Myths and Misconceptions about Employee Screening 11 Dec 2017

You think you’ve found the perfect candidate: incredible resume, impeccable references, awesome interview. You’re ready to pull the trigger and make an offer before someone else scoops up this gem, but you know better than to take things at face value. Even though everything seems to be in order, you want the assurance this is indeed the right person, so you run an employment background check.

The reality is candidates — even at advanced senior levels — are regularly embellishing their resumes and answers during interviews. HireRight’s 2017 Employment Screening Benchmark Report found 85 percent of survey respondents uncovered a lie or misrepresentation on a candidate’s resume or job application during the screening process — up from 66 percent five years ago.

The experience of hiring the wrong candidate can be painful. Some estimates show the cost as high as $240,000 when you consider factors like recruitment costs, training fees, negative impact on team performance, lost customers, and even litigation fees. That’s why when it comes to hiring, you should never take a candidate at their word. It’s not that you’re being paranoid; it’s smart business to dig a little deeper to verify the person interviewed will indeed represent the company well in the job they may be offered.

A small investment in an employment background check has the potential to save you thousands, but employee screening is often misunderstood. Here are the top myths about employment background checks you should know so you can make the right decision for your company:

Myth: Most employers don’t run background checks on all new hires.

Reality: The majority of employers do run background checks because there is so much at risk if they don’t. According to a 2016 CareerBuilder survey, 75 percent of employers said they have hired the wrong person for a position. If you’re one of them, you know firsthand how difficult it is to think you’re done with the hiring process only to turn around and start all over again. Most employers (72 percent) conduct background checks on every new employee before they are hired in hopes of hiring the right candidate the first time around.

Myth: Organizations mainly use employee screening to verify criminal background.

Reality: Yes, learning if a candidate has a criminal history is an important aspect of an employment background check, but criminal history is not the only reason to run a background check. The survey noted the top things organizations are analyzing:

• Criminal background: 82 percent
• Confirm employment: 62 percent
• Confirm identity: 60 percent
• Confirm education: 50 percent
• Check for illegal drug use: 44 percent
• Check licensing: 38 percent
• Conduct credit check: 29 percent

Myth: Candidates with a criminal history should be automatically denied employment.

Reality: There is a massive gray area when it comes to criminal records and making hiring decisions. Not only does the company’s own policy influence what you decide, but the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has certain restrictions regarding when criminal records can be used to deny employment. For example, the nature of conviction must be directly related to the demands/responsibilities of the job, such as a person with a DUI being disqualified for a driving position.

Myth: Only businesses run background checks.

Reality: For-profit businesses aren’t the only ones who want to run background checks on people working for them. There’s a lot at stake when people represent your organization, which is why nonprofits, religious groups, volunteer centers, and educational entities often conduct employment background checks as well. This is particularly important for people who will be working with vulnerable groups, such as children or the elderly, or for those who have access to confidential information such as private data or financial documents.

Myth: You can run employment background checks yourself.

Reality: It’s true you don’t have to hire a third-party employee screening company to run background checks; however, the problems and risks are many. Free or cheap background check websites may not have accurate information. What’s more, the manner in which you are searching may violate fair hiring practices, which may result in a lawsuit. Finally, doing an employee screening correctly takes time. If you’re not experienced, activities like calling to verify credentials or contacting the authorities regarding criminal records can be exhausting and time-consuming.

Myth: It takes two or three weeks for an agency to run an employee background check.

Reality: How long it takes to run a full employee screening varies based on many factors. Considerations like extensiveness of the search, length of records, location of records, and local and federal laws all dictate how long it takes to get the necessary information. That being said, when you hire an experienced company like Trusted Employees, you may get the information you need in as few as two business days. In a competitive hiring market, time is an important consideration because if you take too long to get back to an employee, they may move on to another offer.

Separating myth from reality can sometimes be difficult. That’s why it’s important to know the rules and follow hiring best practices. If you have any questions about employee screening and employment background checks, contact the experts at Trusted Employees for assistance.