4 Common Misconceptions about Background Checks!

4 Common Misconceptions about Background Checks

Many people are still confused about

Background Checks. Stories about abuses and inaccuracies in the background check system create a feeling of distrust about the entire process.

Despite this, the majority of Background Checks are not only conducted completely up front but with a focus on accuracy.

Read on as we dispel the Top 4 Most Common Misconceptions many people have about Background Checks... 

The entire process surrounding Background Checks, and the companies that process them, is filled with Misconceptions and Mystery. And it doesn't have to be that way!

Instead, when it comes to background checks, good employers and screening companies believe that transparency and accuracy is key!

Here we will discuss 4 of the Most Common  misconceptions and try to “clear the air”.

Misconception 1:  Detectives Conduct Most Background Checks.

The majority of Background Check companies do not bill  bill themselves as "detectives" or private investigators. They are careful to conduct all inquiries using a signed release and with full disclosure (as required by the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission).

A Good Background Check Should Always be "Transparent"!  "Tweet This"

All parties should know exactly what information is being gathered and have consented to being screened.

Background Checks are designed to verify the information supplied by the applicant and, at a certain point in the process, to determine whether that applicant will be a safe hire.

Despite belief to the contrary, it is not a means to “detect” information on an applicant’s social activities or private life. In most cases, the screening does not extend to asking questions of friends or relatives concerning anything personal (there are some positions in “security sensitive” occupations where this is necessary).

The bottom line; if done correctly, there should be no mystery in what is done during the Background Check process. Everyone involved should be kept up to speed and informed.

Misconception 2:  Only Big Companies Need to do Background Checks.

Anyone who is hiring, even small companies or individuals, would benefit greatly from the use of background checks.

A background check is designed to help any employer make a safe and skilled hire. A small company can be especially vulnerable when the hire “goes bad”. Using background checks consistently as part of the process can help shield a company from litigation or violence in the workplace.  Both of which can bankrupt small business.

Learn more about why background checks are so important to Small Business in "4 Reasons Why Small Businesses need to use Background Checks"!

Learn about Misconceptions 3 (Online Background Checks) and 4 (Background Checks & Small Business) by

Reading the entire article on LinkedIn!

The Background Check process should not be surrounded by secrecy or misconceptions. The more we address these issues, and bring the entire process “into the light of day”, the better off we will be. After all, Background Check companies and their Clients are really all in this together!  

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