The price of a background screening can vary based on its type. Financial record screenings cost $25 to $35 per person, while basic criminal history checks cost up to $100 per person. Prices will increase if you want a more thorough screening or want to conduct the test in more than one state. Screening service checkpeople offers one free search. Every next one comes with a minimal charge.
Employers need to carry out a risk assessment before they make any investment. Don’t cut corners if your company works with children or other vulnerable groups. Take time to decide what will ensure the highest degree of safety and work best for your business.
Screen Candidates Yourself
You don’t necessarily have to contract a background check provider. There are other options. For example, you could avail of the US government’s e-verify system. Seek job applicants from trustworthy and reliable sources such as current employers, friends, or coworkers. Anonymous, broad sources like job ad sites will increase your hiring pool, but also your and your company’s risk exposure.
A simple Google search can yield the applicant’s Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Facebook profile. Often, it will yield more than one. You can look at the person’s posts and pictures if the profiles are public. This will give you an idea of what they are like. However, there’s the risk of viewing these pieces of data out of context. It would be best if you never based your final hiring decision on something you saw on social media. LinkedIn will be very useful as it can verify data provided by the candidate.
You can access public court records online. Enter the applicant’s name into the database of your state, and it will give you all the information available about them, including felony charges and speeding tickets. Your state’s sex offender registry will reveal any sex crimes.
Always make sure you get references and follow up on them to learn more about the candidate. Reference checks are free.
Cooperate with a Workforce Development Company
Nonprofit development companies help people who’ve been outside the labor market for a while to find jobs. Typically, these organizations do most of the work on background checks. All that’s left for you as an employer is to find the best person for the job. You can view the screenings and checks the candidates have passed. This minimizes costs and simplifies your job search a great deal.
Be Consistent
Once you establish a procedure, follow it consistently. Your policies for your organization’s background or reference checks should be clear no matter which approach you take. Inform all job applicants of these policies in advance to avoid legal issues. When it comes to the scope of checks, your company should always maintain clear guidelines.
Tell candidates which websites you look at. You don’t want to catch someone doing something questionable, but to make sure they are a legitimate applicant and to verify the information. This process must be approached based on good intentions and trust.
Your background checks should be tailored to the type of activity. Obviously, you need to check people’s driving records if you’re hiring a driver or their financial records if you’re looking for an accountant.
A Background Check on a Shoestring Budget
Today, small business budgets are tighter than ever. You may be tempted to skip the screening if you’re a representative of this sector. Background checks are a solid investment that protects your business and your employees. Consider performing the checks yourself if you can spare the time and effort, at least on primary staff, and outsource the task to a screening service for other employees and new candidates. Last but not least, know that free and low-cost background check tools can be very useful.