Optimizing the Background Screening Process

A 2017 Glassdoor study found that federal jobs have the longest interview process (53.8 days on average), followed by those in aerospace and defense (32.6 days) and energy and utilities (28.8 days). The sectors with the shortest hiring processes were restaurants and bars (10.2 days), private security (11.6 days), and supermarkets (12.3 days). 

Today, however, things are different. Candidates are expecting a straightforward, easy, and quick hiring process—otherwise, they might leave for another position at another organization. 

In fact, a recent study reports that 40% of candidates reject offers because another company made an offer faster. And, in a tight labor market—in which employees have more power (and more choice) than ever before—it’s in every employer’s best interest to speed up the hiring process and give top talent what they want. 

Background Screening: A Hiring Efficiency Opportunity 

Some employers believe that pre-employment background screening unnecessarily slows the hiring process and leaves critical open positions unfilled for too long. Still, most employee background check services get results in a maximum of 48 hours to five business days—a small price to pay for the added assurance of selecting qualified, trustworthy, and responsible candidates who align with the company’s valuaes and goals. 

There are steps HR professionals can take to shorten the overall background screening process even further and cut down on the time it takes to get a qualified candidate through the door without forfeiting the critical security and risk reduction that background screening provides. 

To shorten hiring cycles, all it takes is a quick audit, the right partner, and some updates to your overall background screening operations. The goal is to obtain the maximum amount of detail about an applicant in the shortest amount of time. 

Step #1: Audit and Assess Background Screening Processes 

Below are areas to focus on when conducting a background screening audit at your organization and how to identify areas for improvement in efficiency. 

Document Your Screening Process

Create a comprehensive document that outlines your background screening process from start to finish. Include the types of checks conducted, sources used for information, consent forms used, and the criteria for disqualification based on the results to understand better what data is being collected and how it moves through your organization. 

Review Relevant Laws and Regulations 

Get caught up on relevant laws and regulations that govern background checks in your jurisdiction, including federal, state, and local laws and industry-specific guidelines. Ensure your screening process aligns with these legal requirements and, more importantly, doesn’t factor in laws that aren’t applicable (this will slow you down). 

Assess Screening Criteria 

Similarly, screening criteria should only be job-related and consistent with the nature of the positions you are hiring for–a practice not only required by law but also required for speeding up the screening process and overall hiring cycle. Additionally, screening criteria should be fair, consistent, and non-discriminatory. 

Monitor Vendor Performance 

If you’re currently using a third-party background check service to conduct pre-employment screening, an audit is a great time to check how they’re performing and evaluate whether they’re helping you reach your hiring goals. To guide your vendor evaluation, follow the framework outlined in this article.

Address Issues 

Perhaps you’re having trouble sorting through state and local laws and figuring out which laws are relevant to your business. Maybe you realize your screening process is not thorough enough, but you’re worried that adding additional screenings will slow you down. Or, maybe you notice your screening service is making repeated mistakes regarding the accuracy of reports. Once the audit is complete and all inefficiencies have been identified, the next step is addressing those issues. 

Step #2: Find the Right Background Screening Service  

Thankfully, nearly all issues during a screening audit can be solved by partnering with the best third-party screening service for your business—a reputable service that offers faster-than-average turnaround times, ensures accurate information, and is backed by knowledgeable people who can help you navigate compliance. Here’s how to find a high-quality screening partner to help you cut down on the time it takes to turn top candidates into new hires. 

Multiple Types of Screenings

Background screening isn’t simply about criminal history anymore; a professional background check now involves several additional layers designed to detect threats. The goal is to cast a wide net, get a holistic view of an applicant, and protect you from every angle. A quality, comprehensive background check solution, like S2Verify, will include the following list of services, tools, and data: 

• Social Security number trace
• National criminal file search 
• Sex offender criminal search
• County criminal/other public records search 
• Statewide criminal/public records search 
• Federal criminal/public records search
• Driving records and motor vehicle records search
• Employment verification 
• Education verification 
• Credit report
• Professional license verification 
• Drug screening
• International screening services 

Accuracy and Accreditation 

Casting a wide net is a start, but the data collected isn’t valuable unless it’s accurate—since inaccurate or misleading background checks can lead to liability and legal issues (and will slow you down). 

A background check service will provide access to the most up-to-date and comprehensive court records from all relevant federal, state, and local jurisdictions to ensure the accuracy of results and reduce risk. At S2Verify, for example, we offer access to more than 4,100 federal, state, and local government sources with reliable results using a hybrid process that includes automated record extraction and human oversight. 

A great way to evaluate whether a background check service provides accurate results—or not–is by checking the status of its Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA) accreditation, a nationally recognized achievement earned by U.S. consumer reporting agencies (CRAs). It confirms that a background service complies with all FCRA requirements and recognizes its commitment to excellence in information security, legal and compliance, client education, researcher and data standards, verification service standards, and business practices. 

Turnaround Times

Most employee background check services provide results in 48 hours to five business days, but not all. S2Verify provides faster-than-average 12-24 hour delivery times, and your background screening service should, too. 

Customer Service and Compliance

Employment screening is complicated work. The rules and regulations differ from state to state and county to county, and the needs of every business differ, too. There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to a background check. That’s why a quality background check service is backed by great customer support–by real people–that can help you navigate the gray areas of employment screening and help you get the most out of a comprehensive background check. 

When searching for a background check service, look for a partner that promises integrity, industry experience, innovation, and an unparalleled commitment to their clients at every step of the way—like S2Verify. And make sure they have the expertise and resources necessary to navigate state and local laws in your specific region. 

Cost 

Every business is unique, meaning that each employer has a different set of needs when screening candidates. For example, healthcare or education employers might need to run professional license verifications, while other organizations do not. The best employment background check service will allow you to customize your screening package to only pay for what you need, just like the pricing program at S2Verify. 

Step #3: Automate Key Processes and Take Advantage of Integrations

Completing a comprehensive background check requires several incremental steps, communications, and documents, from applicant consent to adverse action. However, by automating manual processes, HR professionals can speed up hiring cycles.

Seventy-five percent of recruiters and hiring professionals use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to manage recruiting activities––to keep track of candidates, where they came from, and where they are in the hiring process. If you’re one of those companies that use an ATS, it’s best to integrate it with your background screening provider. 

An integrated ATS will help you improve your background check workflow (candidate information goes directly to the provider, and results are delivered right back to your ATS platform), improve accuracy (there’s less room for human error, like double entry or misentry), and reduce return time (since it skips the need for human interaction). 

From there, you should look into other areas that can be automated via the ATS, such as digital consent forms and adverse action notices. 

Step #4: Streamline Communication (and Go Paperless)

On that note, background screening requires thorough and timely communication at several process stages. For example, to stay compliant, employers must get signed candidate consent before completing a background check (which requires back-and-forth communication that might eat up some precious time) and must notify candidates about any adverse action (plus the reasons behind it) before eliminating them from the running. 

As such, a great place to start with automation is around those standardized communications. All communications to candidates should be pre-templated and programmed to send if a certain trigger is flipped (i.e. if a background check is requested for a candidate, a consent form should automatically be sent to their email with the appropriate supporting message) via your ATS.  

In this mobile-first world, it might also be in your best interest to partner with a background screening provider that offers top-notch mobile communication solutions, like S2Verify. Our Swifthire Mobile helps employers keep applicants informed throughout the process, without lifting a finger, by sending notifications to candidates about real-time progress. Taking a mobile-first approach allows candidates to provide relevant background data instantly, schedule drug screening from their phones, and more—cutting down on the time it takes to complete a check. 

Step #5: Train Your Team

After you audit your screening process, choose the right screening partner, set up the appropriate automation, and streamline communications, it’s time to train your team on the updated process. Ensure that all HR professionals and hiring managers know the proper procedures for conducting background checks at your organization, including how to work with the background screening partner, communicate with the candidate, maintain confidentiality, and adhere to legal requirements. This learning should be ongoing to keep up with changing laws and processes. 

Step #6: Strive for Continuous Improvement

Your business will change, as will the laws governing background screening. Accordingly, an agile and adaptable background check approach is needed to maintain a fully optimized pre-employment screening program that helps you reduce hiring risk and save time. Scheduling regular audits for your screening process can help you maintain efficiency over time—as can data collection and analysis. 

Finding areas of the process where you can collect data and measure success will help you improve over time. For example, measuring the time it takes for candidates to complete the background check form and provide consent will help pinpoint areas where you can intervene. If your analysis shows that applicants are getting held up on the form or taking too long to sign the consent document, you can send text alerts reminding applicants to finish up and keep the process on track. 

For more ideas on how to design an efficient pre-employment background screening program at your organization using a reputable screening partner, click here.