Refining Job Applicants with Background Checks

The employees you hire determine the success of your business. So if you want to be profitable, you can’t afford to be lax in your hiring process. The economy has had a strange effect on the hiring process, in that more people are applying for fewer positions, and if you aren’t careful, then you might be overwhelmed with the number of responses to your advertisement.

Sometimes, the need to fill a position immediately means that you do not have much time to carefully consider each applicant. With the competitive marketplace, you might think you have found the perfect resume, only to find out later that the applicant was a little too liberal when describing their work experience and credentials. While most people will not lie outright on their resumes, if they have something to hide (such as a criminal background) you might not know about it until after you have already hired them.

You want to give your human resources department all the tools they need to make a good decision, and background checks are a great way to ensure your future employees meet all your legal requirements.

Recently, employment background checks have become more advanced, and they let you verify dates of employment, job titles, recommendations and salary history. While you might not do this type of screening during the first round of interviews, once you become serious about an individual, it is increasingly important to run background checks.

Applicants who hold criminal pasts are more likely to stretch the truth on their resume. CareerBuilder.com published a survey that said 49 percent of employers had noticed applicants who fudged more than they thought appropriate.

To filter out unqualified applicants or to ensure you have made the right choice, a background check can help give you peace of mind in the employment process.