Recruitment comes with a lot of responsibilities. An HR specialist is expected to skim through the queue of eligible candidates and select that one person who will fit just right with the concerned company.
The selection process requires them to weigh all their information and thrift performance at the interview. However, they also need to carry out their own research by double-checking the recommendation and getting an accurate background check.
Here, we will talk about what an employee background check stands for, why it is important, followed by a few useful tips for the recruiter to follow while hiring a candidate with a criminal record.
What is an Employee background check?
This is a process carried out by a corporation to ensure that the candidate uses their legitimate credentials and ensures whether they have a criminal record.
A typical background check collects the basic data about a person like their name, birth date, and government ID from any available database. A reputable background check platform like Crime Check Australia may examine any additional findings and create a simple analysis on the candidate enough for the client to conduct an accurate evaluation.
Usually, these areas are covered by an employee background check:
- Identity verification
- Education background
- Employment history
- Criminal history
- Government-issues licenses
- Credit check
- Motor vehicle history
Why is it important?
It’s obvious that hiring a suitable candidate is valuable to the company, but how does their background verification add to the mix?
Is the candidate qualified?
Sometimes, people exaggerate their employment experience or credentials while applying for jobs. If you do not investigate their background, you may find yourself choosing somebody who may be ineligible.
Ensuring the safety of the workspace
It is a no-brainer that securing your clients as well as the organization’s safety is critical. Background checks can keep you from employing unsafe or disreputable people.
Performing a character assessment
It does not matter whether a person has forged their entire educational history or exaggerated in a particular section; they are exhibiting their proclivity towards dishonesty. Confirm that an interviewee’s résumé is completely truthful to guarantee that your organization only recruits individuals of high integrity.
Avoiding incompetent hires
When you hire a person, the company makes a transactional pact with them that they will be paid their salary in lieu of their contribution to the success of the said company.
However, it takes the company at least a few months to review its performance. Finding out that they are incompetent for the job means nothing but loss for the organization: loss of resources as well as the loss of time.
Taking out the time and sending their resume for a background check will avoid several headaches in subsequent times.
Reducing company liability
By only employing candidates that pass the background check examination, your firm can save money on coverage and prevent expensive lawsuit charges.
Tips to proceed with a candidate with a criminal record
Try to empathize with the candidate
You have to understand that every arrest does not necessarily culminate into a conviction. Sometimes, miscommunications lead to wrongful arrest; therefore, do not let your judgment be swayed by their criminal history.
We would advise you to have a candid conversation with them on this matter instead of walking on eggshells. Usually, the candidate must let the employer know about any relevant information from their past — be it a gap year or their criminal history.
Background checks are important since you will be able to evaluate whether they are speaking the whole truth or not. If their story checks out, you have found yourself an honest and truthful candidate. In any case, if you see red flags coming up in the conversation, do not try to give them too many chances.
However, try to empathize with the candidate since it could have been a difficult phase for them as well.
Be aware of your legal limitations
When you learn that an applicant has a criminal history, the first thing that comes to mind is your legal situation. It is always advantageous for you to be aware of the recent employment laws as an HR specialist.
You must conduct additional research before taking any action against a prospective employee with a disciplinary record. Seeking professional legal counsel could be a great strategy to minimize such complications.
Adverse action
HR professionals must provide applicants with advance notification prior to making a recruitment selection warning them that they may be disqualified relying on background check findings.
With the help of this procedure, the prospect is given the opportunity to review the character assessment, dispute any inaccuracies in the review, and clarify any incorrect info that precludes them from the position.
Recruiters must submit a supplementary notification upon finalizing the choice to not employ.