When it comes to examining an applicant’s history, the mantra “the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior” has been the guiding principle behind this practice.  For employers to know what performance to expect from a prospective member of their staff, they will want to have a pre-employment screening process in place that will give them this insight. The potential repercussions caused by a bad hire are enough to make any business reluctant to take a chance on a new employee without a rigorous background check. Employee background checks are important and here is why: According to the 2010 National Retail Security Survey, internal theft cost retailers $15.9 billion and accounted for 45% of shrink. In addition, during a new associate’s first ninety days, companies can potentially invest anywhere between $5,000 to $75,000 in their training and development; this is motivation enough to make an employer not want to have to repeat this process too many times.

The potential hire selection process not only has shrink implications to consider, but staff members can also be potential liabilities for their employers. This is a prime example of why pre-employment screening is so important.  Legal actions involving negligent hiring practices and employers being held accountable for a staff member’s actions can be avoided if due diligence in hiring practices can be demonstrated. Also, in a society as litigious as ours, prospective hires that could jeopardize a business’ compliance with federal and state safety guidelines should be avoided. Lastly, employee background checks can assist in avoiding a bad hire’s potential damage to a company’s reputation, which can’t be measured in monetary losses.

The need for employers to perform background checks for prospective staff members is palpable and choosing the right background check company is a crucial part of the hiring process. When considering the right business to handle this, accuracy of information and timeliness are important factors. Choosing the wrong background check company for examining applicant backgrounds can nullify the steps an employer takes to avoid the potential hazards the appointment process can pose.

For more information on background check experts, background checks, criminal background checks, employee background checks, or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547

Background checks are important, but they should never be the only tool you use to determine if a candidate is a good fit for your business. Comprehensive pre employment screening should include many aspects beyond just sending their information into a background check company. Criminal background checks, drug testing, reference checks, and an extensive interview process should all play a part in your pre employment screening. When you use a vast array of screening tools you will be able to find the best candidates to fit your needs that will be loyal and work hard for your company.

Criminal background checks will allow you to identify potential employees that have been convicted of a crime. From those results you can decide if the candidate is someone you wish to pursue or if you will decide to look elsewhere. This should not be where the screening stops. Where background checks won’t help you is if the person is committing crimes and not getting caught. This is when the other steps come into play. Drug testing can help you to identify if the possible employee is involved in any illegal drug activity. Reference employee background checks will allow you to discover if the person is lying about their previous experience and will hopefully help you to get a good idea of the person’s character. The key here is asking the right questions of the right people. If the reference person that the potential employee gave you seems to be giving staged or fake answers, call back and ask to speak to another manager.

Lastly, the thing you can always count on is the interview process. Make this meeting count. Be sure to research the right questions to ask and how to effectively interview. Open ended questions can be your best friend; you would be surprised how much someone will open up with just a little probing. Using a background check company can tell you a lot about a potential employee, but it takes a lot more to make sure you are hiring the right people.

For more information on background check experts, background checks, criminal background checks , employee background checks or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547

Ensuring your company is conducting background checks is a good first step, however, it is important that your company conducts the correct level of criminal background checks and employee background checks. This is all a part of having a successful pre employment screening process. The background check experts all agree that one of the best ways to deter a potential thief from working with a company is a rigorous pre employment screening process that includes multiple interviews and pointed questions regarding employment and education history.Unfortunately even companies with good intentions about having a successful pre employment screening strategy fall short due to not hiring a qualified background check company. They muddle about and conduct random criminal background checks which when not guided by background check experts usually does not encompass the correct areas where crimes may have been committed. Ultimately this leads to a false sense of security that can have devastating results. Another thing companies overlook is the employee background check, they figure a couple phone calls to companies written on a job application will suffice. This again will be a potentially costly mistake. Background check experts know exactly how to conduct an in depth employee background check which requires a significant amount of research. A good background check company will also be able to verify an employee’s education history as well as job and personal references.

Companies that do utilize a reputable background check company have access to background check experts that have worked in and around every type of business under the sun. The right background check expert is matched to a company and a pre employment screening strategy is custom made to fit the business like a glove. This process usually involves the human resource, loss prevention and legal departments. Once the company’s policy and procedures have been reviewed in detail then the strategy can be implemented. A potential employee will fill out a very detailed job application, a release form for background checks and provide a complete resume. The potential employee will then go through a multi level interview process conducted by different executives at each level. Then the employee will answer any and all questions that have arisen as a result of the completed background checks. Any hits at this point from a criminal background check that had not been addressed in the initial job application will effectively disqualify the applicant from procuring a position at the company in question.

It takes an investment of time to find the right background check company and formulate an all encompassing hiring process that protects your company, however but in the end it will guard your company from losses caused by bad employees.A company has the right to protect its employees and its profits and it starts with screening potential employees.

For more information on background check experts, background checks, criminal background checks, employee background checks or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547

So you have a candidate for a job sitting before you.  He is well dressed, his resume is glowing, and his work history is a perfect fit for your company’s needs.  As the interview progresses he says everything you could ever want to hear, answering each question flawlessly and without hesitation.

Usually when something is too good to be true it is.

An example would be at an automotive service center attached to one of my stores.  It is a part of the company that suffers from a high turnover rate for a variety of reasons too long to list here.  At this particular center, the employee attrition rate was so high that the center manager had given up on performing background checks and went by what he saw in front of him.  He was trying to fill vacancies which were crippling his ability to keep the center viable.

One day an applicant sat down with him for an interview with a resume that said he was capable and experienced as a technician and the references listed all gave him amazing reviews.

Less than a week into this individual’s career at the center he was tasked with performing a belt replacement on a car; something he claimed to have experience with.

The engine blew within seconds of being started.

The individual had never done a belt change before and ‘just winged it’.  Because of the incident a background check had to be done and it was found he had never worked ANYWHERE he had claimed and his references were all personal acquaintances posing as former supervisors.  These were all details easily discovered with pre employment screening.

Basically the moral of this story is if the center manager had requested an employee background check, or even used one of the company background check experts he could have avoided hiring the fraud and kept himself from getting fired for his mistakes.

For more information on background check experts , background checks , criminal background checks , employee background checks or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547

I have spent a fair amount of time moving around the country. Each move presents me with the fabulous opportunity to go to the DMV to change my drivers license. The last trip I took, I was presented with a series of questions that really started to make me think. They asked about any outstanding violations or warrants and a few other related questions.

I thought about how easy it would be for someone to lie because there didn’t seem to be a validation process in place. It’s very similar to hiring an employee and not running any sort of pre employment screening or criminal background check.

I know some companies I have been hired on to have done a great job with their pre employment screening. Running a criminal background check was only the first part. They called my references, both personal and professional and validated past salaries.

I know that some companies never questioned anything. How easy would it be for someone to give false information? That doesn’t mean they are hardened criminals out to steal you blind. Maybe they just want an extra five or ten thousand a year in salary. A background check might show that they were making less at their previous employer, thus saving you some money.

Background checks are there for a reason. Because they are so readily available, it’s a shame not to use them. It’s time to ask, how much am I loosing by not running a check; how much will I gain?

 For more information on background check experts , background checks , criminal background checks , employee background checks or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547 

Pre employment screening is important for many reasons. One of those reasons is to prevent internal theft. Background checks help to weed out the bad eggs that may have otherwise slipped through the cracks. There are plenty of people out there who are looking for a job in retail for no other reason than to steal from the retailer. We see a significant spike in this sort of scenario during the holidays. These types of people know that companies are desperate to hire seasonal help and may not be taking the time to carry out detailed interviews, conduct criminal background checks and check references on potential employees as much as they do the rest of the year. I have conducted many internal interviews after identifying employee theft and you wouldn’t believe the number of times I’ve heard them admit that their sole reason of getting a job with us was to steal. It is always their first time getting caught stealing, so they usually tell us everything we want to know in hopes of getting off with a warning. We conduct employee background checks on all new hires, and nothing comes up on their background checks when we hired them, but next time they won’t be so lucky. Now that we have caught them in the act, criminal background checks conducted by retailers in the future will stop them in their tracks. We know for a fact that pre employment screening has helped prevent us from hiring convicted shoplifters. When we receive the results from the background check company we are able to see when a shoplifter attempts to get a job with us. We always listen to the background check experts and deny employment in order to protect our assets.

When in doubt, use a background check company and look to background check experts to give you solid advice on employee background checks.

For more information on background check experts , background checks , criminal background checks , employee background checks or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547

Customer service has become possibly the most important factor in the business decisions that we make today. From our policies and procedures to how we staff our buildings, the customer comes first. In a tough economy, this becomes even more important. When a customer walks into the building they expect that we have hired the right people and completed pre employment screening of our employees. They expect that they are coming to a place where they can trust our employees and believe what we tell them because we are a business of integrity. If we do not complete criminal background checks of all our employees, we are opening up the door for this image to be tarnished. Most of all I want my customers to feel safe. Hiring a background check company gives me the confidence to know that my employees have never been convicted of a violent crime.

Background checks ensure we have the right people in place to serve our customers. Employee background checks make me comfortable that my employees are going to be honest with the customer and do their best to get the customer what they need. When I hire background check experts to conduct pre employment screening it reassures me that I have made the right hiring decision, and that my employees are going to act with integrity.

For the security of my business and the safety of my customers and employees, I owe it to them and myself to conduct employee background checks on all of my new hires.

For more information on background check experts , background checks , criminal background checks , employee background checks or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547 

Criminal background checks are just one element of a comprehensive pre employment screening program because criminal records are just one of the many indicators that will help you determine the suitability of a candidate.

Here are few examples of criminal background checks that can help you understand how pre employment screening can protect your company.

Example #1:  Let’s say you are charged with hiring a truck driver that will deliver drugs for a healthcare facility.  The background check company you’ve hired returns unfavorable employee background check results that indicate the candidate has two previous convictions that are drug related.  If you had not conducted employee background checks on all potential new hires you may have given the keys to a drug locker to a known criminal with a history of drug abuse.

Example #2: Let’s say you run a shuttle service and one of your employees assaults a customer while in transit to any given destination.  After the incident it’s discovered that the employee has a history of violent crime but your position, as the employer, is that you did everything you could to set yourself up to make a good hiring decision before the suspect was extended an employment offer.

The victim later sues your company and using public information that can be found on the internet a law firm uncovers the suspects’ criminal history.  Your argument is not going to stand up in court and an incident that could have been prevented by hiring a background check company will now potentially bankrupt your company and will undoubtedly destroy your reputation in the community.

I hope this blog has helped you understand the importance of conducting background checks on potential new hires.  Background check experts have the expertise to perform background checks and this investment will protect your interests.

For more information on background check experts, background checks, criminal background checks , employee background checks or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547

One of the toughest things for a small business owner to do is spend money, especially when there is nothing tangible they can hold in their hands as a result of the expenditure. That is exactly the challenge I had as a lp consultant when broaching the subject of background checks. Small business owners very rarely take into account the pre employment screening process when they start the search for employees. There are many things to discuss as a consultant with a new business owner regarding loss prevention but the number one concern is ensuring the business secures a reputable background check company that employs background check experts with a wide array of experience. It is not merely enough to conduct criminal background checks you must also conduct employee background checks as well. Trying to pull an owner from the belief that a mere review of a job application and an interview is enough of a pre employment screening to the full understanding of what background checks can achieve is a monumental task.

A very tough example was the owner of a small clothing retailer with five locations located within a largely populated city. This owner had two speeds fast and stop. Trying to get him to sit down for a consultation was tough enough even though he was the one who contacted me for a LP consultation overview of his business. The main problem he had was shrink and he could not determine the source or sources of the bad inventory results. I took about a month to review all aspects of the five locations including interviewing all of the employees and management. What I found was staggering. Essentially there were five locations running five different businesses doing whatever each store manager felt was right for their own store. This included the pre employment screening process. The hiring ranged from a job application and a five minute interview to a store manager who at least conducted two interviews and called for reference checks. There were no criminal background checks, no education checks and no employee background checks. In fact no one including the owner of the business ever entertained the idea of hiring a background check company to conduct background checks for the company.

I reported my results to the owner which included my thoughts on how the losses where occurring as well as the potential solutions to the shrink problem. I told him that his losses were mostly internal and that an in depth investigation would be required to pinpoint the problem employees. There were some minor administrative issues that were easily rectified but the staffing problem was not going to be so easily put to rest. I explained to the owner that before he went and started replacing employees he needed to retain a company that employed true background check experts that would help him choose the right staff. I explained to the owner the cost of hiring and training an employee and that seemed to get his attention since he would now be losing several employees, the cost of hiring and training them and now have to hire additional employees and invest that training cost once again. We narrowed the choices down to one reputable background check company. This company offered criminal background checks from local to federal levels, educational background checks as well as employee background checks with very reasonable pricing. I was also impressed with the transparency of the company to reveal the backgrounds of their background check experts. This openness put the owner at ease to take the necessary step to put a proper pre employment screening process in place.

It took the owner about six months to sort out his employee theft issues as well as at the same time successfully implementing the new hiring process. He called it a labor of love that in the end kept him from losing his business. He is now one of the biggest proponents for small business owners to implement good hiring processes that screen potential employees before they are allowed to take position of employment.

For more information on background check experts , background checks , criminal background checks , employee background checks or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547

It is a sad sign of the times that companies are practically required to perform background checks on every applicant submitting a resume.  Unfortunately, no matter how depressing such a fact may be, it is a necessary action to protect your company from people who would pose a serious threat to the future of not only your company, but the livelihoods of all who make an honest living in it.  They may not be convicted thieves or acquitted murderers, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have skeletons in the closet that should be brought to light.

Most applicants aren’t going to be so honest and forthcoming to tell you they were terminated from a previous job because they were caught stealing, or perhaps they were embroiled in some scandal involving bigotry or racial slurs.  Thankfully, that information is available through the use of employee background checks perpetrated by trained background check experts.  The process is as thorough as you need it to be; and of course the deeper you wish the background check to be, the longer it takes for the information to be gathered and compiled.  But of course the extensiveness of pre employment screening is entirely a prerogative based on the position you are trying to fill.  You wouldn’t want someone who had been arrested for sale and possession of stolen goods to be working in a distribution warehouse, would you?  That’s why we have things like criminal background checks.  They are not meant to embarrass or harm a person’s future; whatever bad history a background check reveals is the result of said person’s previous actions and possible current disposition.  Why should you risk them bringing such harm to you and your company when you can so easily afford to avoid it?

 For more information on background check experts , background checks , criminal background checks , employee background checks or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547