Requiring volunteers from your school, church, or nonprofit organization to get background checks will not deter them from participating. Many people, especially parents, have busy lives but a background check will not take much time. For dedicated volunteers, conducting a background screening check is only a small step towards helping with the cause.

Background Screening at Nonprofits

Nonprofits usually don’t require volunteers to submit to background checks. This makes them an easy target for criminals. People can falsify their identity and lie about their past unless you take the steps necessary to check up on them. Background checks will discourage the people with a questionable past from volunteering but not the ones who are actually dedicated and trustworthy. You should take any steps necessary to eliminate the risk of allowing a dangerous person into your organization.

Background Screening Checks for Parents

Increasingly, schools require parent volunteers to get background checks. At one school in Chicago, some parents were reluctant to allow their lives under the microscope. But, after one parent acknowledged a sex-abuse conviction from his past would prevent him from passing the screening check, many parents changed their minds. And in the end, “of the 318 parents who filled out forms, only four refused to provide social security numbers.” Parent volunteers are essential to most school functions and the added security step won’t prevent them from participating.

You can easily protect your school and your children by screening volunteers. JDP makes safety fast and easy with the Safe and Sound Education background screening services we provide. There are several benefits to using our Safe and Sound Education program. We can provide accurate, timely, and inexpensive services. You can access our full list of services and program details on our website.

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Background screening companies have several go-to sources for finding information about you. If you’re worried about passing the background check, you can conduct a screening of yourself first to avoid any surprises later. Companies have access to public records, social media, and your education and employment history.

Public Records

Essentially, public records include anything maintained by the government and its agencies. So, anything from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to real estate records to birth, marriage, and divorce records. The public also has access to newspapers, telephone directories, and classified ads. Accessibility of public records varies by state.

Social Media

As you probably know by now, background screening companies can access anything you put on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. You should prepare for a thorough study of your online presence. If you’re not sure what to look for on your social media accounts, it might be better to screen yourself before your employer does to avoid any surprises.

Education and Employment History

Most employers will want to verify you are telling the truth on your resume and during the interview. To accomplish this, a background check company would contact your school and your previous employers. Sometimes people believe they can lie about their previous salary, but many companies will verify this also. All they have to do is ask your past employer or request to see your W-2 forms.

There are many different places that background screeners will look when seeking out information during the background screening process. From publically-available records to criminal databases, we look at many different dimensions to complete our background checks.

The post Where Do Background Screening Companies Get Their Information? appeared first on JDP.

But screening for compatibility can be harder than just screening for criminal activity.  Often it takes more investigative time and deeper, probing questions to find out if a potential employee is right for your office.

A reputable background screening service can help you uncover possible red flags that your potential hire is an office upset.

1.       Unreachable, unresponsive or non-existent references. 

If your background check cannot contact the listed reference or finds these references reluctant to talk, this might be a sign that your potential employee did not cultivate good relationships at their previous job.  This may be a tell that your potential new-hire does not create long-term professional relationships at work, or worse, does not inspire their coworkers to advocate for them.

Missing references can be a sign that this employee has something to hide.

2.       Leaving previous jobs under tense circumstances

If an interviewee spends a bulk of time outlining how previous jobs treated them unfairly, or gossiping over past work incidents or people, watch out.  This may be a sign of someone who creates inappropriate drama in the office.  Listen to see if this person can use discretion when describing uncomfortable work conditions, or whether they seem to revel in these issues.

A background screening check can uncover the truth behind the matter.  By interviewing past employees about incidents discussed in the interview, you can find out a more unbiased view.  Also, looking into the reputation of a previous place of employment may shed light on whether your employee was in a bad situation or was responsible for creating it.

3.       Frequent job hopping

If your employee has had many jobs in a short amount of time, this may be indicative of someone who does not create long-term relationships, someone uninterested in working through problems, or someone simply not committed to the workplace.

It could also be indicative of a changing economy.  A background screening service will be able to help you in the hiring process to discover whether your potential employee left for the right reasons.

Do you have a new-hire horror story?  Share your tale with us in the comments below!

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1. Create a checklist and follow it for every employee.

One thing that many small businesses don’t have is an employment plan. They may have a few pieces of the puzzle in place, like making sure all the legal forms get signed. But developing a checklist for the hiring process and putting that plan into action is a fantastic way to ensure that you remain equitable for each job candidate that comes through your door. If you don’t yet have a plan in place, consider creating one this year.

2. Stay FCRA compliant.

You might think you’re compliant with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, but are you really? High-profile cases, like the one against Disney, have brought discrepancies into the limelight. It’s not worth risking your company’s good name to skirt the law. Using a reputable background screening service can help you avoid some of the pitfalls in the hiring process, as can revising your hiring process. Make 2014 the year you really make an effort to stay compliant with FCRA and other employment laws.

3. Check your internship program.

Another hot button issue in 2013 was internship programs, both unpaid and low-paid. Major lawsuits against Fox Searchlight Pictures and Conde-Nast resulted in backpay for interns, yes – but also in a spotlight on any internship program. Although non-profits don’t always need to pay their interns, other organizations typically do. There are a few legitimate reasons for not paying interns, but in general, you should review your internship program to make sure it’s legal in 2014.

4. Revamp your background check program.

Make 2014 the year you really focus on background checks and how you perform them. If you’ve been screening candidates by hand, or just using a couple of self-check databases, you could be missing all kinds of information. A professional screening service can help find more information, more quickly. Plus, you won’t run into the challenges of using social media to screen a candidate.

5. Add post-employment checks.

Just because an employee of yours has been working for you for ten years doesn’t mean they haven’t been up to anything in the meantime. Conducting periodic post-employment background checks (or even drug tests, provided they’re done legally) could help you maintain a safe and secure workplace. Consider adding post-employment background checks in 2014.

What are your business resolutions for 2014? Want to share what you’re planning to do next year? Let us know in the comments!

The post 5 Business Resolutions You Should Make This Year appeared first on JDP.

1. Continue the conversation.

Millennials are often very comfortable and skilled at finding out information online. Employers should take a page from their book and learn about these candidates in advance of an interview. That way, the interview can be more about continuing the conversation, rather than using it as a simple introduction.

2. Set expectations early on.

One of the best ways to keep Millennials on board during the hiring process is to let them know exactly what to expect. It can take several weeks or even a couple of months from receiving a resume to making a final decision. Let your job candidates know how long the process will take, as well as what it involves, up front. This helps you show that you value their time and talent – and gives them a clearer picture of what to expect.

3. Don’t forget a background check.

Yes, background screening may seem silly for a person who’s only 20, but don’t forget that even young people may have had the opportunity to get into trouble. You may not be able to spot the recurring patterns that you may see in background checks with more experienced employees. However, background checks may help uncover any number of problems, from faked credentials to legal troubles.

4. Consider the possibilities.

Millennials get a bad rap for including personal flavor like favorite hobbies on their resumes, or wearing less-than-professional gear to a job interview. While in some cases, this may be because they don’t take the opportunity seriously, in other cases, it might be a case of misaligned expectations. Make sure you look beyond “resume fluff” to see if a candidate you might otherwise dismiss could be an asset to your organization.

5. Ask them about long term goals.

Another perception of Millennials is that they tend to change jobs very quickly. One way you can sidestep this issue is to ask interviewees what their long term goals are. Chances are, they’ll be able to tell you – in great detail. If you can help them gain skills in areas where they’d like to excel, they’ll be much more likely to stick around and continue contributing.

6. Set clear policies.

Once you’ve hired a Millennial, make sure you set policies and expectations with them. Having a clear policy on social media use, for example, can help both you and your new employee avoid social gaffes. Consider developing a flexible work-at-home policy, if possible, and if it’s required that they’re in the office for certain hours, make sure you set the expectation up front.

Millennial job candidates have different priorities than previous generations. They expect to do it all – and given the room to succeed, they can. Try out these tips, and you could find a wealth of Millennial talent at your fingertips.

Contact us to discuss employment background screening!

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