Background checks have become an essential part of the hiring process. Background checks make it easier for the HR managers to select and hire the right candidate. However in today’s market there is an abundance of jobs and finding the right candidate within the stipulated salary package has become an arduous task. This is especially true in the case of small to medium sized companies. The consistent pressure on HR managers to increase head count combined with the dearth of talent may lead to overlooking of the facts presented in the candidates’ background check report.
The question then arises on the importance of the employee background verification report and the value of the information provided therein. It becomes important to understand the anatomy of a background report before we dwell on its importance. The employee verification report primarily provides the following information on a candidate
- Professional Qualification Validation
- Education Qualification Validation
- Reference Checks
- Criminal Record Check
- Address Verification
The different elements of a background report provide validation of the qualifications and information as submitted by the candidate thereby acting as a character analyzer of sorts. Professional and educational verification allows the HR manager to ensure that the candidate has the required experience and qualification to properly execute the job functions that he is being hired for.
Reference checks can help provide insight into the candidate’s performance as a team player, attitude and his work ethics. A criminal record check allows the HR manager to develop a safe and secure work atmosphere, by outright rejection of the candidate with a criminal record. Then again I am not saying that candidates with criminal records should not be given a fair chance. The decision on hiring a candidate with criminal record depends on multiple factors such as severity of the crime, overall qualifications, among other.
Address verification is an important check specially for companies that are into the software development business and where employees have access to sensitive information. It allows the company to track down absconding employee in the rare case of software or information theft.
Employee background verifications provide the HR managers with the required information to make a intelligent decision whether the decision is based on pure merit or on the HR managers intuition.
Depending on the company and the position for which a candidate is being hired, the HR manager can choose to show leniency on some discrepancies between the information provided by the candidate and that in his/her background check report.
However it is important that the candidate be made aware of the discrepancy being overlooked. This would prevent the candidate from developing a sense of arrogance in being able to cheat the system.
I can’t emphasize enough the fact that background checks are crucial for having access to unbiased and validated information of a candidate. This information acts as a strong supplement in making the HR manager’s hiring decisions easier. Eventually the magic of hiring, nurturing and retaining a high performance staff has to be created by the HR manager.
