HIRING MANAGERS – ARE YOU GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR MONEY WHEN ORDERING EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND CHECK REPORTS?
Here are 6 simple tips to help you when requesting an employment screening report on a job applicant:
- Order a Social Security Number Trace
This investigation starting point serves as the foundation of a thorough background check. By authenticating the applicant’s Social Security Number has proven to significantly increase “hit” or record ratios by revealing all previous addresses and aliases perhaps intentionally undisclosed by applicants. County Criminal Records and Driving Records can then be conducted in the proper locations.
- Get Complete Information From The Job Applicant
The quality of a background check will be based in part on the information provided by the applicant. If required information is left out, turnaround time can be adversely affected and the report may not be completed. Always make sure the applicants consent is signed.
- Cross Reference Background Check Results
Compare the background report with the information provided on the candidate’s application with the search results. If there are inconsistencies, ask the applicant for an explanation.
- Obtain Birth Dates without Violating the Law
As a potential employer, you can’t ask a candidate’s date of birth – but you need a date of birth to run a Criminal History Search. One option is to extend the job offer before the employee background check is ordered, with the offer being contingent on the results of the report.
- Get Names of Supervisor and Co-Workers
Human Resource departments will frequently give out only the most basic of information – start and termination dates, title, etc. If you can get the name of a supervisor or a few co-workers, they are frequently less restrictive in the information they provide. Co-workers (friends) are likely to give the applicant a superb reference. More honest references are mostly obtained from managers and supervisors.
- Run a National Criminal Search
I recommend an MBI Worldwide National Criminal Search as a cost-effective search. This search utilizes one of the largest Criminal Records Databases in the nation, containing more than 240 million criminal records. The search includes but is not limited to
– Sex Offender Search
– Federal Bureau of Investigations Most Wanted Search
– Office of Foreign Assets Control Search
The contributing source list for each state is included with every search. Records are located by name and date of birth.
For a complete list of services that MBI Worldwide provides, please click here.
Kim Cox, Senior Support Staff
MBI Worldwide, Inc.