We learn a lot of things about how we run a business when we let an employee go, but what about the other side of the equation? When we hire a new employee, we’re taking a risk in many ways, and this is why we rely so much on background checks. Running a background check on a prospective employee can bring up a few home truths, but what can we learn by running a background check on future employees?
Their general reliability
Something like a credit check forms one part of the background of an employee, and when you discover they have a bad credit rating, it might make you think twice about whether they are reliable in a general sense. Of course, it’s unfair to judge them based on their credit history alone, but when you’re hiring someone to be responsible for a prominent part of your business, the background check, in conjunction with how you perceive them to be in person, can give you the answer you’re looking for.
Running one on yourself…
We all enjoy Googling ourselves from time to time, but if you’re new to the background check approach, looking for the reliability of a prospective employee may tempt you to look up yourself. It could be interesting because you may find yourself to be unreliable on paper, and so, does this give you a new perspective on the situation? You may find parts of your record unsavory, especially if you are looking to do business with other clients, and they may have been to the nation to check your background. In which case, there are ways to get help dealing with your record, and getting parts of it expunged. When you are looking for a prospective employee, it doesn’t hurt to put yourself in their shoes now and again.
Are they a good fit for the business?
Sometimes finding the right person for the job isn’t all about a background check, it’s about trusting your instincts. Running a background check on an employee can throw up some interesting results, and this can give you a sense of trepidation towards hiring this person, but if you meet the person and find them to be charming, and, more importantly, a good fit for the business, you may find the background check to be a pointless endeavor. It’s a great thing to run a quick check on someone, just in case there are any questions about their past, but this is where the job application can cover all bases. For example, if they have a criminal record, they should disclose this, and if they didn’t at the outset, and you find it as part of your background check, then you could decide whether to progress further or not.
Running a background check on prospective employees is a great way to get an idea of the type of person they are on paper, but you shouldn’t do this as the definitive way to find your next employee. If you do it wrong, you could end up wrecking your business, which is why a background check works great in connection with trusting your own instincts.