Whether you’re filling a high level corporate position, recruiting for an entry-level job, or looking for a caregiver, online background checks are essential.
Comprehensive background checks play an important role in minimizing the inherent risks that come with any new hire. They also help maintain a safe working environment by uncovering information that was intentionally or accidentally omitted during the hiring process—information that could potentially be harmful to your business or family.
Comprehensive background checks also reduce employee turnover by screening out candidates who don’t have the qualifications, lifestyle, or high moral character that you’re looking for in your next employee.
But with so many different kinds of background checks available, which one will be comprehensive enough for your needs?
The short answer is, it depends!
Background Checks Are Not 'One-Size-Fits-All'
Different types of online background checks serve different purposes, so while one background check might be comprehensive in certain situations, it may not be enough in others.
To help you determine the depth of screening that will be best in your specific circumstances, we’ve listed options that are most commonly available in comprehensive online background checks for a couple of different employment scenarios.
Hiring a New Employee
Whether you’re a business owner, HR manager, or a recruiter, you understand that hiring an employee who is underqualified, unreliable, or dishonest could have a widespread impact on your employees, clients, and business.
Although conducting interviews and checking references are useful, they don’t tell the full story. Conducting comprehensive online background checks on potential candidates may bring issues or circumstances to the surface that you may not learn about otherwise.
A basic employment check package typically includes:
- Person Search + Address History
- National Criminal Database
- Sex Offender Database
A more comprehensive check will dive into a candidate’s history at the county level for non-digitized criminal records:
- Person Search + Address History
- National Criminal Database With Alias
- Sex Offender Database
- Global Security Watch List
- County Criminal Courthouse Search
When hiring for management level positions, a comprehensive background check should include:
- Person Search + Address History
- National Criminal Database With Alias
- Sex Offender Database
- Global Security Watch List
- County Criminal Courthouse Search
- Education Verification
- Employment Verification
Hiring a Nanny or Caregiver
If you’re looking for childcare or you need someone to care for a senior, your biggest concern is finding someone who is qualified, reliable, and trustworthy.
Leaving vulnerable loved ones in the hands of a near stranger poses a high risk, and you want to be absolutely certain you hire someone who is who they say they are.
A comprehensive background check can tell you a lot about a person and typically includes:
- Person Search + Address History
- National Criminal Database With Alias
- Sex Offender Database
- Global Security Watch List
- County Criminal Courthouse Search
- Federal Criminal Courthouse Search
- Driving Record
- Civil Restraint
- Certification CPR + First Aid Verification
Additional options are available if you choose to take a deeper look into your candidate’s background:
- Drug Test
- Education Verification
- Employment Verification
- Reference Verification
Also available is a 360-degree character assessment performed by former law enforcement officials:
- Residence Survey
- Police Record Check
- Investigative Analyst
A Look Into the Past, a Peek Into the Future
A comprehensive online background check is an effective tool that will help you make informed hiring decisions. Looking into your candidate’s past allows you to verify their credentials, get a glimpse of their lifestyle, and assess their character. It may also help you reasonably predict their future behavior.
Implementing a comprehensive screening process will help you streamline your hiring practices, hire qualified candidates, and set you up for long-term success.
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