Pre-employment background screenings are a critical component of solid, informed hiring decisions. While you might be tempted to go it alone, consider the many ways a professional background check service provider adds value to the process:
Table of Contents
Compliance
Compliance is a huge issue when it comes to background screenings. The laws and regulations surrounding the collection and use of personal information are complicated and are in near-constant motion. Not complying with these laws leaves you exposed to costly penalties and potential lawsuits.
Professional screening companies make compliance central to their business model. They are well-versed in the latest laws and provide their customers with all the procedures and forms needed to stay well within the law.
Expertise
A comprehensive, reliable background check involves much more than a quick internet search. Background check companies know where to go to get the most accurate information, how to interpret their findings, and recognize the signs that it’s necessary to dig a bit deeper. It’s also important to know that many background checks require actual hands-on, feet-on-the-ground investigative work. Even in this highly digital age, there’s some information that you can only get with a phone call or a physical visit. Skilled screeners understand clearly the limitations of online resources and they know where to go when they hit a barrier.
But that’s not all the expertise the professionals bring to the table. They are also skilled interviewers and are able to elicit critical employment history information that goes beyond the yes/no answers many HR folks get when checking references. All this experience means you get a better report in less time than if you try to do it yourself.
Functionality
With the help of a background screening company, you can get consistent background check reports that are easy to access and understand. You’ll also get modern technology advantages such as APIs and direct interfaces with your HR system that streamline the process. You and the candidate will appreciate convenient data-entry portals and quick access to results.
Affordability
There’s no such thing as a free background check; even if you’re attempting to run one yourself, you can expect to pay fees to access online data. Professional employment background checks are an affordable option for small, mid-size, and large businesses alike. They take advantage of economies of scale to keep their costs to a minimum and many companies offer options that allow you to request as many checks as you need and to specify what type of checks you need to run. No two background checks are alike; they are tailored to the candidate and the position. Using a professional screening firm allows you to take advantage of all their knowledge and experience while keeping your costs low.
Choose a Professional
The first step to developing better hiring practices is getting a professional background screener on your team. The experience, convenience, and results they provide are worth every penny.