Never judge a book by its cover. When it comes to selecting the best candidates to work for your company, going deeper than just face value should be a routine practice. Yet, according to a 2017 CareerBuilder survey that outlines myths around background checks, not all companies or workers understand the process.
The nationwide survey was conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder from November 16 to December 6, 2016, among a sample of 3,411 U.S. full-time, private sector workers across industries and company sizes, and 2,391 full-time hiring and human resources managers in the private sector across industries and company sizes.
"Background screenings are surrounded by misconceptions and misunderstandings, and our role is to provide transparency for candidates and employers," said Ben Goldberg, CEO of Aurico, a CareerBuilder company.
Employer Myths
Myth 1: Background checks aren't always necessary.
Reality: 18% of employers said they made a bad hire because they didn't conduct a background check. Given that one bad hire can cost a company at least 30% of the employee’s first year earnings, and some surveys list the cost as high as $240,000, this can be an expensive misstep.
Myth 2: All background check systems are created equal.
Reality: 29% of employers made a bad hire because they received bad information about the candidate. 1 in 7 employers (15%) have run into litigation for not hiring someone because of what was found in a background check. Make sure your provider keeps up with compliance standards and makes sure the candidate is informed and supported.
Myth 3: My background check system provides a good experience for candidates.
Reality: 65% of employers have never tested out their system themselves to see what the candidate experience is like. Not only is it important for employers to experience the process first hand, it's important to seek direct feedback from candidates.
Myth 4: Background checks typically take 1 to 2 weeks.
Reality: The longer the background check, the higher the risk of losing the candidate because you couldn't verify information fast enough and they moved on to another employer. Typically, background checks should return in less than five business days, but on average checks take 24 – 72 business hours to complete.
46% of workers say they really don't know what information employers are checking for when conducting background checks, which can put them at a disadvantage. It’s important to let candidates know exactly what type of information they should provide you in order to not slow down the process or risk a return of bad information.
Employee Myths
Myth 1: If I estimate my months and years of employment at each employer, that's good enough.
Reality: 1 in 8 workers who have resumes (13%) say they estimate employment dates on their current resume. What they may not realize is their resume will get flagged as inaccurate and may cause an otherwise unnecessary delay in the hiring process or possible removal from of the running. From employment to graduation and everything in between, encourage your candidates to give accurate dates.
Myth 2: Most employers don't even conduct background checks.
Reality: The majority of employers (72%) say they do for every new employee before they're hired. More than half (55%) drug test candidates.
Myth 3: If they conduct background checks, employers typically only look at where I worked.
Reality: In addition to locations of employment, employers check on everything from schooling, locations lived, and criminal records to driving records, and many other public information sources based on the position type the person is being considered for.
Additional ASE Resources
ASE Pre-Employment Services - ASE can protect your organization from the cost of bad hiring decisions with our complete background screening services, including drug testing. We provide personal attention to each client and are FCRA compliant. For more information visit us online or contact Susan Chance.
Source: press.careerbuilder.com