Many business owners understand how vital background checks can be for hiring the right people for their team. They are often a safeguard against hiring people who may not be the right fit based on their past or falsities in their resumes.
While we might know their importance, we don’t always have all the facts. Here are some common misconceptions business owners can have about background checks. Being aware of them might give you the upper hand when performing them.
Table of Contents
You Only Get Them for Criminal History
Learning a potential employee’s criminal history is only one reason business owners use background check companies like Triton Canada. You can also learn about someone’s education history, employment history, driving record, and more. Essentially, background checks help confirm anything a potential employee might include on their resume and reveal anything they might have left out.
You Don’t Need Background Checks If You Perform Reference Checks
Reference checks can be an excellent way to learn more about someone you intend to hire. You can determine whether they work well as a team and have the right qualities for your role. However, references can only tell half the story, and you may not get all the facts. They are an excellent place to start, but background checks can undoubtedly fill in some gaps!
No Criminal History Means Job Suitability
When you don’t see any criminal history appear in a potential employee’s record check, you might assume they are suitable for your job vacancy. They might be, but there’s more to a background check than criminal history alone.
Background checks also provide previous job and education history. If these histories don’t align with what’s on a resume or what you need out of an employee, they may still not be suitable.
A Bad History Equals a Bad Employee
We all make mistakes. Sometimes, these mistakes can show up on a background check. A poor history doesn’t necessarily mean someone won’t be an excellent fit for your company.
It’s vital to assess someone’s suitability for a role beyond just what you find in a background check. For example, a reckless driving charge may not affect someone’s ability to be an excellent accountant when they have glowing references from other companies.
Background Checks Are All You Need to Do
Background checks can be a safeguard for companies to help them make the right hiring decision. However, they don’t have to be all you use to decide whether someone is the right fit. Listen to your gut and pay attention to how they respond in their interview.
Multiple factors can play a part in the decision-making process. Some businesses take extra precautions by having multiple people involved in interviews, holding more than one interview, and contacting numerous references.
Background checks are a helpful tool for business owners. They can make you aware of anything a potential employee may have lied about or failed to mention. However, the misconceptions above can be important to know. You may then be able to make more informed decisions to ensure you hire the right people for the job.
