Even though any organization will win from doing consistent employment checks, the exact type of verification depends on your needs. Make sure to pick a suitable background search option to use corporate resources wisely and find useful info about a candidate. X-Ray Contact Research Team has reviewed all main types of background checks so you can select a method that works best for the industry and job position you are hiring for.
What Are Background Checks?
To put it briefly, a background check is a verification of employee details before making them an offer. Since it is in the best interest of a company to hire only trustworthy pros, HRs and recruiters tend to fact-check claims the candidate made in their CV or during an interview. The main point is to make sure that a person has not lied about or exaggerated statements about past jobs, submitted fake references, hidden their criminal and credit records, etc.
10 Most Popular Types of Background Verification
There exist various types of background check procedures. Employers have to look up different details about employees depending on the market they work in, the type of position they hire for, and the corporate culture of the company. We’ve overviewed some popular strategies to verify a person that can be helpful to you.
1. Do an Identity Verification Process
First, you need to fact-check basic details about a candidate to make sure they have not assumed the identity of another person. You need to verify government documents like a passport, driver’s license, social security number, or national ID to confirm authenticity. You also need to clarify whether a person was truthful about their address, right for work documents, and date of birth. This type of background verification is essential across industries and positions since stealing another person’s identity is a crime.
You can leverage the X-Ray Contact data aggregator to confirm some fundamental details about a candidate for your background checks. Use any search channel like Name, Email, Socials, Phone Number, or Image to get a comprehensive person of interest profile.
2. Conduct a Criminal History Check
It is dangerous for both the companies and other employees if a person with a criminal past gets hired for a position. You need to search local or international databases for records of arrests and convictions. The importance of having a clean criminal record matters most in such domains as:
- Law Enforcement. If you hire a felon for the position of an officer, it can undermine public trust. Moreover, in case a person maintains their criminal ties, they can sabotage police operations from the inside.
- Healthcare. People who work in healthcare tend to handle sensitive information about the patients. This precious data can be misused or sold if it gets into the wrong hands. That’s why such background checks are necessary to expose candidates with a history of abuse, fraud, or malpractice
- Finances. Hiring a person with a track record of financial crimes can be a serious threat to the company’s security. Otherwise, a new employee can steal corporate money or misuse resources.
- Education. Schools and universities have to do background checks on all new hires to protect the safety of students and staff. If the person has been punished for violent or abusive behaviour in the past, they are not a great fit for an educational domain.
3. Focus on Employment Verification
Since some candidates are interested in securing the job by any means necessary, they can lie about previous work experience. Employers need to use databases to verify whether a person was really employed in an organization in a position they claimed to have. It is beneficial to contact a past workplace to inquire about the true responsibilities, performance results, reputation, and the reason for leaving a company. Also, you should reach out to people who have submitted the references to make sure they were not forged.
4. Commit to Education Verification
Some roles require potential candidates to have a Bachelor’s or Master’s in a specific field. Always do an education background check before offer if you want to hire a candidate in such domains as:
- Healthcare. If a person you hire is not a qualified medical professional, you will definitely endanger the health and lives of the patients.
- Law. A candidate who has not obtained proper legal education will likely not be qualified to work in the domain.
- Public Administration. It is essential to ensure that candidates responsible for introducing new policies have the necessary higher education background.
- Education. Teachers and professors must meet specific academic requirements to ensure they have the knowledge and skills to educate others.
- Science. Researchers must have the necessary training to conduct experiments and analyze data properly.
- Architecture. It is crucial that only candidates with technical and engineering knowledge are responsible for designing constructions. Otherwise, they may create unsafe projects or not comply with local regulations.
5. Leverage Credit History Check
In some domains, it is a must to ensure that each new hire is responsible when it comes to managing funds and assets. That’s why employers in industries such as investment, banking, and accounting rely on credit history checks to assess a candidate’s financial trustworthiness. The logic is, how can a person be assigned to handle corporate resources if they are not capable of doing this specific task in the past?
6. Benefit from a Social Media Screening
Social media background check is a common verification tactic across various industries. A clear online footprint matters most if the candidate applies for a people-facing role or a high-rank corporate position. Employers often look for signs of integrity, cultural fit, and potential PR risks. Has the person posted discriminatory or violent content before? Do they engage with controversial groups that go against company values? Can one’s social media presence in any way compromise or tarnish the firm’s image? However, it’s important to ensure that hiring decisions are based on job-relevant factors rather than personal opinions or lifestyle.
You can conduct social media background checks in a few clicks using the X-Ray Contact Socials Search tool. Insert a social media URL in a search bar, and you may get a report with links to other related online accounts that a person might have tried to hide during the hiring process.
7. Opt for Professional License and Certification Verification
Doctors, lawyers, architects, engineers, etc., need to have relevant up-to-date licenses that give them a permit to work in the field. Use background checks based on professional databases to monitor license renewals and the validity of the certification. Does a person have a right to be employed in the position in this specific location? Has a person extended their license on time? If a company does not clarify these details before making an offer, there is a high chance of having legal problems in the future.
8. Execute a Drug Screening
Substance abuse by an employee can be a major safety hazard at the workplace. If the company operates in high-risk fields or entrusts a worker with sensitive information, drug screening is a must. Normally, a company asks a candidate to provide biological samples and then studies them during the lab test. Also, a firm might look up a person in a local Drug Offender Registry Database. However, it is important to make sure that you do not discriminate against people who have rehabilitated after battling addiction. It is not valid to reject a candidate solely based on the fact they had struggles in the past but have managed to recover.
9. Carry Out a Driving Record Check
Many roles require candidates to be able to drive a car in order to perform their duties. However, some candidates without a driving license might forge their documents to get a job. Always do a background check if the position requires using company vehicles, transporting goods, or driving for long hours. The best approach is to cooperate with a local Department of Motor Vehicles to verify whether a license is valid. Also, inquire about a person’s driving history to know whether they’ve been on a record as reckless drivers, have been in car accidents or used a vehicle under influence, etc. Then, ask yourself, whether the person can be trusted with a driving responsibility? Will they endanger themselves and others? Will they maintain company vehicles diligently?
10. Complete Reference Checks
One of the crucial background check verification types is to make sure they don’t lie about past work or education experience. A common fraud scheme is to forge references to impress new employers. A reference check is a must to ensure a candidate has not lied about performance metrics, a reason for partnership termination, workplace behaviour, values, etc. A common approach is to directly contact past employers to make sure they have actually written a recommendation letter. You can either ask all candidates to include their former company’s contact info along with the references or look up the firms manually based on the info from the CV.
The Bottom Line
As now you know the importance of conducting different types of employee background checks, you should pick ones that are relevant for the position and industry. The important notice is to warn all the candidates about your pre-employment verification policies beforehand. Remember: it is a must to get consent to process and store candidate info. Transparent and non-prejudiced background checks will foster a better workplace environment where employees do not feel mistreated or intimidated.
