Why do employers want to verify your work history?

Having a great resume is a good first step to getting the job of your dreams.  But for some, a resume is worth about as much as the paper it is written on.  It is too easy to fake a resume.  It doesn’t take much imagination to conjure up a fictitious work history.  To make sure that your credentials are real and that your qualifications are valued as they should be, employers may want to check your history by using a credible background screening service during the hiring process.

This is for your protection as much as your employer.  Where your employer wants to make sure they are getting a qualified candidate, you as the job candidate received the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the other applicants in the pool are being judged on their true merits.

Verifying employment is only half the story.  An honest work history that looks good on paper, may not be what it seems once an employer looks a little deeper.  By talking to a candidate’s past managers and coworkers, an employer can get a better feel for how their applicant functions in a real work environment. Interviewing past employers is a great way to find out if a job candidate works well with others, is a self-starter, a good communicator and more!

It may also be a great way for your employer to understand why a candidate left a past position. If your past employer was unprofessional, that may out in your work verification.  Your new employer may have a better understanding of your position before it even comes up during the interview.

As a job seeker, don’t be afraid of the employment verification process.  Most employers are happy to give glowing reviews and may even give you that extra boost that allows you to secure the job of your dreams.

Do you have a question regarding employment screening?  Contact us!

The post FAQ: Why Do Employers Want To Verify Your Work History? appeared first on JDP.

Here at JDP, we encounter many common questions for those looking to navigate the waters of pre employment screening.  To help you on your employment journey, we’ve decided to answer a few Frequently Asked Questions that have come our way.  First up:

“Will my husband’s criminal record show up on my employment background check?”

Yes, it might.

There are a variety of different levels of research that can go into a background check during the hiring process.  If you provided your and your spouse’s Social Security numbers in your application, your employer may have the ability to investigate the criminal background of your spouse.  Careers that involve special clearances and jobs that handle confidential material may be especially eager to do such a thorough check into your spouse’s history.

But don’t be too worried.  Many employers are not interested in your spouse’s history or will give you a chance to explain away any issues during an interview or follow up call.

Credit history may also be intertwined with your spouse’s.  Debts and loans that accrue before and within a marriage can have an impact on a spouse’s credit score.  If your employer or landlord is running a credit history, you may find that your financial history is impacted as well.  A thorough report from a screening service should show where and when such debts accrued.  But if you are applying to rent a property with the intent of hiding your spouse’s credit history, you may find you are not in luck.

Do you have a question regarding employment screening? Contact us!

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1. Don’t forget to check aliases.

Many companies will check out their job candidates by name, but many forget that some people have aliases. These are often simply variations on a single name, but they can make a huge difference. For example, the growth in hyphenated names may cause a mistake. If you only check the name the person uses in day-to-day life, you may miss out on any information that uses their full last name. The same applies to nicknames and full names. Make sure you cover your bases by screening for any names the candidate might use.

2. Are you FCRA compliant?

It can be incredibly easy to fall on the wrong side of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. This could be as simple as including a release of liability in your consent form – which isn’t allowed under FCRA. Make sure you’ve read it (and understand the implications) during your screening process. Here’s a PDF version of the full text of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

3. Use a qualified screening service.

A Google search will only get you so far. If you’re relying on your own investigational skills to uncover information about job applicants, you may miss critical pieces of information. A background screening service has access to databases with more information than you’ll be able to find online. Plus, when you use a professional service, you can rest assured that the information will be accurate.

4. Don’t include blanket statements.

A blanket statement, like the ones that exclude felons and convicts from your hiring process, may seem like a good idea, but it’s risky. Blanket statements may adversely affect minority groups, and many companies have come under fire for policies like these recently. Make sure you avoid blanket statements and look at the situation from many angles during your hiring process.

5. Remember to check contractors.

Contractors, vendors and others that you work with on a regular basis should also be subject to background checks. Even though they’re not full-time employees, you may find that your association with them could tarnish your good reputation. Make sure you’re aware of who you’re dealing with by using a screening service to have background checks done on non-employees that you work with regularly.

6. Establish a procedure.

Do you have a procedure in place for hiring, and more specifically, background checks? You should. By ensuring that everybody goes through the same process, you may limit your liability in lawsuits. This can help keep you from making premature judgments or from eliminating candidates unfairly. Make sure you’ve got a hiring procedure and more importantly, that you have it written down. All hiring personnel should be familiar with your policies.

7. Make sure you’re up to date.

Did you know that there was an update to the FCRA on January 1st, 2013? As the bloggers at law firm DeWitt, Ross & Stevens point out,

“[M]any employers inadvertently continue to use the old format. Here’s how you can tell the difference. The new version references the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau throughout the notice. The old version references the Federal Trade Commission. Using an outdated federal summary of rights can carry big consequences. One retail employer just agreed to a $3 million settlement in part based upon allegations that it was supplying candidates with an outdated version of this federal notice.”

8. Rescreen and repeat.

Just because you’ve finished the hiring process doesn’t mean you’re done screening employees. Regular background checks can be a smart part of continued employee evaluation. After all, many employees work for companies for years, and regular background checks can help uncover anything that may have happened in the interim.

While many companies perform proper, entirely legal background checks every day, some companies may make costly mistakes. If you perform background checks at your company, make sure you avoid making these 8 mistakes. Contact us to discuss employment background screening!

The post 8 Mistakes You Can’t Afford To Make With Pre-Employment Screening appeared first on JDP.

Do Your Homework

Before the interview, you should already be vetting your potential hire. By doing your homework and investigating a candidate you not only make sure that you will get the most out of an upcoming interview but also save yourself time and problems in the long run.
As soon as you receive your applicant’s resume, be sure to note any red flags that might appear. These include:

• frequent job changes
• irregular salary history
• gaps in employment
• questionable or non-existent references
• vague qualifications or jargon

Hire a reputable pre-employment screening company to do some of the heavy lifting for you. A professional company specializing in background checks can shed light on some of these red flags or find discrepancies in what may look like a solid resume.

Ask Strong Questions

If you find a discrepancy or unexplained gap in a candidate’s resume, the interview is the time to ask about it. You shouldn’t be accusatory (as this might turn off a potentially excellent employee), but be direct. You may discover there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for what at first seemed like a red flag.

But pay attention also for behavioral tells. If the interviewee obfuscates or redirects the conversation, this might be a sign that the candidate is being dishonest. Don’t be afraid to ask follow-up questions or press for more detail. Good questions will force your candidate to disclose information not only about his or her qualifications, but how he or she would handle themselves in a work situation. How open and honest a candidate is in an interview can predict how forthcoming and honest they will be in the workplace.

Check Your Work

Even if you have already screened for discrepancies in a resume, new information may come up in an interview. If a potential hire discusses previous employment experiences or credentials not listed on his or her resume, it may behoove you to verify these new facts. A reputable pre-employment screening company will help you with this service as well so that you can feel completely comfortable and confident in the person you are hiring.
Contact us to discuss employment background screening!

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