Background Checks: How do you Select a Background Check Agency?
July 7, 2010 by Julie Anderson
For the increasingly fast-paced world in which we live, the need for immediate access to information has never been more present. As a staffing professional, one of the most valuable services that we can provide to a client is the ability to produce accurate and timely information on the candidate’s background. In some situations, a background check supersedes a candidate’s resume in importance. Given that a thorough and accurate background check is so vital, it is imperative that anyone involved in the hiring process give their due diligence when selecting a vendor to perform their background checks.
Know What you are Getting
Not all background checks are created equal. For this very reason, it is good to shop around. Even better than determining how fast the results can be rendered is knowing how the information is gathered. Thus, it is important to know what they are looking for and how they are finding their information. As their client, you are in the position to ask, ask, ASK away! Which private and/or public agencies do they use? Do they have a direct line to state or federal databases? Do they run searches using names only or names and social security numbers? How many years do they go back for their information? Can they run criminal background checks and driving records together? What are the individual state statutes that determine what is reflected on a background check? These and other inquiries are all very important questions to ask.
Go for a Test Drive with your Vendors
Once you have shopped around for a vendor, put them to the ultimate test- let them show you what they can do. In order to determine which background check vendor can best accommodate your needs, provide all your prospective vendors with one candidate to screen. Once you have done this, let the information they uncover be a strong determining factor in which vendor you ultimately select. For example, if one company can give you results four hours but only half the information, yet another company that can give you extensive information with a 24 hour waiting period, it is in your best interest to wait. Patience is a virtue and he who has the best, most accurate information is the winner. This is not to say that there are not agencies that can provide accurate, instantaneous, thorough information because there are and we presently use them; however, we select our vendors based on the requests made our individual clients.
Thus, it is important to know what your clients’ are looking for and then tailor your vendors to those needs. With that in mind, it may be a good idea to have more than one vendor, as background checks are not often a one-stop-shop.