Employee background checks – what you should and shouldn’t do

Written by Tenant Screening Services, LLC

Making a wrong hiring decision can cost a firm time, money and unnecessary disruption. Therefore, most employers have hiring procedures that include an employee background check. Here some tips on conducting employee background checks.

You should be broad and thorough – It is vital that hiring personnel get an expansive spectrum of information. Therefore, the information should include a background criminal check, education, employment and driving history, social media details etc. Concentrating only on one area will not give the hiring manager an overall picture of the candidate they have selected.

You shouldn’t ask the candidate if they have a conviction – Instead of asking the applicant to put down their conviction details on a form, once you have shortlisted a candidate, use their employee background check to guide the decision.

You should follow the law – It is legally required for employers to receive consent from the applicants before conducting a background check.

You should follow the rules – There are rules on pre-employment checks and they vary from state to state.

You should be consistent – It is vital that all applicants short-listed should have the same searches and investigations on them. Although different job titles will require different information, the same job title should follow the same searches.

You should maintain good communication – It is a good idea to speak to a candidate about areas that you need clarification on. There could be misconceptions, mistakes, and reporting errors that can be resolved by speaking to the candidate.

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Tenant Screening Services, LLC provides a variety of background checks and services for property owners and employers. Use their employment screening services before your next hire.