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Despite the fact that most companies have been subject to an employee lying on their resume about a previous position held, falsely reporting a clean driving record, denying a criminal background, or even worse, embezzlement, many companies do not participate in performing background checks. Ideally, all hiring managers would like to believe what they are being told by their potential employee and work happily ever after. But the fact remains that not all candidates are honest and companies that go on word alone from their candidates are flirting with disaster.
Though employers and employees alike are often turned off by background checks because one thinks the other may be distrustful of the other, they in fact provide assurance to both parties. Specifically, background checks allow companies to verify the information presented to them by a candidate. Similarly, background checks allow the candidate to showcase their honesty to the company and lead them one step further to landing the job.
Background checks in essence provide relief for companies in that they can be assured that the information given by the candidate is indeed factual and a hiring decision should be reached. Although background checks can present a sense of awkwardness, especially if the company and candidate have established a rapport throughout the hiring process, it is essential to conduct regardless of whether the hiring circumstances are ideal.
If companies become diligent about establishing a solid hiring process that includes the background check and an explanation of why they are conducted, then that should alleviate any concern on the candidates part that the company is concerned about their honesty. Ultimately, companies want to ensure that they have placed not only the best person for the position, but also an honest one. Too many companies have overlooked the background check process in their hiring practices and lived to regret it.
Some useful steps companies can take when performing background checks include: conducting a background check on criminal history, civil history for lawsuits involving collections, restraining orders and fraud, driver’s license check, and education and employment verification and verifying references.
If a candidate has been found to be lying on their application, that tells you something very valuable about the individual, and most often than not, it will not be a person you would like to have as a member of you organization. If companies treat background checks as tools to guard against future liabilities like the ones discussed earlier, then they can take comfort in knowing that the candidate who passed both the interview and background check is not only suitable for the position, but also carries honesty and integrity into the company.
