EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND SCREENING-AN EFFECTIVE HUMAN RESOURCE TOOL Background of any individual is a vital component of his persona. Everything may appear good on paper but there always remains some difference between the perceived reality and the presented reality. Background investigation is instrumental in authenticating identity of a person and appreciating his true credentials becomes an easier task. The companies today opt for pre-employment screening to check the bona fide testimonials of an applicant who may become an employee in their organization and share the organization's everyday confidential information and economic affairs. Negligent hiring has often led to severe catastrophes in several instances. In order to avoid such undesired consequences it is pertinent for the companies to have a thorough pre employment screening conducted with effective means and this should cover not only the detail due diligence of the presented facts in the curriculum vitae but also the facts that have not been provided or deliberately concealed. These are certain crucial pieces of misinformation provided by the applicants that requires a thorough check:
  • False Education/Diploma/ Certificates/ Recognitions
  • Incorrect Dates of Former Employment
  • Inflated Salary History
  • Exaggerated Listing of Responsibilities at former job
  • False Reason (s) for Leaving Job
  • Background: social/criminal
 Hiring someone should be through a detailed sophisticated selection procedure which may entail intelligence testing, phone screens, interviewing, psychological profiling, drug and alcohol screens, references check, education verification, lifestyle checks, background checks, medical history checks, character, and general reputation checks. Pre-employment background screening and Post-employment lifestyle checks are carried out by investigative officials, experts and professionals with complete secrecy and confidentiality and the corpus of such services may include:
  • Address verification
  • Previous employment check
  • Current employment check
  • Reference check
  • Education background check
  • Criminal records confirmation
  • Credit check
  • Social networking check
 Business organizations by and large very well know that when business remains at stake there's no room to commit error. So to juxtapose hiring risk and pre- employment checks is necessary. It not only settles doubts about the person one is to work with but also creates a healthy and conducive atmosphere in the organisation. This helps to ward off potential risks, costly litigation and limit uncertainty in hiring applicants. Afterall an effective pre-employment screening is a miniscule percentage of the recruitment, training and termination effort. Thus the competitiveness of the company is enhanced as advantageous human resource adds to its strength!