Background checks can provide detailed information as well as overlook equally important information. Here are some characteristics of providers who cover all the bases and those who don’t.
As a hiring manager or business owner, there’s no doubt you’ve considered using background checks to screen potential employees. If you’ve begun searching for a background screening company, you might be slightly daunted by the fact that there are many providers out there all claiming to be the best. Just like all other industries, the business of background checks has an array of companies touting expertise and experience, but what actually distinguishes one from another? And how do you know that the service provider you choose will be ideally suited to your needs? Here’s a quick look on what you should be aware of when choosing a background check company.
Databases and sources of information
Any background screening company that uses “in-house” sources to run their checks is one to stay away from. To get accurate information, background checks searches need to be conducted with the original sources of information in relevant jurisdictions such as county courts and match up identifiers such as date of birth, social security number, address, name, aliases, etc. There are many proprietary databases available that offer varying degrees of accuracy and information, because they rely on information they receive from local courts, departments of corrections, sex offender registries, and other entities. These entities are not required to report their findings to any central organization. Therefore, the information isn’t necessarily updated on a regular basis.
Criminal and Sex Offender databases
If part of your process is running a criminal and/or sex offender check, it’s important to understand that there are numerous sources of information for this. A highly qualified background check company will run a screening through the local, state and national criminal and sex offender databases to be thorough. This is done because it is not unusual for a person to relocate after committing a crime so only running a local or state screening may not reveal any criminal or sex offender activity committed in other parts of the country.
Best practices and risk mitigation
Background Screening providers not only need to offer the highest degree of accuracy and the most comprehensive services, they also need to be aware of and adhere to the standards of compliance with recognized industry regulations. Another key element that differentiates one background check company from another is that you want to choose one that will consistently update you to ensure you are aware of changing regulations, so you can properly manage risk in your hiring processes. Do this in conjunction with appropriate legal counsel.
Experience
While we all know how easy it is to search someone’s name on the Internet, this should never be a substitute for a professionally conducted background check at relevant courts. Between the many legalities of the business to the importance of following industry set standards, experience is key when choosing a company that will provide the most reliable results and the highest level of service that your background screenings necessitate.
Expansive reach
When selecting a background screening company, another important element to consider is their resources of information and their reach internationally. Because of the fact that today’s workplace candidates come from all over the world, it’s key to enlist the services of a company whose reach expands beyond your city, state and the United States. (Specifically, this will apply if your company uses visa programs, hires from overseas, or has operations abroad.)
When considering the use of background checks into your hiring efforts, make sure you are aware of the facets that distinguish one provider from the next. At Sentinel Background Checks, our team has more than three decades of industry experience and is dedicated to providing an unsurpassable level of accuracy, service and attention to our clients. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our many solutions.