One of the most time-consuming aspects of the hiring process is verifying an applicant’s history. From employment to education to professional licenses, it’s crucial to confirm the validity of a candidate’s experience. Verifications aren’t always required, but it is in the best interest of your business to conduct them on all applicants. This raises the question: are there some positions that are especially crucial to verify during the pre-employment process?
Qualified Candidates
Employment verifications typically serve the purpose of revealing whether a candidate has the qualifications they claim to have. You receive confirmation that the employment dates, job title, eligibility for rehire, and reason for termination match that of the candidate. It is very common for people to embellish their resumé. However, the line that separates embellishment from false information easily becomes thin.
Positions requiring a minimum duration of experience or prior training deserve qualified candidates. You need to know that your employees truly do have the skills and knowledge expected of them. Verifications and reference checks allow you to see the whole picture so you can make informed hiring decisions. Not only are your employees qualified, but you may notice a lower employee turnover rate as well.
Ensure A Safe Workplace
Employers are legally liable for an employee’s actions under the “Negligent Hiring” doctrine. Negligent hiring is a legal claim made against an employer when an individual suffers an injury caused by one of their employees, especially when that employee has a history of similar incidents. A negligence claim argues that an employer should know about the employee’s history prior to hiring them (granted that the information is reasonably available).
While verifications can report a candidate’s workplace history, they also reveal the authenticity of professional licenses. Some occupations require special licensing in order to perform safe, certified practices. Some examples include the healthcare industry, technology, safety, security, and other highly regulated industries. Additionally, this reinforces the safety of others when working with vulnerable populations.
Verifying professional licenses ensures that your candidate’s license is current, valid, and in good standing. Reports can also reveal whether a candidate has any record of disciplinary action.
Absolute Integrity
A sometimes-overlooked aspect of employment verifications is that you can subsequently reveal the integrity of an individual. Many human resources affiliates know the phrase, “past performance predicts future performance.” Albeit this ideological approach isn’t foolproof, it is an important aspect of the screening process. An employee’s past behavior can indicate patterns to be wary of in the future.
Alliance 2020 offers a wide range of employment screening and verification services. We assist clients in the Greater Seattle area and Pacific Northwest but readily serve a national client base. Click here to learn more about them. For additional questions, please feel free to contact us.
