Before the digital collection and storage of personal information, there was no official background check when someone went to apply for a job. The employer simply believed the hire based on intuition and interview performance. Unfortunately, because the workforce is so large, there are bound to be potentially harmful workers among organizations. The lack of adequate screening procedures can result in numerous cases of fraud.

Whether you are a small business or a large company, growth is always the goal. Therefore, background checks serve as a way to filter out the “bad cookies.” People who still have unresolved legal or behavioral issues put the safety and well-being of others in the workplace at risk.

The Importance of Background Checks

Background checks are an essential part of the pre-employment procedure. Did you know that a candidate’s past predicts how well they will perform on the job?

According to a survey conducted by Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs), organizations around the world were found to lose 5% of their annual revenues to fraud. When this figure is applied to the Gross World Product, the total fraud loss is estimated to be more than $3.5 trillion. Some of the other key findings involve fraud in the study lasting a median of 18 months before being caught. This means that schemes often continue for months or years before they are detected. As a result, bad hires carry the potential to immobilize and ruin businesses – big and small.

Other significant findings of the CFEs study include small businesses facing increased risk. It is these organizations, the ones who are small and medium in size, that often employ fewer anti-fraud controls than their larger counterparts. This is why background checks significantly prevent and reduce criminal activity and increase the reputation of organizations worldwide.

Criminal Background Check 101

The most obvious and commonly-used background check identifies the criminal history of a potential candidate. Criminal background checks play an important part in ensuring employers hire individuals who won’t do anything to harm their company. This analysis is pretty straightforward. Employers receive extensive information about a person’s past criminal history from statewide databases.

Employment, Reference, and Education Verification

It’s often the case that job candidates will exaggerate their work, schooling, and references on their resumes. Some people may even go as far as deceiving a company by being untruthful about previous employment or education. Background checks can include extensive employment, education, and reference verification to save employers and HR professionals.

Social Media Checks

Many employers opt to check job candidates’ social media accounts to make sure they aren’t posting harmful content that can result in liability. What you post online matters. Companies’ values may not align with the unfiltered content an employee may post. Therefore, employers err on the side of modesty when it comes to their employee’s social media presence. A comprehensive background check will provide employers with the candidate’s social media accounts. Ultimately, whether or not social media content is considered potentially harmful will be in the hands of the company.

Credit Report Checks

How people spend and manage money plays a deciding factor in job employment. If someone is bankrupt, for example, they cannot be discriminated against. However, the employer may choose to inquire further. Jobs that involve significant financial trust are more likely to prioritize bankruptcy disclosures from employees. Additionally, jobs in the finance sector or other professions with access to other’s financial information more heavily scrutinize applicants with financial troubles.

Ordering a Background Check

A pre-employment background check allows companies to make informed decisions by uncovering vital information. With Soteria Screening Background Checks, you can detect any discrepancies about a candidate’s past employment. You can also address history, legal status, education, credit history, and qualifications. Moreover, you will be able to do this without the need for in-person inspections.

We conduct background checks through county criminal records, federal criminal records, the national sex offender registry, and the national criminal database. To learn more about our Employment Screening Services and packages, visit our webpage.