Flirting With Disaster: The Risks Companies Face When They Don't Conduct Background Checks
Despite the fact that most companies have been subject
to an employee lying on their resume about a previous
position held, falsely reporting a clean driving
record, denying a criminal background, or even worse,
embezzlement, many companies do not participate in
performing background checks. Ideally, all hiring
managers would like to believe what they are being
told by their potential employee and work happily
ever after. But the fact remains that not all candidates
are honest and companies that go on word alone from
their candidates are flirting with disaster.
Though employers and employees alike are often turned
off by background checks because one thinks the other
may be distrustful of the other, they in fact provide
assurance to both parties. Specifically, background
checks allow companies to verify the information
presented to them by a candidate. Similarly, background
checks allow the candidate to showcase their honesty
to the company and lead them one step further to
landing the job.
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Background checks in essence provide relief for companies
in that they can be assured that the information given
by the candidate is indeed factual and a hiring decision
should be reached. Although background checks can present
a sense of awkwardness, especially if the company and
candidate have established a rapport throughout the
hiring process, it is essential to conduct regardless
of whether the hiring circumstances are ideal.
If companies become diligent about establishing a
solid hiring process that includes the background check
and an explanation of why they are conducted, then
that should alleviate any concern on the candidates
part that the company is concerned about their honesty.
Ultimately, companies want to ensure that they have
placed not only the best person for the position, but
also an honest one. Too many companies have overlooked
the background check process in their hiring practices
and lived to regret it.
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Some useful steps companies can take when performing
background checks include: conducting a background
check on criminal history, civil history for lawsuits
involving collections, restraining orders and fraud,
driver's license check, and education and employment
verification and verifying references.
If a candidate has been found to be lying on their
application, that tells you something very valuable
about the individual, and most often than not, it will
not be a person you would like to have as a member
of you organization. If companies treat background
checks as tools to guard against future liabilities
like the ones discussed earlier, then they can take
comfort in knowing that the candidate who passed both
the interview and background check is not only suitable
for the position, but also carries honesty and integrity
into the company. |
