Increased security concerns along with soaring crime rates have highlighted the importance of even more stringent screening of potential employees before you hire them. In fact, those well informed employers who had implemented strong enough provisions in their company hiring policy, got nothing to worry about with the advent of these new trends that have since some time ago been brought to spotlight. From the other hand, if you are an employer who doesn't advocate screening of prospective employees, watch out! Trouble could be lurking in the corridors...
The Damages
Failing to dig out hidden skeletons from a potential employee's past can damage your company's reputation, create an unsafe situation for yourself and your employees, lead to a loss of money and possible negligent hiring lawsuit against your company. If that's not enough, it can shake the very foundations on which any successful business is built, meaning customer satisfaction and loyalty. Customers are likely to lose faith in your products or services if they find out that you employ people with little discretion.
Get Permission
So, whether you plan on doing an online search of a potential employee or you're thinking of handing the job over to a professional company, either way don't wait. Do it immediately without any delay. Just make sure you've got a written consent from the candidate since the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires you to do so. But this isn't applicable if you're about to conduct an in-house check.
Data Check
You'll be surprised by the amount of information that's available online! There's a huge database you can access that covers information on marriage, divorce, bankruptcy, family history, sexual offences, prison terms, civil and criminal records. Not all of those online databases are legal, anyway.
Social Clues
And while you're at it, don't forget to log on to Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn for any clues that might suggest trouble. While on these social networking sites, people have their guards down and are free to speak their mind to friends and be themselves. Access to LinkedIn will give you an idea about what ex-colleagues or former employers have to say about your candidate. This is a great space to find out what people think of him/her as a professional. This information is invaluable when you're in the process of employing someone.
Professional Proof
If you plan to hire a professional company that specializes in the field of background checks you can be assured of accuracy. They access all kinds of public records and verify social security numbers and references from previous employers. This kind of a detailed background check will enable you to hire a potential candidate without a single doubt in your mind.
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