5 Things You Can Learn About Someone From A Background Screening

Hiring a candidate for an open position without conducting the necessary background screening is not a good idea. All you really know about this individual is what they’ve shared with you through their resume and what they’ve told you during the interview. This really isn’t enough.

What can you learn about a candidate from background screening? Plenty! We’ve listed five important things here, but it doesn’t stop there. This is just the tip of the iceberg! There are so many details you can uncover about a prospective employee to help you determine whether or not they’re a good fit for your business. Read on to gain some insight on why conducting a thorough pre-employment background check is so important.

Misrepresenting Themselves On Their Resume

You’ve found a candidate that looks great! They have an MBA from Harvard University. They’ve taken additional courses in international marketing, leadership communication strategies, and new venture formation. They’ve given talks at high-profile conferences, and they’ve taught small business ownership classes at the local community college. Brilliant! A perfect fit, right?

Not so fast. What if not everything the candidate has stated on the resume is true? What if their MBA actually came from an online university you’ve never even heard of? What if they only attended conferences and have never given talks anywhere? What if teaching at the local community college was a complete fabrication?

The problem is, you don’t necessarily have the time, energy, or resources to do a fact check on this candidate. You’re taking his or her word for it, and this could prove a grave mistake if the job seeker is doing more than a bit of exaggerating. If they’re flat out lying on their resume or application (or both), background screening will let you know.

Screening services can include important verifications, including the following:

• Certification & Professional License Verification: Employee background verification companies can confirm whether or not the candidate has the certificates or licenses listed on a resume or job application. A good background screening company will also tell you whether or not those credentials are current, and whether or not any adverse actions are attached to them.
• Past Employment Verification: Another important check that a good background screening company can conduct for you is employment verification, which can tell you whether or not the candidate has the skills and experience needed to take on the different tasks of the job being applied for.
• Education Verification: Degrees obtained and schools attended can be verified as well. If the candidate has misrepresented their education, there are legal, effective ways to discover the truth.

Lying During The Interview

Maybe everything in their resume and application is accurate and truthful, but the candidate lies during the interview process, either via phone or in person. Some of these inaccuracies may be fairly harmless; other ones, not so much. They can be very dangerous, putting your business, employees, or clients at risk.

At NationSearch, we dig deep and uncover lies that interviewees tell. Here’s a great real-life example: the case of the DUI driver who tried to cover up his driving record during his interview. When his interviewer asked about his driving history, the job candidate confidently stated that he had a clean driving record.

Our background search uncovered not just one, but TWO cases against this individual. We found an open DUI case and a controlled substance conviction.

This individual was applying for a position as a driver at an assisted living facility. Even though he looked great on paper and in person, exuding tremendous confidence and answering every question competently, our background check uncovered a criminal past that could, potentially, endanger the people he would be entrusted to drive to medical appointments.

On top of that, he lied during the interview, making him untrustworthy.

Our background check proved to be invaluable to the employer. The applicant was denied employment at this facility, since the safety and wellbeing of the residents always comes first for this company (as it should). Our services helped this business avoid making a big mistake.

A Violent Past

Not everyone with a violent past continues to exhibit violent behavior today. However, the employer has a right to know about any troubling violent behavior the job candidate has exhibited at some point, along with the circumstances under which the behavior occurred.

Why? Because fellow employees must be protected. Customers also need to be kept safe when interacting with anyone you hire. And of course, you need to protect your premises, too, against destruction that may occur from any violent outbursts.

NationSearch has the means to effectively conduct criminal background checks to give potential employers peace of mind knowing they’re choosing non-violent candidates, and to protect an employer against possible lawsuits.

We have the ability to search a wide range of databases, including (but not limited to) the following:

• Multijurisdictional criminal databases
• State-specific federal district courts
• County and statewide criminal records
• National sex offender registry
• International criminal history records
• State department of corrections
• Other agencies, departments, and databases

A Propensity To Steal

A criminal background check, along with other forms of screening, can uncover if a potential new hire is inclined to steal.

Theft can come in different forms. It can involve taking business property, such as computers, pharmaceuticals, hand tools, or any items that may have a high resale value. It can take the form of stealing company secrets and selling them to competitors. Or it may involve hacking into personnel files and accessing sensitive, private information.

Don’t take a risk; have a new hire background check done before extending a job offer.

Predatory Behavior

Another potential danger to your workplace is predatory behavior on the part of a new employee. There are many types of predatory behaviors possible; the individual could be a sexual predator. They can be a stalker. Or they can exhibit other undesirable behavior that puts your employees or your customers at risk. Be sure to run a check to learn if any worrisome behavior turns up that points to NOT bringing this person aboard.

Reach Out To NationSearch For Help

We’ve only touched upon five possible things you can learn about a job applicant from background screening services. As you can see, though, these are BIG things that can lead to big issues if you were to hire the person in question. And there’s so much more that can be uncovered!

NationSearch has been serving clients as a premier background screening company since 1987. What we’ve uncovered through the years can fill volumes! Suffice it to say that we’ve helped countless employers choose the right candidates for positions and avoid high-risk ones.

We’re very proud of the services we offer, and we’d like to help you as your background screening partner. We offer a number of packages, and our services can be customized to meet your specific needs. Don’t make a mistake you’ll regret. Contact NationSearch for background screening services you can count on!

These services include the following:

• Criminal Records Search
• Drug Screening
• Verifications and References
• Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Integrations
• Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) Compliance
• Identity Verifications

You may not require every service we offer, but we’re confident you’ll benefit greatly from at least one of our screening options or packages. We’d love to talk with you and learn more about our needs. Contact us today!