Retailers both large and small are starting to realize the importance of pre-employment screening via background checks. As a loss prevention professional one of the toughest challenges was to convince the powers that be the importance of preventing loss by contracting a background check company. The proof is in the pudding, countless post theft interviews point out prior terminations as well as criminal convictions. During post theft interviews many of the suspects stated that they were never asked at any stage of the hiring process about previous employment terminations nor whether they had been charged and convicted of any crimes. But a business can not jump into the pre employment screening process without a plan. There are many background check companies out there offering a variety of services. The key is to choose a background check company that employs reputable background check experts and offer various services including criminal background checks (local/state/federal), employee background checks (previous employment & education) as well as pre employment screening training.
In doing research for the right company to conduct your background checks you have to look at the process as a whole not just background checks. I would look into the accreditation of the background check experts for the companies I was considering. I would choose the company that had the widest range of job experience in both human resource and legal backgrounds. I would want their team to include individuals who have worked in the retail world, the legal system and government work. This would ensure a healthy knowledge of not just conducting criminal background checks or employee background checks but also a seasoned knowledge to ensure your company and theirs worked in tandem to achieve common goals.
The pre employment screening process starts with the job application. What is considered a thorough job application? What are you trying to ascertain in the application to help you select the right person for the interview process. Notice I didn’t say select the right person to hire, this is a step by step journey and if done correctly will lead to the best possible choice of employees. From the very start I would be working with the background check experts by reviewing my company’s current hiring process. I would ask for a review of the job application. It is imperative your job application is detailed and uses correct wording to flesh out any prior convictions as well as terminations from previous employment. Obviously any recommended changes would have to pass through the human resource and legal department, but lets be honest, they should be a part of the decision making from the start. By asking the right questions on the application you will hopefully deter those potentially bad employees from completing an application. Also by asking the right questions you can start to formulate questions for those people whom you choose to make it to the interview level.
The next step should be gathering together all of the applications which have made the cut. Each application should be gone over with a fine tooth comb and pertinent questions formulated for the interview. Typically many of the questions will center around employment history. You can really ask the same questions thereby ensuring the answers are all the same and coincide with the results of the employee background check. The other area to be delved into should be any charges or convictions. If the job application shows a conviction and an explanation of the charges and outcome then it is necessary to ask detailed questions regarding the incident. This again will be either proven or negated by a criminal background check. During this first interview you can also ask specific questions to ascertain honesty and loyalty. Notes should be taken by the interviewer or preferably a witness so as to ensure information has been properly gathered for review. Follow up questions can be and should be formulated for a potential second interview.
A second and even third interview is recommended before actually hiring an employee. After the first round of interviews the powers that be should convene to review the notes and opinions from each interview. Detailed follow up questions should be constructed to hone in on areas of concern or uncertainty. Focusing on honesty, loyalty ability to handle pressure and a person’s disposition can and should be done at this second interview. At this point you as the interviewer can really start to focus on these follow up questions to dig into and flesh out and potential issues not yet fully addressed. Each step is an obstacle a potential employee has to clear to achieve employment. It should not be a walk in the park.
The last step is ensuring the potential employee fills out the proper release forms so the correct background checks can be processed. It is very important that correct addresses and prior addresses are collected since most company’s will conduct local criminal background checks within the county the potential employee resides. I firmly believe that local and state wide criminal background checks be conducted since travel is cheap and readily available thus increasing the bubble we exist within. The employee background check is very important, any shift from the truth should be addressed formally.
As you can see the preemployment screening process is a multi tiered system that will hopefully give you the best of the best potential employees. More and more company’s are realizing that to impact their shrink proactively they need to start at the beginning with a structured multifaceted hiring process. Having background check experts work with you to formulate such a plan will pay for itself in the end.
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
