Any credible employer knows that screening candidates prior to extending a formal offer can be of massive benefit. A candidate you might have thought was ideal could turn out to have an extensive criminal record, or has been involved in lawsuits that muddy the waters of your business. It’s important to safeguard yourself against such issues, which is where background checks come in handy. It’s crucial to be confident in who you choose to wield a tool that helps weed out candidates that could potentially hinder your business, so don’t be afraid to ask yourself: “who is doing my company background checks?”
Background checks cover much more than just criminal history. While not every intimate detail of a candidate’s life is shown in a background check, you can get a good feel of their character whilst reading over the lengthy report. It’s important to note that there are limitations on what even the most trustworthy background reporting company has access to – past concerns such as bankruptcies, tax liens, and certain civil suits won’t show up after a set period of time. What you can learn about is the candidate’s driving history, drug test records, military history, and even personal references.
There are a variety of companies that touch on background investigation. For larger corporations, it’s typically expected that an online data broker or a company that focuses solely on background checks will handle the large volume of hiring data needed for their employment requirements. Medium and smaller companies tend to go with the more intimate option of a private investigator. While the term might conjure up images of detectives in long trench coats sneaking around to get the scoop, private investigators offer a much more hands-on, intimate approach to background checks than larger companies who are focused on volume rather than details.
By hiring a private corporation to do your company background checks, you’re putting your company’s future in the hands of a select few trained individuals. Rather than going through a data mill to pull what a broker would consider relevant information, a private investigator will extensively examine all data that could affect your hiring process. Resources remain relatively standard across the board, which means that even small investigative corporations have access to the same tools that larger companies use – at a smaller cost with a more experienced personnel.
Information being easily accessible doesn’t mean that it should be used lightly. There are industry-recognized standards at use with all licensed background investigators to ensure that you feel safe putting your company’s information in an investigative team’s hands. A good company that performs background checks should be one that you can put your trust in, and one that has proven over time to take your future seriously.