Choosing the right background screening company is essential for protecting your business and hiring the best candidates.
As laws governing background checks change and regulatory oversight expands, selecting the right vendor is more crucial than ever.
Your partner should have a clear and transparent process, excellent communication, and the advice you need to make the right hiring decisions.
3 Ways To Choose The Background Screening Company
This will help you feel comfortable choosing and ensure a hassle-free background check experience for you and your candidates.
#1. Accreditation
The right background screening company can help you mitigate risk while increasing your organization’s ability to hire and retain qualified talent.
That’s why choosing a vendor with an established track record of excellence is essential.
A background screening provider accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA) will provide the following:
- Peace of mind.
- Knowing they’ve committed to a rigorous audit process and meet strict standards for security.
- Compliance.
- Client education.
- Professional business practices.
Accredited firms have undergone a series of the rigorous desk and on-site audits. In addition, PBSA-accredited providers must comply with several critical hiring compliance procedures.
A PBSA-accredited screening provider also has the tools and resources to help you streamline your pre-hire and ongoing monitoring processes.
Additionally, they can help you build a customized screening process to align with your hiring goals.
#2. FCRA Compliance
You must select a background screening company that prioritizes legal compliance.
FCRA regulations govern the collection, storage, and disposal of your job candidate’s personal information and must be followed to protect your business from lawsuits or other violations.
You could face significant penalties if you fail to follow the FCRA requirements. These include statutory damages, actual damages, punitive damages, and reasonable attorney’s fees.
The law also requires that you notify an applicant or employee in writing of adverse action based on a background report.
This includes a pre-adverse action notice that specifies you will not hire them and an adverse action notice that they have the right to dispute the accuracy or completeness of the background report.
If you fail to send an adverse action notice to applicants, they may file a lawsuit against you. These lawsuits are costly and can take months to resolve.
#3. Customer Service
Customer service is essential in choosing the right background screening company.
Whether you need to talk with a background screening vendor over the phone or via email, you want to know that they offer the type of support you need.
The best companies understand that their clients are human, and they provide excellent customer service. They should answer all questions promptly, and they should resolve issues promptly.
It’s also important to ask about turnaround times (the time it takes for background checks to be completed after you submit a request).
Extended wait periods can narrow your talent pool if your industry requires quick results. Fortunately, most background screening companies offer technology that helps streamline processes and meet compliance requirements.
They should also be able to integrate their solution with your ATS and HR systems. This will make your hiring experience easier and faster, which can increase your candidate engagement, accuracy, and retention rates.
