Employers conduct background screenings to verify that candidates provide accurate credentials. At the most basic level, background checks also verify the candidate’s identity. Beyond qualifications, they also determine if a job candidate is mentally and physically fit for the job. Though this may seem to be all in the employer’s favor, pre-employment background checks also provide benefits for employees and job applicants.
The workplace has become increasingly competitive. Good candidates can find themselves boxed out of positions if other candidates are able to misrepresent their credentials. Also, employees need to know their coworkers have been vetted as safe, responsible people. We all expect to work in a safe and fair environment, and employment background checks help provide this.
Background check necessities for employers
When hiring managers read resumes, they form a picture of how the candidate’s background fits into the available position. When managers interview candidates, they form impressions of the applicant’s capabilities, confidence, competencies, personality and attitudes. What if their impressions of two candidates are equally positive? Most managers are placed in the difficult position of choosing between qualified candidates. Thorough background reports provide the detail they need to make the right choice.
Managers need to make the best hiring decision, and most attempt to be fair. Without a professional background check, managers can do neither. A stellar resume is only half the story. A great interview tells managers a lot, but every candidate accentuates their best attributes and omits the negative. Background checks confirm that the credentials the hiring managers like are as strong as they think and that the candidate really is the professional, motivated, easy to work with person they saw during the interview.
Many human resources professionals have learned that degrees, job titles, and pay rates are often fudged and sometimes blatantly misrepresented. Though some harmless resume padding and different interpretations may be okay in certain cases, fabrications are a red flag that the candidate is unqualified and possibly dishonest. Employment background, criminal, and resume checks often reveal red flags that the candidate’s attributes may be less suitable than the hiring manager previously thought. However, before jumping to conclusions, it’s important to communicate with the applicant about any discrepancies and determine if they result from misconceptions.
Background checks make employees secure
Criminal background checks show if applicants have any past convictions that make them unsuitable for a job. For example, an applicant with a history of theft may not be the best choice for a job that handles lots of cash. Employees also need the security of knowing they don’t have to worry about being exposed to a coworker who may break the law or create a dangerous situation. When evaluating employees who have criminal history, it is important that managers avoid discrimination. Criminal history should only bar employment if it relates to the job and denial is based on legal and uniformly applied standards.
No job applicant wants to think that they lost a job opportunity because another candidate presented false information, but without professional background checks, this becomes a common occurrence. When people want or need a job, they may push the envelope of selling themselves too hard and cross the line into misrepresentation. Applicants who cross the line into dishonesty face exposure when a thorough background check from a company like Core Screening presents their true background. This provides all applicants and employees with the benefit of knowing the hiring process is fair and effective.
