There is no denying the fact that every time a candidate needs to be hired to fill an open job position, it is a tedious as well as an overwhelming task to find the right fit. It goes without saying that there are a few steps that need to be taken. The job description needs to be published, so that interested candidates can submit applications for consideration. The employer then needs to minutely sift through these applications to shortlist qualified and suitable candidates and set up interviews.

But wait! The above narrative is missing one really important step: the background check. Think you don’t need a background check to make the right hiring decision? Think again! Sure, the candidates mostly tell the truth in their job applications. But ‘mostly’ isn’t enough when you think of the bigger impact that one wrong decision can have on your business. Here are a few points why you should consider running a background check on a prospective employee before making a hire:

1. Verification of education and certifications:
   In addition to the employment history, a thorough pre-employment background checks will also make sure the applicant has the degrees and professional certifications they claim they do. Sometimes, it ensures honesty in the resume, while other times, when certain degrees or certifications are actually legally required for a person to perform a job, they are about abiding by the law. Either way, they are important.
2. Gives a full picture of a job applicant:
   From their employment history, to their education background, address as well as their credit related activities, a background check gives you a full picture of a candidate. It can help you cut through the facade that the applicant puts up in their resume or interview, and find out who the person really is, and more importantly, whether they are the right person for your organisation.
3. It highlights dishonesty:
   A lot of job seekers put on a performance in the interview, trying to act in a way that they think the hiring manager wants to see. Even more applicants are dishonest on their resumes, making up work histories, changing employment dates and durations, etc. Pre-employment background checks help in ensuring that the information on the applications matches up with the truth. If it doesn’t, you know you have a dishonest applicant on your hands that cannot be trusted and hence, cannot be hired.
4. Highlights criminal history, ensuring workplace safety:
   One of the main reasons for pre-employment background checks is to identify any criminal history of the applicant. There are chances that you’ll go through a number of applicants that can be dangerous. From sex offenders to violent criminals, you just cannot take a risk of hiring them as it will compromise your workplace safety. So run the background check to protect your existing employees from any harm.

At Employee Crossings, we help companies to run a thorough background check on prospective employees with the help of a step-by-step procedure. We understand that as an HR, you go through such lengthy processes because you want the best for your company. If you want to make sure that you’ve hired the right person then running a background check is as important as anything else. Above all, it gives you the peace of mind of hiring the right candidate for the job.