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INFORMATION OVERLOAD
Most of us are inundated with calls from marketers and sales people throughout the day, even if we’re not the one making the ultimate buying decision. So even though no one likes the sound of the office phone ringing incessantly, often times it’s easier to just let the call go to voicemail.
Returning that call? Well, that will just have to wait.
Unfortunately, my job is to make your phone ring. I’m not a bad person and I’m certainly not calling to complicate your day. I’m hoping to have an opportunity to connect in an effort to help save you money, time, exposure and a variety of other things that can make a positive impact on your company. 
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
In any sales career, the salesperson is always looking for the next opportunity and their success, in most cases, is a matter of timing.
It’s usually all about being in front of the right person at the right time.
It’s fairly simple to identify the decision maker(s), but how can I, the salesperson, know the right time? This is where you come in.
During the course of these daily attempts to reach the decision makers in any company, many of these calls will invariably land in voice mail or with an administrative person who promises to convey a message because you are out, busy, or just plain unavailable.
In most cases I won’t leave a message, because I can’t expect someone to call a name and number that is unfamiliar without knowing the reason for the call. Plus, it’s my job to reach out to you and not the other way around! I’ll call back later.
When I do leave a message, it is generally very brief: who, what, why and my contact info.
Of course, I will make subsequent attempts to reach you via email or social media platforms, in addition to trying you again on the phone.
This all sounds vaguely familiar, doesn’t it?
MAKE IT STOP
So how do you handle this unceasing, intrusive pleading for your response?
The majority will ignore these attempts and hope that the caller just gives up. Unfortunately, a lot of callers, just like me, are very persistent.
In the current Business to Business marketplace, most salespeople will exhaust their call sheet. Every. Single. Day. They do this in large part because it is their job, but also because they know that they may be one call away from finding a potential client who really needs their products and services.
So, the next time your phone rings think about answering and either telling the caller to “go away” or to “call back at a better time”.
Even better, a simple “we aren’t interested” or “we won’t be looking at these services until next year”, will not only provide the caller something to work with and some timeframe to honor, but it will make your phone ring a little less often. Guaranteed!
I promise, as a professional sales person, I will honor your timeframe and your wishes. Granted, a “not interested” response is certainly not The Sweetest Words I Ever Hear, but a very close second.
Now, get on with your day. I’ve got calls to make!
Blog
Employers, and subsequently Human Resources personnel, are constantly seeking to recruit and hire the best applicants available. With a large applicant pool it can be difficult to differentiate one qualified applicant from another. Effective pre-employment assessments can certainly identify the skill set of each applicant to help narrow the field but there is more to be considered.
Every employer wants to build from a base of trust with each employee and verifying the information that an applicant provides is essential to a solid relationship. Beyond the trust factor is the duty of an employer to provide a safe environment for employees and ultimately the market that they serve.
Without a sufficient background check the employer runs the risk of being held negligent for any problems that the employee causes in the performance of their duties. Due diligence in the form of a pre-employment background check can identify a foreseeable risk that can mean the difference between a valuable resource or a liability for the employer.
Components of the Background Check
- Social Security Number Check and Validation: A Social Security Number is unique to each individual. The Social Security Number Check provides information about the names and addresses associated with a given Social Security Number. In addition to providing name and address information for comparison against what is provided on the application, a Social Security Number Check is used to derive addresses in order to conduct the personal history information search. Social Security Number Validation does not tie the Social Security Number to the applicant. It only provides an indication that the number may be accurate.
- Criminal Court Record History: There are two entirely separate court systems in the United States – federal courts and county courts – and a search of one system does not include a search of the other. Each system operates under its own set of rules and has its own courthouses, clerks’ offices, indexes, and judges. As such, criminal history records are contained as follows:
- Local/County Court: Also, known as a “court record search,” this search requires a direct examination of the digital records of a county courthouse to determine if the applicant has a record at that court. Most often a court record search requires physical access to obtain information or simply to obtain copies of dispositions for review.
- Statewide Criminal History Information: There are two varieties of statewide information. The first is a state repository managed by a division of state law enforcement. The second is actual court data from a statewide case management system. Even when available both types of sources have limitations and advantages. The advantages are a single point of access for an entire state with one search. If that state has many courts with statutory access fees, a single access fee may be less expensive than a search of indicated counties separately. A disadvantage, with respect to a case management system, is that not all counties may have become activated on the system at the same time and there may be inconsistencies in how the system is used from county to county. Many law enforcement repositories have been shown to lack current case updates or dispositions. Both types may suffer from delays in entering information, high access fees, or very long turnaround times for results. Additionally, it may not be clear what data is included and what is not.
The site may provide conviction records only or may provide non-conviction records as well. In response to increased use and heightened privacy concerns, many records will not be publicly available if mandated internal documentation is missing, and useful identifiers, such as a date of birth, a driver’s license number, and a Social Security number, are often redacted rendering the data useful only as an initial index search. The most accurate, current, and reliable criminal history information is found at the court of origin, not in any repository.
Nevertheless, statewide criminal history information may have a place in an employer’s background program. (Florida, for example, provides an employer a measure of protection against negligent hiring lawsuits if that employer specifically included a check of the state repository as one element of a background screen.) As with all aspects of pre-employment background screening, the decision to use statewide criminal history information should be considered in the context of an employer’s complete pre-employment background screening program and the advice of counsel.
- Federal Court (District, Nationwide): This is a search for a record of a federal offense in one or more of 94 U.S. federal district courts. Federal offenses include crimes committed on federal property (government office, national park, etc.) and violations of the US Federal Criminal Statutes. It is imperative the user obtain additional identifiers on the result prior to making any decision. Additional identifiers are found on a Judgment and Conviction page. If the federal offense did not result in a conviction, there will be no identifiers, and the result should not be used.
- Propriety databases: These databases are offered and run by specific Consumer Reporting Agencies and contain negative history information about subjects. Data may include State Sex Offender registries, corrections records and assorted criminal records. The sites may not have complete identifiers and caution should be taken to verify the match with the applicant. In addition, although these services are marketed as “National Criminal Files” they are not comprehensive in any state and should not be used as a standalone for criminal research.
Criminal History and identity verification should be considered as basic elements of your background check. The level of research should be determined by the risk associated with the given position. To avoid complications with equal employment opportunity, the same level of background check should be applied to all candidates for the same position.
Additionally, if the position requires handling cash, or goods that are easily convertible to cash, a Credit Report is advisable.
Similarly, if the position requires driving a company car, or the applicant’s own car on company business, a state Motor Vehicle Report is recommended.
There are still more options for creating a thorough pre-employment screening. Some of those include: A Prior Employment Verification, an Education / Degree Verification, a Professional License Certification, a Character Reference and a Drug Screening.
At SELECTiON.COM® we offer a la carte pricing on more than 25 different reports and bundled packages created by client specifically meeting the needs for the industry or the position being filled.
Contact us today to see how SELECTiON.COM® can take your employment background check process to the next level.
NOTE: The contents of this article are not legal advice for your particular situation. You should neither act nor rely upon anything stated in this article without first consulting your own legal counsel.
Blog
By Brian Huseman
October 28, 2016
It’s a fast-paced world, so it stands to reason that every element of our lives should be sped up to meet the demand, right? Well, when it comes to background checks, that couldn’t be more untrue. While speeding up the process can be effectively done, especially with the help of a reputable background check company, some corners just should not be cut. It’s important to realize that not all background checks are equal, and when it comes to creating a safe environment for your employees, there are some components that you should not go without.
An effective background screening program will do two things, bring in those long term employees that managers love and it will keep out the ones who cause trouble. Failure to properly screen applicants for criminal history can lead to litigation down the road for negligence.
The following reports are the four elements of a background check you should not go without.
Social Security Number Trace Report
The Social Security Trace Report (SSN Trace Report) can help determine if Social Security Numbers provided by potential employees are legitimate. This helps eliminate the fraudulent or improper use of Social Security Numbers.
Checking the residence history of applicants identifies misused addresses and potential problems, such as mail receiving services or prison drop addresses. The information shows if the Social Security Number is valid, the state of issue and the year issued. It identifies maiden and / or alias names.
County Criminal Background Check
County Criminal Background Checks are an essential part of any comprehensive background check solution. This reports criminal activity from individual, selected counties — anywhere in the U.S. This report includes felony and misdemeanor arrests and charges, giving you detail on the “disposition” of each record within the boundaries of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
This report is also the “final word” on your background searches. Running a query on a national database can give you partial information on a background check, or where to look for more information, but with a criminal county background check, you get a complete picture of each record with no need to request additional reports.
Federal Court Report
Federal Criminal Background Check reports will show if an applicant has had any criminal cases filed against them that violated federal criminal law. It is a search of the federal district court’s records. Federal cases include crimes involving federal law, crimes that cross state boundaries, and crimes that are committed on federal property. Think: bank robbery, fraud, embezzlement, kidnapping, etc. These records are not available from state or county criminal research.
National Criminal Database
A National criminal database is a great supplement to any background check program. Combined with County and Federal searches, it provides a wide view of your applicant’s criminal history.
At SELECTiON.COM® we always recommend this combined approach. Our proprietary Search America® National Criminal Database is the largest of its kind. Search America® contains roughly 1,100 sources with over 650 million criminal records. Combine this national search with residence based county research, using the SSN Trace Report above, and a Federal Courts report and you get a clear and detailed view of your applicant’s criminal history.
This database also contains currently registered sex offenders with felony conviction records, compiled from sex offender registries available throughout the U.S. as well as a list of all foreign nationals (individuals and entities) that currently carry sanctions by the U.S. Government. With Search America®, we provide you with a powerful, high-speed, multi-jurisdictional search of various types of county, state and federal criminal records databases with immediate results.
Criminal history is the more obvious component employers think they should utilize, but, depending on your industry and even position you’re hiring for, other elements should be considered.
For example:
- Cash handling positions- Credit Report
- Driving a company vehicle- Motor Vehicle Report, Drug Screening
- Management- Prior Employment Verification, Education Verification
- Manufacturing- Workers’ Comp Report, Drug Screening
- Medial Field- Professional License Verification, Character Reference, Drug Screening.
SELECTiON.COM® combines effective research with fast results. Our Customer Support, Verification Specialists and IT Department are in-house and easy to reach.
SELECTiON.COM® has an in house IT department that can facilitate any need you may have. We have fully developed integrations with major HRIS’s serving businesses across the country. These integrations insure consistent research and save our clients hundreds of thousands of dollars by streamlining the process. Not only that, but we offer access to our own applicant tracking system, which saves a considerable amount of time for many of our clients, at no additional cost.
Contact SELECTiON.COM® today for your customized background screening solution.
Blog
By Brian Huseman
September 9, 2016
One of the toughest challenges for managers today is securing resources for their open positions while navigating the legal web associated with hiring. Your method of recruiting, interviewing, evaluating and hiring is not something to set and forget. A quick audit of your hiring process may uncover issues associated with applications, release forms, interview questions, screening and hiring/rejecting.
The following considerations should be taken when auditing your background check / hiring process:
Provide accurate job descriptions and methods of application.
Sorting through applications from candidates that lack the skills, experience or education required for a position is a terrible waste of time for reviewer and the applicant. Taking the time to review your job descriptions and updating them as needed will save time and disappointment down the road. Think about the skills and experience of your top producers and build your job descriptions based upon those.
Secure the applicant’s consent to run the background check.
Section 604(b)(2) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) specifically provides that “…a person may not procure a consumer report…for employment purposes with respect to any consumer, unless—
- a clear and conspicuous disclosure has been made in writing to the consumer at any time before the report is procured…in a document that consists solely of the disclosure, that a consumer report may be obtained for employment purposes; and
- the consumer has authorized in writing…the procurement of the report by that person.”
Basically, you must have your applicant fill out a release to run a background check. In addition, the form should be provided to the applicant as a document separate from the application.
Background check reports should be based upon the position being filled.
Begin with residence based criminal history. This provides research in the areas where your applicant has lived. Consider a National Criminal file or Statewide report to expand your research to find records outside of the areas they have lived. If you are looking to hire a person for a cash handling position, an employment credit report may be a good idea. Management hires may require additional checks such as federal courts and education verification. The important thing is to be sure that it’s consistently applied and should have a direct relation to the risk associated with the position.
Submit accurate applicant information (Name, DOB & SSN) for research and verification.
The accuracy of the information provided to your background check company is very important. Something as simple as a transposed number in a date of birth or a misspelled last name can make all the difference. Typically, criminal records are kept with only name and date of birth on file. Courts are obligated to file records under the subject’s legal name. You should consider asking for the applicant’s name as it appears on their driver’s license or government issued ID. Across the country, social security numbers have been removed to protect people from identity theft. Therefore, a simple typo can prevent you from finding criminal history.
Allow time for the research to complete.
Criminal background checks and employment verifications can take a couple of days. It’s important to hold off on that hiring decision until you have the information you need to make a smart choice. It’s easy to look at an applicant and think they’re perfect for the job, but you never know what you may find in the background check results. Making a hasty decision can cause more legal problems for you down the line.
Review the details of the background research and determine if the applicant’s qualifications meet your hiring criteria.
Per the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), it’s important to consider the type of job the applicant is applying for. In 2012, the EEOC issued a new guidance document on criminal conviction exclusion policies. This guidance endorsed removing conviction questions from job applications as a “best practice” and made it clear that federal civil rights laws regulate employment decisions based on arrests and convictions under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.
What this means for you is that if a criminal record is uncovered, it’s best to only consider convictions with a direct relationship to job duties and responsibilities and also consider the length of time since the offense.
If you are considering not hiring, provide a copy of the report and their rights under the FCRA prior to making your decision final.
According to the FCRA, If a criminal background report contains negative information which “in whole or in part” may cause you to take any adverse action, including rejecting that candidate for employment / denying a promotion / terminating a current employee, you must provide a copy of the report to the applicant and the CFPB’s summary of rights prior to making your decision final.
It’s also important to give the applicant sufficient time to obtain /dispute/ clarify the background check report before making a final decision. It’s suggested that you wait 4-5 business days after mailing a copy of the report and the summary of rights, before you contact the applicant with your final decision.
If you decide to hire, make the offer of employment.
There are certain background check searches that cannot be started until an offer of employment has been extended. At this point in the process, once the employee has been hired, a Workers Compensation report can be initiated. Or, if you are in the governments E-Verify program, an E-Verify check should be run within 3 days of hire.
SELECTiON.COM® provides the comprehensive and customizable screening solutions needed to navigate the legal aspects of background screening. We stay up-to-date with all EEOC and FCRA regulations and provide you with all of the forms you need on our proprietary system, Fastrax Select®. Our system allows employers to stay compliant and provides clients with the ability to follow the background check process from start to finish. Our Applicant Entry system will obtain accurate information straight from the applicant, as well as an electronic release form. The one-click FCRA notification system makes the FCRA compliance a breeze.
Our 5-star customer service is available via phone, email and chat to help clients with any questions they may have along the way. SELECTiON.COM® has been in the background check industry since 1991 and we understand the many problems employers face in trying to hire and maintain a good workforce.
SELECTiON.COM® is integrated with HR management software, including the top applicant tracking systems. We also offer our proprietary applicant entry process at no additional cost. We will support you through the entire recruitment process from candidate to employee, including a final check through E-Verify after hiring.
Contact us today to see how SELECTiON.COM® can take your employment background check process to the next level.
Brian Huseman
Sales Executive
bhuseman@selection.com
800-325-3609 ex. 3023
NOTE: The contents of this article are not legal advice for your particular situation. You should neither act nor rely upon anything stated in this article without first consulting your own legal counsel.
