Reasons to do a background cehck

Checking applicants' references is one of the most important procedures in the hiring process. Many job seekers misrepresent their backgrounds and credentials; others simply leave out important information. And no matter how honest applicants are, you can still learn a great deal by talking to other people who know them well.

These nine tips will help you get the goods on a job applicant:

1. Tell all applicants that you will check their references before you make any hiring decisions.

2. Ask each applicant to sign a release form permitting you to ask detailed questions of former employers and other references (sample background check permission forms are listed on this page).

3. Fax over a copy of the prospective employee's background check waiver and your personal credentials before you call a prospective employee's references.

4. Verify basic information such as employment dates, job titles, salary, and types of jobs performed.

5. Avoid vague questions. Ask specific questions based on what you learned about the applicant in the interview.

6. Pay attention to neutral or negative comments from references.

7. Put less weight on positive references. Some employers give positive references even to bad ex-employees, because they're afraid of legal action or are tired of paying unemployment taxes on the applicant.

8. Use former supervisors or senior coworkers as references. An applicant might not want you to contact their current employer (who might not know about the job hunt), but there are always people who can provide a reference.

9. Don't rely on prospective employees' verbal word regarding salary figures. Ask for a current pay stub to verify employment and pay rate.

Another bit of research you might conduct on a prospective employee is a background check. Not every company does this, and not every position merits it, but it might be appropriate for many of your staff. Hope this post can be helpful to you.