There are several reasons a company might choose to have its staffing agencies run background checks on potential employees. Most obviously, staffing agencies are well-rehearsed in the screening process, leading to an efficient process that organizations’ internal teams don’t have to bear. Additionally, with the scale of screenings, a staffing agency conducts, they often are able to get better pricing on packages. 

What Do Staffing Companies Do?

The responsibility of a staffing company varies from the organization but typically includes:

1. Recruiting and sourcing candidates: they are responsible for filling positions with the best candidates that are qualified and meet the skills required by the company. This is typically done through job postings, social media, and networking.
2. Interviewing and selecting candidates: The agency typically conducts initial interviews to ensure suitability for the position.
3. Screening and assessing candidates: the pre-qualification work of a staffing company is where much of the value is sourced for organizations. From running background checks to verifying the necessary skills, the staffing agency’s responsibility is to match the right candidate with the right position.
4. Hiring and onboarding: Some staffing companies take hiring a step further and assist with the actual onboarding of the selected candidate. This typically includes working with the organization’s internal staff to create a checklist and smooth onboarding system.

Do I Need to Screen Temporary Employees?

The simple answer is yes, it is advisable to conduct a background check on temporary employees, just as you would for full-time employees. 

While temporary employees may not be with your company for an extended period, they will still have access to your company’s resources and information, and their actions could significantly impact your business. Background checks can help to uncover any past criminal history, verify employment and education credentials, and ensure that the temporary employee is a good fit for the role they are being hired to perform. Additionally, conducting background checks on all employees, whether they are temporary or full-time, can help ensure that your company complies with legal and regulatory requirements related to employment screening.

Final Thoughts

Whether your background screening and hiring process is internal or outsourced, it’s ultimately the employers’ responsibility to ensure the pre-hire process mitigates the risks your particular company requires. This means understanding what is included in your staffing agency’s background check and ensuring it meets your needs. We suggest working with your staffing agency and/or background screening company to build a background check report that meets your company’s unique needs. 

Disclaimer:

Information provided here is for educational and informational purposes only and should not constitute as legal advice. We recommend you contact your own legal counsel for any questions regarding your specific practices and compliance with applicable laws.

The post Outsourcing HR: Why Staffing Agencies Are Running Background Checks for Companies 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!

The post Avoiding Office Upsets appeared first on JDP.

How can I be sure that a background check is accurate?

For the employer, the best way to ensure a background check is accurate is to hire a reputable screening service.  An employment screening service will be sure to take the time and focus needed to double check the products of a thorough background screening.  A background screening service will ask for multiple identifiers including names (legal names as well as aliases and maiden names), previous addresses, date of birth and social security information.  A reputable screening company will be skeptical of any information where these identifiers do not match.   This way your service can quickly point out what pieces of information are trustworthy and what needs to be viewed with a more discerning eye.

For the job seeker, you can help out the screening process by double checking that all information on your resume and application forms is accurate and consistent.  An employer must also get your written consent before running a background check so you will be aware that your record is being looked into.  After your background check you will be allowed by law to review the results to discover or correct any discrepancies or misinformation that might have been uncovered.  This is also your opportunity to explain and add context to any accurate red flags that might be attached to your portfolio.  Don’t worry!  Most employers are willing to hear you out, especially if other aspects of your resume recommend you highly.

If you are worried about what might be in your background check, you too can approach a screening service to run a proactive background or credit check on yourself.  This way you can know what they know as well as review and troubleshoot the results before it ever reaches and employer’s eyes!

Do you have any questions you would like to ask us about background checks or the employment screening process? Contact us!

The post FAQ: How can I be sure that a background check is accurate? appeared first on JDP.

What happens if you find somebody else with the same name as me when researching for a background check?

Many job seekers often get nervous during a background check even if they have nothing to hide.  Many think that background screenings might turn up the misdeeds of others despite their own personally spotless records.

Don’t worry: most reputable employment screening companies will take into account that many persons can share the same name.

Your name is only the first piece of information used when conducting a background check.  Background reports are matched against other identifying information such as your current and previous addresses, as well as your Social Security number. A reputable employment screening firm will not present a report to your employer unless they are relatively certain that the information they are providing pertains to you and you alone.

If you are the victim of identity theft, this may cause some issues during the screening process.  Because identity thieves can be insidious and link their frauds with your social security number, credit report, and other biographical information, these issues may turn up in your background screening. That is why if you know that your identity had been stolen, let your potential employer know this as soon as possible so that their screening company can be on the lookout for misinformation.  And if you did not previously know your identity has been stolen, a background screening company might be able to point out this danger and may even begin to help you clear it up!

However, if you are using someone else’s identity to pass a background screening, know that a thorough background check may expose this fraud.  A background check can highlight discrepancies in residences, uncover suspicious work histories, and more!

Have you ever been a victim of mistaken identity during the hiring process? Contact us!

The post FAQ: Employment Screening, Background Checks & Mistaken Identity appeared first on JDP.

As our economy picks up, it is important to remember that employment gaps may not be the red flag they once were. It is now more important than ever to use background checks via a reputable employment screening organization to separate those who were unemployed from the unemployable. Here are a few myths concerning long-term unemployment:

If this candidate was a good employee, someone would have hired him/her.

Many job candidates get caught in a dangerous cycle. As their unemployment stretches on, the stigma of being unemployed or underemployed makes them all the more unemployable. Keep in mind that if you are passing over a candidate because of an employment gap, it is likely the last Human Resources manager might have had the same thought. You may be passing over a stellar candidate just because of a Catch-22.

Their skills must be rusty.

A good job candidate will not have been stagnant during their unemployment. Many use their time off to improve their skills and keep abreast of changing technology. Intelligence and enthusiasm doesn’t disappear just because the job market has.

They must not want to work.

An employee that has not worked in a while may be hungry to prove themselves. You may find that such an employee, rather than being lazy, is eager to quickly learn new skills and throw themselves into a position. Someone who has been unemployed knows the value of the opportunity you can give them and would be overjoyed to seize the day.

Something must be wrong.

Aside from a volatile economy there are a host of other reputable reasons why a person may have holes in their employment record. Some candidates may take time off because a health or family emergency. Schooling or maternity/paternity leave may also interfere with a consistent work history. Still other candidates may have attempted to start a business of their own or invested their time researching a project.

And yes, there can be troubling reasons why a candidate has prolonged unemployment. Incarceration, personality issues, or disreputable performance on the job can also lead to an enforced employment hiatus.

Only through a thorough employment screening can you tell if an employment gap was caused by an infraction or poor performance record, or if it instead is just a sign of the times. Contact us!

The post The Truth About Employment Gaps appeared first on JDP.