Sunday, February 9, 2020

Hiring in 2020? 5 Things You Need to Do First!

Hiring is a big step for any business. 
Whether it is your first hire or you have hired before, making sure you do it right is important for you, your employee, and your company. 


Knowing these 5 things first will ensure your Hiring Practices are up to the task!

Know what Kind of Background Check fits the Job
Knowing exactly what you need to include in your employment background checks, and why, makes good business sense. Not only will it save you time, it will save you money. It will also ensure that you are fitting the background check to the job! 

“When it comes to Background Checks, clients often ask “what exactly do I need to screen for?”. The answer? It depends! It depends on what position you are looking to fill and what your job description requires. It is wise, and cost effective, to fit the Background check to your open position. This means covering only what is necessary in your screening process.” excerpt from “Why You need to fit the Background Check to the Job”!

That is why it is vital that before you need to hire you take the time to get your job descriptions in place first.

You will need to determine the education or training it will take to do the job and if prior experience is required. You will also have to outline the job’s responsibilities and duties.

Learn more about how to write the best Job Description for your Small Business and Why it is so important in Part 1 and Part 2 of  “Job Descriptions ~ How to Write One & Why it is Important to Do it Right”!

Knowing this information beforehand will help you be compliant with background check best practices and help you find the right person for the job!

Know what Rules Apply to Your Background Checks
Rules governing background checks have undergone major changes in the past few years, and this evolution is most likely to continue. Keeping up with these new guidelines can seem like a daunting task. But ignoring them can end up costing you and your company.

Your best practice is to be proactive and know exactly how to use employment background checks safely in your small business. 

Now is the time to make sure that your hiring practices are not violating EEOC guidelines, especially those concerning background check releases and disclosure forms.

4 Most Common Background Check Release Violations:
  1. You (the Employer) don't Disclose that a Background Check will be Obtained
  2. You don't obtain a Signed Authorization from your Applicants
  3. Your Authorization Form is Not a Stand-Alone Document
  4. Your Authorization Form includes a Release from Liability

Find out more about what you can do to protect your business from violating employment background check guidelines in “Tips to Help Your Business Fly Under the EEOC Radar”.

5 Things You need to Know before You Hire! "Tweet This"!
5 Things You Need to Know Before You Hire!

Don’t Hire before doing a Background Check
“When it comes time to hire, many small businesses make the biggest mistake they can make ~ They Skip the Background Check!

Instead of approaching hiring with caution, they think that simply because they are a small business, screening their applicants before hiring them isn’t necessary. Maybe they are hiring people they know…..Maybe they think they can’t spare any additional money checking into their applicants’ pasts. Or they might think that they should take anyone just to lessen their work load. Still there are others who believe they have a good ‘sixth sense’ when it comes to people. They think they will ‘just know’ if someone will be a good fit. And, after all, their resume just looks so impressive. They couldn’t be more wrong!”, excerpt from “If You are not Doing Background Checks on Your New Hires, You are Making the Biggest Mistake Your Small Business can Make”!

Hiring for your Small Business should be done carefully. There are very real consequences to making a bad hire. You need to remember that your employees are a reflection of your business, and that is even more so in a Small Business. If you end up hiring someone who steals from you or is a danger to your customers or your other employees, then it is much harder for you, as a Small Business, to recover and your reputation will suffer.

Your best defense is to do a good Background Check each and every time you hire. This will set an important precedent and show that you take your business seriously. The key is being consistent. Don’t pick and choose who to screen. Screening all your chosen applicants will help you hire the right candidate and protect your company against discriminatory hiring claims.

Understand the Steps You need to take when your Background Check uncovers a “Red Flag”
There is bound to come a time when your employment background check uncovers a “red flag”.

It might be a degree or an employment that cannot be verified. It may even be a criminal history. But no matter what the case, simply dismissing the applicant may not be in your best interest.

This is when it is time to use Individualized Assessments.
“Individualized Assessments are used when the background check on your applicant uncovers a “red flag” or a criminal past that may keep you from hiring them. And when this happens, there are specific steps you must follow to be compliant with EEOC guidelines”.

These steps involve:
  • Informing your applicant, in writing, of the background check findings
  • Giving them a chance to explain or mitigate the findings
  • Assessing any additional information before making a final hiring decision
It is important that you consider any information your applicant provides to explain, mitigate, or refute those findings before deciding whether to hire them or remove them from consideration.

Discover more about the steps you need to take during an Individualized Assessment in “Individual Assessments ~ What They are and Why You need to use them in Your Small Business!”.

You can also learn more about best practices when it comes to your Employment Background Checks here!

Partner with a Good Background Check Company ~ It is simply Good Business    
A professional background check company will help you navigate these ever changing screening waters. They will keep you current with new guidelines and help you understand what information you can use and why to make your new hire.

“Outsourcing your background check needs to a professional is your best bet. Their experience and knowledge will actually save you time and money, letting you focus on other important aspects of your business”. 

5 Smart Reasons to use a professional Background Check Company ~
  1. Their Knowledge and Experience 
  2. They will stay Updated on Compliance Issues 
  3. They are practiced in Protecting your Applicant’s Personal Information 
  4. They act as a Barrier against Discrimination Lawsuits 
  5. They will Save  You Time and Money

Learn more about the benefits of partnering with a good Background Check company in “5 Smart Reasons to Outsource Your Background Checks”!

Your hiring practices will undoubtedly continue to evolve and grow as your needs change . Having sound policies in place now, and the flexibility to to update them in the future, is simply good business. Keeping these 5 Tips in mind will help. Is your Small Business ready? 

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