How free background checks have transformed the fortunes of small businesses

How free background checks have transformed the fortunes of small businesses

If one were to turn the clock back a few years ago, there was no doubt that recruitment was a major headache for a lot of businesses. We’re not just talking about the process of advertising a job and actually finding a candidate – but more about the validation process.

In short, it was time-consuming and it meant that a lot of candidates either slipped through the net, or were hired when they really shouldn’t have been.

Nowadays, there’s no doubt that free background checks are making life for these smaller companies so much easier. They are providing something of a filter, and making it more difficult than ever for false candidate information to land on their desk.

For example, let’s turn to education. For years, this has been one of the primary ways in which candidates have tried to mislead potential employers. Some might list a completely different grade on their CV, while others might go one step further and state that they have attended a particular college when in reality they really haven’t. Regardless, it was a huge headache for employers to deal with.

Now, the use of a background check can quickly verify all educational information. This is something that can immediately feedback to an employer that they are in fact interviewing someone who is actually qualified for the job – and not just listing the qualifications that they know companies want to hear.

Next on the list are issues like criminal background checks. This is something that can be a bit of a grey area, after all, the society in which we live in suggests that everyone should be given a second chance (and rightly so). However, there’s no doubt that for some roles at least it might not be a good idea to employ someone who has recently been convicted. This is where employers can now quickly tap into a criminal records database, and find out whether someone really does have a clean past. If they don’t, it might not necessarily mean the end of the road in relation to the job in question – this should all depend on the severity of their crime, and when exactly it took place. If it took place three decades ago, many might suggest that it should be ignored. Again, different jobs demand different requirements in this regard, though.

Following on from the above, there’s no doubt that life for employers has become somewhat easier from this recruitment perspective. Not only that, but the fact that potential employees can now check what might be holding them back is of huge significance, and can just make that tiring job hunt a little easier on them. Sure, there are legalities involved when it comes to checking potential candidates, but as long as a company approaches one of these checks with the best intentions, there should be nothing formal from stopping them finding out all of the necessary information about a candidate.