out if your background check partner is FCRA compliant by reading about the company’s process and comparing it to the FCRA guidelines. You can also look at their affiliations and see if they list NAPBS membership. And don’t forget to read the fine print on their website to avoid any unpleasant surprises later on.

Knowledge: Another sign of a reliable background check company is that they have a clear understanding of background check laws. These laws often vary depending on your industry and geographical area. If you want to ensure that your background checks are compliant, it’s imperative that your screening company knows and follows these laws. If you have doubts make sure you can call your background check partner and talk to a real person.

Flexibility: If a trucking company wanted to hire a new driver, they would need to run a motor vehicle background check on potential hires for safety and legal reasons. But, they may not want to pay for a credit background check and other kinds of checks that don’t apply to their industry. They need a partner who can customize these background checks for their needs.

It’s also important to make sure the company offers the type of check you need. For the trucking company the motor vehicle check is incredibly important, but for the financial sector, the credit background check is more important. If your provider doesn’t offer what you need, the check won’t provide useful data for hiring. So look for a provider that offers what you need, and that’s willing to give you personal support to create the right background check for your company.   

What Are Some Red Flags When Looking for a Background Check Company?

There are many differences between background check companies. Some are just differences between companies, but others are more serious and can be a sign that the company provides inaccurate results and could lead to legal trouble for your company. Below are some of the biggest red flags for background check companies:

• Companies that promise instant results. These companies often do a simple web search but don’t verify the information it brings up.
• Not following FCRA guidelines. Many companies say they can do a background check on a job applicant, but in their fine print, it states that you’re not legally allowed to use their information for employment purposes because they don’t follow FCRA guidelines.
• Saying they can do a background check for an unreasonably low price. This could be an indication that the company is cutting corners by not using reliable sources and not verifying their information.

Next Steps to Finding Your Background Check Partner

When looking for a reliable background check partner, make sure they follow FCRA guidelines, are knowledgeable about the nuances in your industry, and can customize their background checks to meet your needs.

At Trusted Employees, we offer reliable service along with tailor-made packages that are created to fit your company’s needs. We are FCRA compliant and have a deep knowledge of background check laws. We don’t just use what’s on the surface but dig deep to make sure you always get the best background check report. Talk to one of our representatives today to get more information about our custom packages.