Many private investigators offer background checks as part of their services and specialties. Background checks examine the details of a person's professional, personal and legal history and are a key part of a variety of investigations. Background Checks are often ordered for the intent of validating or disproving character and/or identity.
Background checks usually include an investigation of criminal and civil records, education and employment history, references, to name a few.
Background checks are often ordered before:
- Hiring a new employee
- Signing a contract with a new tenant
- Investing in a company or offer
- Hiring a caretaker
- Electing or hiring a public official
While there is no published standard for background checks, investigation are typically adapted for specific applications or areas of concern.
Candidates often provide false information regarding:
- Education history or degrees
- Professional experience or work history
- Licenses and organization memberships
- Grievances or lawsuits
There are automated background checks available via the internet, but that information is often incomplete or inaccurate. Each record, whether found through the internet or another source, needs to be verified for validity. A private investigator can provide detailed and accurate information about a person and ensure that the information is accurate.
Problems and Limitations of Online Background Checks:
- Not all records are available online
- The information may not be accurate or up-to-date
- The validity of the record still needs to be verified
- Does not include checking references, past employers, degrees, etc.
Having as much information as possible can make the background investigation a quicker process. Some information you may want to have:
- Full name with middle initial
- Date and location of birth
- Social Security Number
- Schools attended and awarded degrees
- Past employers
Although it is ideal to have all of the above, a good investigator can research a person with very little information.
Two common investigations are criminal and complete background checks.
Criminal Background Check: seeks to determine whether or not the person has a criminal record.
Complete Background Check: reviews public records including driving records, education and employment history, and more.
A criminal check often has limitations; for example, in certain states a DUI shows up in a driving record but not in a criminal record.
Background checks have become an essential part of the hiring process. Hiring someone based on a cursory evaluation can sometimes lead to serious problems down the line, because aside from ending up with an employee who is not right for the job, you may also end up with someone who could compromise the company’s operations or end up endangering the safety of other employees—which can lead to possible legal issues such as negligent hiring lawsuits.
A background check, whether performed by a dedicated background check provider or a licensed private investigation firm, is crucial in determining important employment deciding factors, such as a candidate’s credit history, criminal background, and even aspects of their character and personality. It will also help you verify the accuracy of the information they’ve provided in their application.
Some companies are hesitant to incorporate such measures into their own hiring processes due to the possible legal implications with regards to hiring discrimination. But in most cases, the benefits outweigh the risks, and as long as proper implementation of pre-employment background checks is observed, there should be no problem with legalities.
Background checks can help employers determine whether an applicant is faking or overstating their credentials. Hiring an individual who is not a fit for the job can cause companies to waste valuable resources due to time and money they would have to spend in training that particular employee. This will, of course, include the company’s subsequent efforts to rehire and replace this same employee.
Employees have the capacity to potentially ruin a company’s reputation, but even more so for high-level positions that involve more visibility and even media exposure, in some cases. Background checks can help you safeguard against reputation damage by allowing you to spot possible character defects and negative behavioral patterns.
If the job position constitutes any level of access to the company’s physical assets, proprietary information, or even important financial documents, it is important to perform a background check beforehand to avoid possible theft, destruction of company property, and even corporate espionage.
A candidate may appear perfectly pleasant during the interview stage, but that does not assure that this person will remain so for the rest of their stay in the company. Employers should always investigate candidates prior to hiring, as this will help them uncover anger management issues, hidden criminal records, or anything in their personal or professional history that suggests that they may cause harm to other employees.
According to recently compiled statistics, at least 75 percent of employees have stolen at least once from their employer, and 33 percent of all business bankruptcies are caused by employee theft. Given the high possibility such occurrences, and how much it affects the businesses involved, it becomes even more essential to ensure that the company takes every available measure to avoid such instances. Theft can also be done at the expense of other employees, so think of background checking as a measure to protect all employees within the company.
When performed lawfully and respectfully, background checking ceases to be a daunting part of the hiring process, but instead becomes a way of safeguarding the interests of all parties involved, and building the foundation of a good employee and employer relationship.