Welcoming the right people into your organization is complex. The difficulties that many hiring personnel encounter are the different kinds of background checks. Capable of providing key insight into a candidate’s past, these various screenings are crucial to minimizing liability, decreasing turnover, and ensuring a safe workplace.
Below, we’ll briefly go over a few of the different types of background checks and the information they acquire.
Most Commonly Used Background Checks
Social Security number verification
Investigating an applicant’s personal identifiable information is an essential part of verifying the candidate has been truthful about his or her identity. Confirming the name and address matches with the provided social security number is key. It also proves they can legally work in the country. If that weren’t the case and the candidate were hired, it could cost the organization a significant amount of money.
Credit checks
Hiring for a managerial role or position with access to funds generally requires a credit check. With permission from the applicant, this assessment allows companies to get a glimpse of spending habits, bill management and other aspects of financial responsibility. Such insight into an applicant’s financial health is often gained with help from a third-party company and helps to determine if the position is a good fit.
Employment history
Verifying a person’s past work experience is vital in a successful hiring process. By speaking with former or current supervisors, this part of the process sheds light on how suitable the applicant is, as well as helps to predict future performance. Although what is discussed is often limited, these conversations work to confirm the length of employment, salary and the role’s responsibilities.
Education verification
If the position is calling for a certain level of education or scholastic certification, the applicant’s education ought to be verified. An education background check helps confirm the prerequisite academic degrees were attained or supplemental training if necessary. It also speaks to a candidate’s familiarity with the industry.
Criminal history checks
Frequently utilized, criminal background checks are one of the most common tools companies use to protect employees and clients from potential threats. Not only could these screenings potentially eliminate a bad fit for the position, they could also help safeguard the company from the consequences of hiring someone who has committed dangerous crimes. Different types of criminal background checks may involve a fingerprint check, surveying the sex offender registry or searching local and national databases.
Reference checks
Last on our list of different types of background checks are references. When part of the hiring decision, checking a candidate’s references makes the most of feedback from personal contacts, instead of solely relying on work history. These conversations with former coworkers, friends or teachers can be constructive in gaining an understanding of a candidates’ work ethic and skills.
Trust Our Custom Screening Solutions
With so many different types of background checks for employment available, it’s best to have reliable, screening experts on your team. At Global Verification Network, we help companies of all sizes mitigate risk through personally tailored employment-screening solutions. When it’s time to collect candidate information, you can rely on our background check services to meet your needs.
Contact us today to discuss what our experts can do for your organization!