We here at JDP want you to feel informed about the hiring process.  To help you better understand background checks, we are answering your Frequently Asked Questions about the employment screening process so you can know what to expect.  Today’s question is:

How can I make sure to stay compliant with background check laws if I have an alias or alternate name?

There are many reasons why the name you use daily and your legal name might not match up: You may have changed your name after getting married or after a divorce.  You may use a “stage name” or “pen name” if you are in the arts, or just prefer to use a different professional name from you legal name.

Many people simply have a nickname that they use around the office, but this may cause confusion when it becomes time for a reference check.  Your legal name might be “William” but your former co-worker might know you only as “Billy.”  Don’t miss out on a good reference because of name confusion!

Here’s what you need to do to make sure your background check is as accurate as possible:

1.  Provide you employer with your legal name, Social Security Number and date of birth.

2.  Provide your employer with you maiden name or past married names and the date on which you legally changed it.

3.  Provide your employer with any aliases, stage/pen names, or nicknames that might have been used at previous places of employment.

Giving this information allows your employer to double check any information found on you while making sure nothing is omitted from your record.  By being upfront about any alternative names you have used, you show an act of good faith to potential employer and demonstrate that you have nothing to hide.  A reputable screening service will the check these pieces of information against two or more pieces of signature information (such as your Social Security Number or date of birth) to make sure your report is as accurate as possible.

Do you have a question about the employment screening process that you would like us to answer?  Contact us!

The post FAQ: How can I make sure to stay compliant with background check laws if I have an alias or alternate name? appeared first on JDP.

Create a checklist

Because using social media to look up job candidates can often reveal protected information, many hiring managers may shy away from using it. However, you can still use social media during candidate screenings as long as you do it carefully and are consistent. Before you look up a single social profile, make sure you have a checklist of things that you’re looking for. For example, if you’re hiring a writer, you may want to check to see if a job candidate’s tweets are well-written and typo-free. Make sure you know what you’re looking for before you go hunting wildly through a job candidate’s pictures or status updates. This can not only help ensure that you’re using social media consistently for all candidates, it can also help you stay organized.

Look for inconsistencies with a background check

Just like you could compare a resume to a background check, you can also verify social media information. Job candidates often list things like educational background and employment history on social media platforms. Use a screening service to help verify that this information is accurate. This could help you weed out potentially dishonest employees – after all, if a candidate is lying to their social network, they may not be entirely honest in an interview, either.

Don’t just look for negatives

Although many hiring managers use social media to look for negative aspects of a candidate, you can also use social media in a more proactive and positive way. For example, instead of simply looking for reasons not to hire a candidate, you might wish to see how they interact with others. Is the candidate helpful in pointing people to other resources and articles? Do they join in conversations in a helpful manner? Social media might be a great way to see how your potential job candidates interact with others in their off time. This may be a great chance to see if they’re well-rounded and would accentuate the company culture.

Know the rules

Of course, because of the nature of social media, you may find out information that falls under protection. For example, learning a candidate’s race or age may feel inevitable on social media. One tactic that may be helpful is to hold off on social media screening until you’ve already met a candidate in person. You may wish to learn more about the laws for protected information in your own state before you begin performing social media screening.

Bonus tip: Use social media in the pre hiring phase

Social media isn’t just a great tool for evaluating candidates. It can also be an excellent way to find more talent. If your company runs social media accounts, don’t forget to include job postings to these accounts as part of the pre hiring phase. Candidates who come in through these postings may have already shown an interest in the company. Contact us to discuss social media screening!

The post Get Social: How To Use Social Media in the Hiring Process appeared first on JDP.