Bank on a background check
REMEMBER when your cousin got a marriage proposal, and the entire family machinery swung into action to scrutinise the unfortunate boy's unabridged life-history, right from the moment he let out his first yowl to the number of his driver's licence and the current balance in his bank (preferably Swiss) account? They did all this even before checking with the local astrologer to ensure that the fellow was indeed a perfect match for their precious little girl. This was one thorough background check. Well, they do have a point, it is after all, better to be safe than sorry. If only more companies took their background checks as seriously...
In most cases, companies put a prospective candidate through a stringent reference check before making that all-important hiring decision. And, while there are no guarantees, a talk with an employee's former boss or colleagues does help the company get some information on the candidate's past performance, experience and overall qualifications.
A background check not only helps confirm the candidate's actual work experience and abilities, but can also give information that can help fill the gaps in the résumé and also information relating to past conduct or work related incidents. Sometimes, employers also perform other types of checks on candidates, such as criminal record checks, credit checks and driving record checks. These can provide important information about the candidate's honesty, integrity and dependability and can help the organisation make accurate hiring decisions.
While the need to screen a candidate's background is very important, the real challenge lies in overcoming the reluctance of references (especially former employers) to share any information. In some cases (especially if the parting has been less than amicable), the former employer will be willing to verify only a previous employee's position and employment dates and dub his/her performance `satisfactory'. Here are some tips suggested by experts to minimise the risk of hiring a wrong candidate and how companies can make the most of a reference check:
Use reference "experts" for background checks: Reference checks must typically be done by in-house HR professionals or the job can be contracted out to consultants or recruiting agencies with the requisite expertise They usually ask the right kind of questions that yield useful information, which can help the company make an accurate hiring decision.
Get specific: During the interview, candidates should be asked to give details of work performance with previous employers. Employers should also make it clear that this information will be verified and used to formulate questions when conducting a reference check with a previous employer.
Telephone checks: When conducting telephone checks, ensure that the response is from a valid representative of the former employer and if the candidate actually worked there. Such verification helps check on phoney references.
Build rapport: Prior to a telephone contact, companies should fax or mail their request for a reference. The caller should give the previous employer his/her name, position, and telephone number to verify identity. He/she should also emphasise on wanting only job-related information about the candidate.
Asking the right questions: Vague questions such as inquiring about the strengths and weaknesses of candidates will give very little specific information about work habits or behaviour. Specific questions need to be asked based on information the candidate provided in the interview process. For example, a question like "This candidate stated that he/she had worked on several major projects in the past one year. Could you please verify his/her major contributions to the project?" can be asked.
Verify salary information: Companies should request for information on both the base salary history and any additional compensation. Such information will document the candidate's past earnings progression and may signal future compensation expectations.
Document all reference responses: Employers should keep an accurate written record of all the reference discussions to support hiring decisions. They should also maintain confidentiality and avoid disclosing reference information to anyone but the decision makers within the organisation who have the final say on the matter.
Organisations that fail to take the reference check seriously tend to make more hiring mistakes. A thorough background check can definitely eliminate undesirable applicants, and help reduce unnecessary training and turnover costs resulting from a wrong hiring decision.
BINDU SHRIDHAR
faqs@cnkonline.com
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