Nowadays, conducting pre-employment screenings is one of the prime responsibilities of every reputable business organization before offering a job to potential employees. The majority of established companies carry out screening to ensure that it doesn’t take any wrong step and hire undeserving candidates.
Most employers conduct screening while they interview job applicants as it facilitates them to make the right recruitment decision. You should know that many also refer to pre-employment screening as ‘employment background check’ and ‘criminal background check.’ In order to obtain a clear knowledge of a shortlisted candidate’s background, organizations concerned about their image conduct different types of screenings.
Types of Pre-Employment Screens
Besides a prospective employee’s background, one such screening verifies the information that he/she puts on a resume. Pre-employment screening helps employers gain a clear understanding of whether candidates with immense potential have a criminal history.
They can also determine if a potential employee is reliable enough to be given the responsibility to handle confidential or sensitive information post conducting a background check on him/her. Here are some standard types of pre-employment screenings.
Detecting Social Security Number
Most business enterprises opt for one such screen type as it helps discover names, actual residence, office addresses and D.O.B. linked with that social security number. Whenever an employer is interested in obtaining accurate information about a potential candidate’s additional records, it performs such a screening.
Public Records Checking
An organization prefers conducting this particular type of screenings on applicants whom it shortlists. This screen involves thorough checking of driving history, two-wheelers/four-wheelers records, employees’ compensation records, bankruptcy records, credit history, medical records, civil records, etc.
Credentials and Verifications Examining
A considerable number of applicants embellish their educational qualifications on the resume to impress potential employers. Hence, every company nowadays carries out such an inspection to become aware of a candidate’s actual level of education, degree(s) he/she possesses, work history, besides the authenticity of certifications and licenses they boast.
Criminal Background Check
It is cardinal to conduct a criminal background check or screen to ensure that no new employee turns out to be harmful to the company, work culture, and other existing employees. Employers want to ascertain by performing this specific type of screening whether a potential candidate has a criminal record. Appointed officials thoroughly check records in several databases – local, state, national and international.
Controlled Substance Testing
Both private and public organizations get in touch with a trusted and certified medical care provider for executing one such testing. The primary reason for carrying out this screening is to make sure that none of the new recruits performs any unwanted activities such as using/consuming illegal substances.
Most companies conduct one or more of the aforementioned pre-employment screenings. Hence, it is of utmost importance for you (if you have recently applied for a job in a renowned company) to prepare yourself beforehand for pre-employment screenings.
Here are some useful steps you should follow to get ready for an employment background check.
Thoroughly Review Records
You need to ask for a copy of your motor vehicle record from the authorized department of motor vehicles in your state. Ensure you take the same approach for reviewing other vital documents that include court records, academics, and more.
Check Personnel Documents
Get in touch with your ex-employers and request them to provide you with copies of all your official documents. You must have a clear idea of what your references will say about you. Checking all personnel files’ copies in a careful manner can help you keep potential risks at bay.
Correct Inaccurate Information
You will certainly be able to prepare yourself well for a rigorous criminal background check process if you report inaccurate information in your credit report and correct the same. Make sure that you do not hesitate or delay contacting the creditor to sort out all problems.
Be Virtuous
Ensure you put vital information on your resume, such as academic qualification, skills, work experience, etc., without any exaggeration. The more you keep things authentic and accurate, the better prepared you are for pre-employment screening. If your prospective employer finds out that you are virtuous, your chances of landing the job for which you have applied will increase significantly.
Privacy Protection
Be vigilant about everything you write online or put up on social media and other digital platforms or channels. Do not post anything that could turn out to be destructible for your professional life. To bring the possibility of unintentionally posting or sharing any confidential information online, ensure everything you share or post remains public.
Look, to land your coveted job successfully in a leading company and grow your career, you have to undergo one or a few of the pre-employment screenings multiple times. You won’t have to worry about getting rejected or terminated if you do the needful to prepare yourself in advance for one such stringent screening process.