Small businesses of all kinds need to cultivate a trustworthy group of employees. This is especially true when the company is a start-up trying to grow and expand. The people who work with you in the early days will become an integral part of your business. Or at least they should if you’re keeping your overhead low and looking for quality employees who can evolve with the company. That’s why you should do background checks on each person you are hiring. It will review some pertinent information or will show that the person has nothing on their record.
Criminal Record
One of the things that background checks can do is provide the criminal record of any relevant person. If there is something on their record that the person hasn’t mentioned, you will be able to find it. By utilizing a service like PreSearch Background Services, you’ll be able to discover some things you should know about the person before you hire them. When you take the time to do a background check, you will gain information about the person’s criminal record or lack thereof.
Sex Offenders
While some crimes eventually get erased from the person’s criminal record, others like sexual offenses can be found with a background check. This is because sexual offenders get kept on specific lists and must register their addresses. Of course you want to know if the person you are thinking about hiring is a sexual offender or has committed sexual crimes in the past.
Education
Background checks can even provide information on the person’s education. As an employer you will get to compare the education the person says they have to the education the background check determines they have. While these checks aren’t perfect, they will offer the basic information about the person’s education. You’ll be able to see if they are lying about a degree or certificate.
Financial History
Another way that background checks help employers is by providing the credit history of the person being researched. It will also tell you if the person has had a bankruptcy. While this may not seem relevant to employment, credit information can show how responsible the person is. It can reflect their ability to be trustworthy. You may still hire the person if their credit is bad, but it can also be the last straw if you were on the fence about the person to begin with. It can be a window into the person’s life.
Motor Vehicle & License Records
Information on the motor vehicle and license records may also provide a window into the person’s life. If the position requires commuting or driving, this will be very pertinent information. You can also see what the person has been hiding. They may not be forthcoming about their license situation, accidents, or infractions. It may show you the ticket history and if they’ve paid them. This will give the employer a way to see if the person is responsible in their private life.
Drug & Alcohol Tests
As a part of the background check, a lot of businesses choose to ask the prospective employee to take a drug test. A lot of businesses would like to know whether the person has a problem with drugs or alcohol, as it may affect their ability to do the job. While some employers don’t choose to add a drug test as a part of the background check, it is another way to get a view into the person’s life.
Background checks have become multi-faceted and effective. When a business is hiring and wants to make sure that the person is trustworthy and honest, one of these tests will provide a way for the employer to tell if they’re being upfront and transparent.
While some of these details won’t disqualify an employee, they should be taken into account. You can ask the person about the thing you’re concerned about and see how they respond. With a variety of ways to see into the life of the prospective employee, you will be able to determine if they are the right person for the job. It is always helpful to conduct a background check to do so.
