The world is a global village and nobody is an island without needing someone. A lot of people have however taken advantage of the connectivity that globalisation accord to take their shady business and unscrupulous activities to a wider audience. Therefore, background check service has become more widely popularised; as a lot of people are now becoming more cautious about the people they interact with. It should not be that surprising as usually, when there is a problem; man seeks to find a solution. It is pertinent that one acquaints oneself with one of the solutions of our present age … background check.
WHAT IS A BACKGROUND CHECK?
A lot of people still surprisingly do not know what background check is. Even though they do, they are not readily welcoming to the idea. But background check in simple terms; saves a lot of people from unnecessary heart ache and making the worse mistakes they could ever make. There are just too many fake people out there who have learnt the act of presenting themselves in the way that is acceptable. But the problem is they are not who they say they are; or even in the same league as who they say they are. Background checks, according to the term, entail looking up; searching; and finding out the details of a particular person or a particular organisation. It is simply going back to the individual’s or the organisation’s history to look up either what they submitted as their details or unavailable details.
IMPORTANCE OF BACKGROUND CHECK
Many people do want the best for themselves or their organisation as it relates to employment, however most couldn’t be bothered to go through background checks either because they do not recognise the necessity or due to limited time and resources. The irony of it all is that at the end of the day, the resources and time spent doing background checks might be very minimal compared to what would be lost in one fell into the wrong hands. It might become a “penny wise, pounds foolish” situation. There are many reasons why investing in background checks is important, it might be too risky not to.
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To confirm if the information provided is true:
As explained earlier, a lot of people have found a wider audience to spew their shady business to, therefore, it becomes necessary for each individual to check whether the information someone provided you is correct. In this social media age where many transactions and relations are done online, it is important one checks the information provided to see if the person is who he or she says he or she is. Many people have complained have been conned of both time and money. If they had just taken the time to do more background check, they would have been safe from falling victims of the villains.
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For protection:
Closely related to the point above, looking up details and other information about people protects from all kinds of heartaches. A lot of people would be better protected if they were not so trusting. That is not to say there are no good people on earth but there also a lot of bad ones. One of the ways to divide the good from the bad is to do a background check. There is nothing to lose from being cautious and if they turn out to be right, so be it.
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You would be able to relate without doubts:
When you do not trust someone or know whether to trust them, the way you treat them is usually different from the way you treat the one you have even a certain amount of trust for. It would not do you or the second party any good if you both are dealing with each other without trust for the other. It would affect the smooth running of a lot of things. For instance, two people who want to go into a relationship or a business would have problems if trust is not present. If you have done a background check, it would help you put your mind at rest and concentrate on the business you should be doing.
WHY BACKGROUND CHECKS ARE IMPORTANT IN RECRUITMENT?
There is probably no instance where background checks are popular as in recruitment. Organisations want to make the right decisions when it comes to who to hire. This is not so surprising when we consider what they would lose if they make mistake in hiring the wrong employees. The employees of an organisation can either make or mar the organisation; it therefore rests on the hiring managers or human resources department to look up further details of their applicants or potential employees so as to make informed decisions.
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To know the person:
Background checks provide the organisation with enough information to show them the kind of person the potential employee is. Background checks provide adequate details so as to make informed decision.
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To identify fitness for the job:
A lot of people have been found to lie during their interviews. They say a lot of things that are not; because they know that is what the hiring managers are looking out for. A thorough background check would help provide the employers with the truth on whether the applicant is fit as they claim to be or not.
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To identify potential hiring risks:
It is pertinent to go into any transaction with one’s eyes opened. Even if the employer would end up giving the job to a particular applicant; they would do that, informed of whatever risk they could encounter by employing that particular person. When they know what they could encounter; then they could work on it or know what to do when anything happens.
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To identify if the person is the best candidate:
Background checks might be beneficial for a hiring manager who is faced with the decision of choosing the best candidates. Jobs are getting harder to get and as a consequence; many people usually apply for a job that might just be available for one person. This could pose to be difficult for the hiring manager. Conducting a background would most likely give the employer more information that could aid his choice.
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To protect the Organisation:
For the sake of protecting the organisation and the employees from the wrong set of people; a background check is crucial. Conducting background checks would protect the employer from employing the wrong person that would cause problem for the organisation. For instance, through embezzling of funds or prevent them from employing a drug addict from sensitive positions that the addiction could affect.
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To avoid liability:
It is also necessary to do background checks so as to avoid liabilities. There are specific vocations that could cause organisation liability if a proper background check is not done. For instance, if the job entails driving a lot of people; in order not to get a lawsuit on their hands; the organisation can check whether the applicant is actually a good driver and if he or she had had accident case(s). If yes, the details involved.
TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND CHECKS
There are many types of background checks that could be conducted to make informed employment decisions.
- Academic: This entails looking up the institutions that the individual claimed they attended and finding out if they indeed got the academic qualifications listed.
- Previous employers: Previous employers would provide information about the position the person occupied and whether or not he or she performed well. They could also provide information on the general conduct of the person. You need to put in mind though that if they didn’t part in good terms; the previous employer might not provide accurate information on their conduct.
- Guarantors: These are basically the names the applicant would put down as those who can stand for him or her that the information he or she provided are accurate. You could question them to see if they can corroborate the applicant’s story.
- Address confirmation: Some people who are probably hiding something provide the wrong address. So it is necessary to check to see if they live where they said they do.
- Criminal check: Criminal check can be beneficial as it helps the employer know if the applicant has any past criminal charge that can affect the position or the organisation.
- Reference: References are sometimes used interchangeably as guarantors. They could be looked up to see if they corroborate the applicant’s story and can stand for him.
- Online Background Check: Social media has made background check relatively easy. Many organisations check the profile and timeline of the applicants on social media sites. You can know a lot about people from their profile and timelines.
WHY YOU NEED A BACKGROUND CHECK SERVICE (AS AN EMPLOYER AND AS AN INDIVIDUAL)
Some people or organisations might not have the time to do background checks and even though they have the time to do it, they might not know how to go about it or how to do a thorough job. The purpose of background checks would be defeated if you don’t do a thorough job. This is where background check services come in.
- First of all, they are experts.
- They have the time
- Furthermore, they have the experience
- They do a thorough job.
A background check does save one from bad business and heartaches.
To know more about our background check service, contact:
Dipo Umoru
dipo@klinsheet.com
07014636348
Verification Consultant – Klinsheet Consulting