Running a business with constant turnover can be stressful—it decreases productivity and puts unnecessary strain on your current employees. Sometimes this turnover can be due to company culture, workload expectations, or training techniques, but often the issue is that you’ve hired the wrong person for the job. Finding the right people to help your company grow is no simple task, but working with a third-party screening partner can make it easier—and safer!
At CNet Technologies, we understand it can be an overwhelming task for your HR team to assess applications and resumes, conduct employment verification, and pull background checks efficiently and legally on top of their other responsibilities—this is precisely how an unqualified candidate can slip through the cracks. By partnering with a third party, though, that burden is taken off of your HR team and placed in the hands of professionals those whose sole focus is on screening. Here, we will discuss how different aspects of the employee screening process ensures your candidates are qualified and a good fit for your company.
Employment Verification
When you’re first looking over a pool of prospective employees, there’s a lot of information for your Human Resources Team to sift through: the first thing we recommend doing is not just accepting resumes, but having the candidate fill out an application as well. Job applicants may grumble about having to fill out additional forms, but applications are a fantastic tool for pre-screening for two reasons:
1. Applications Ask for More
With applications, you usually request more information than what is generally included on a standard one-page resume. An application typically requires a full employment history or at least the applicant’s history for the last ten years. Along with history, applications will request the name of the potential employee’s supervisor in each role, and sometimes will additionally ask for the following:
- Address of the previous employer
- Phone number or email address
- Reason for leaving
- Previous salary (many states are banning the disclosure of this information, so use with caution)
Each employer is also allowed to tailor their application to inquire after specific job skills. You can either provide a space to list skills and certifications of any type or give them options they can check with a range of proficiency levels to choose from or years they’ve used specific programs and skill sets.
2. Applications Can Be Compared to Resumes
Applications are like being interviewed after witnessing an accident or a crime being committed: you answer a lot of questions, again and again, to show that your account of what happened hasn’t changed. If the information on the application doesn’t match the parts included on the resume, it could be an indication that an applicant is lying.
Now that you’ve obtained contact information, supervisor names, and dates of employment, you or a third-party screener can reach out to previous employers and start verifying candidates your company is interested in possibly hiring. Certain states only allow you to ask the question “Did person X work for your company?” but the previous employer is permitted to answer however they choose. Such answers can provide a great deal of insight into the applicant’s character and work ethic.
Depending on how well the applications match and what the former employer says you can start to get an overall picture of the candidate. If something doesn’t ring true with the information provided by previous employers, you can move on to your next qualified candidate.
Background Checks
Conducting background checks is an essential task of hiring employees and one where you don’t want to cut corners. As a third-party screener, CNet Technologies can ensure the information we gather on your behalf is not only accurate and up-to-date but legally obtained as well. Background checks help you evaluate patterns of behavior in candidates to determine if they’re the right fit for your company culture.
Background checks can include criminal records, but there is a nation-wide trend to de-prioritize this information because the files will often include arrests that never lead to a conviction. Make sure the data you have is accurate and only what you need to make an informed decision that doesn’t leave you liable for discrimination lawsuits. That’s not to say your company shouldn’t be informed of illegal or violent behavior patterns that could impact your business, but it means you do need to acquire your information using correct procedure. Turning to a third-party screener decreases the overall risk you face in pulling these records.
Background checks can also include credit reports which may be pertinent to your company if you’re in the financial sector. Credit pulls must be conducted within the regulations of the FCRA, so leaving it to a third-party will be the safest way to ensure that credit history is obtained legally.
Drug Testing
Though drug testing isn’t a requirement (we still highly recommend it) and is being de-prioritized or outlawed in some states, even posting that your company will conduct a drug test will stop those who may use on the job from applying. Your company may require consistent physical activity, working with heavy machinery, or have other reasons to bar substance abuse on the job. Regardless of the reason, drug screening will ensure that potential candidates aren’t going to risk endangering others with substance use in the workplace.
Work with the Experts in New-Hire Screening
CNet Technologies understands that the hiring process can be arduous, which is why we offer our services to alleviate the stress and navigation of the many laws involved in vetting potential employees. Contact us today and see how we can help you find qualified candidates excited to work for your company!
