Benefits of Background Screening Based on Job Type

January 31, 2019 Accurate Background

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Identifying the type of background checks you should be running on candidates, while trying to stay
within budget constraints and being under pressure to hire faster, can make it hard to make decisions about how comprehensive your employment screening should be. Although background checks are necessary and should always be viewed as an investment, there may be an opportunity to reduce cost and turnaround time by reviewing the background checks you are running across position types at your organization.

Reduce Cost

The cost of your background check usually correlates with the level of verification needed to complete all services included in the background check. Naturally, running a criminal search, education verification and drug test on a new hire is likely going to be more expensive than just running any one of those checks independently. A common mistake we see employers make when running background checks is failing to tailor the check to the requirements of the job. Often, employers apply an overarching standard across an organization when a specific position might not fit the need. For example, a receptionist at a trucking company might not need the same depth of background check and drug testing that should be done on their drivers.

Making sure you are only running background checks that are needed for the specific role you are hiring for can help you lower cost and run more in-depth background checks for the positions where it matters most. Working with a background check provider that is willing to assist in creating background check packages specific to the roles you are hiring for will help reduce unnecessary searches.

Reduce Turnaround Time

Similar to background check cost, turnaround time typically correlates with the level of verification that is needed to complete the background check.

Conducting background checks by job type can help reduce turnaround time at the same time that you are reducing cost. Review your background check requirements per position and determine what information is most important to verify and relative to the job requirements. In doing so, you may find you can eliminate or add criteria which will most certainly adjust your expected turnaround time. In the example above, if it is decided that you do not need an education or employment verification on receptionist roles, you will be able to get those positions hired faster without having to go through a longer verification process.

Don’t Get Carried Away

You get what you pay for. Although cutting cost and turnaround time sounds nice, reducing either one impacts the quality of your background checks. It is important to take a deep look at each type of role you are hiring for to establish must-have requirements before cutting any searches. It may be worth seeing where you can use any cost savings to implement more thorough background checks for other positions at your organization.

Consult With Legal

As with any decisions regarding background checks, it is important to work with your legal team to
understand any impact changing your background screening program may have on your organization or laws related to your industry. Although it may be tempting to start making changes right away, always make sure it is done in a way that will help, not hurt, your organization.

*The information provided above is strictly for educational purposes. It is not intended to be legal advice, either expressed or implied. Accurate Background recommends that you consult with your legal counsel regarding all employment regulations. 

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