Unlocking the full potential of your workforce begins with an effective hiring process.

As HR professionals, you know that bringing in the right talent and seamlessly integrating them into your organization is a critical aspect of success.

From conducting a thorough interview to implementing a robust Preadverse and Adverse Action Policy, these steps are designed to ensure that your organization thrives from day one. Let's dive in and discover how to elevate your hiring process.

Conduct a Thorough Interview

As the adage goes, "fake it til you make it," but in recruitment, appearances can be deceiving.

That's precisely where the power of a comprehensive interview shines. For HR professionals, it's vital to recognize that the interview is not just an informative conversation, it's an investigative tool.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of assuming an applicant is qualified based on their resume. Any potential candidate, on paper, can appear to have a laundry list of qualifications, with an extensive education and employment history.

At first glance, you might assume this individual is a perfect fit for the role, but surface-level credentials can sometimes crumble under scrutiny.

Embellishments on resumes are not uncommon. The line between enhancing a resume to impress an employer and creating a problem is finer than one might think.

While minor exaggerations may be tolerated, instances where a nursing applicant lied about certifications or an engineer falsified credentials can pose a significant ethical and moral dilemma for employers.

The interview, therefore, emerges as the linchpin for a deeper understanding of a candidate's suitability for a role. It's essential to go beyond the surface and delve into the candidate's specific experiences and competencies.

During the interview process, it's prudent to ask role-related questions that can unearth the true extent of an applicant's expertise. Delve into their practical experiences, asking for specific examples of how they've handled challenges and achieved success in their previous roles. 

Additionally, remember to take the information presented with a grain of salt. By adopting this approach, HR professionals can uncover the real qualifications of a candidate and make more informed, reliable hiring decisions.

So, in your pursuit of top talent, remember that the interview is where the truth emerges, and it's your role-related questions that will set the stage for the most insightful revelations.

Partner with a Professional Background Investigations Partner

Once you find an applicant your team approves of, your focus should turn to the second strategy enhancer which is partnering with a professional background investigations' provider.

Just as employers scrutinize job candidates before extending offers, it's equally imperative to exercise due diligence when selecting an investigation partner.

While many employers prioritize factors such as pricing and turnaround time when choosing a partner, a vital capability that often remains overlooked is the distinction between Consumer Reporting Agencies (CRAs) and Private Investigative Agencies (PIAs).

Understanding this contrast can make all the difference in the accuracy, depth, and reliability of the data you base hiring decisions on.

CRAs typically rely on publicly available databases, running checks such as credit history, criminal activity, and education verification. While these checks provide valuable information, they may not always reveal the full picture or offer an accurate representation of a candidate's background.

On the other hand, PIAs go the extra mile to provide more expansive searches, resulting in the opportunity to uncover critical information that CRAs might miss. Also, PIAs boast improved accuracy, thanks to enhanced data sets and analysis carried out by experienced investigators.

What truly sets PIAs apart is their ability to offer customized reporting. This flexibility can be invaluable when assessing for senior-level executive roles.

The importance of this distinction becomes glaringly evident when we consider the University of Michigan's unfortunate hiring misstep. The football program hired Glenn Schembechler as the assistant director of recruiting.

However, just three days after his hire, offensive comments he made on social media came to light, prompting his immediate resignation.

The incident not only tarnished the football program, but cast a shadow over the entire university. In response, the university's athletic department resolved to change the company responsible for their human resources background checks.

So, the question arises: CRA or PIA, which one is right for your organization? While there are no guarantees, working with a partner who holds a Private Investigator license significantly reduces the odds of missing critical information.

Choosing the right partner is the critical variable to making sound and secure hiring decisions.

Complete a Comprehensive Background Investigation

If you’re confident in your background investigation partner, the next step is to decide which searches you want to include in the actual check. The individual searches might change depending on the position, and there are plenty of misconceptions to watch for.

That’s why asking your investigation partner plenty of questions is crucial.

One major misconception in background checks is that a national or multijurisdictional criminal search will obtain all criminal information on an applicant.

Unfortunately, these national searches are not able to capture everything due to the differing styles in which county courts update their records. County courts across the country do not have specific time requirements for when they need to update records.

This leaves employers who only use national searches at a disadvantage, because the data they receive might not be up-to-date. The easiest way to think of a criminal search is to imagine a slice of Swiss cheese in your hand.

The cheese covers most of your hand, but there are still holes. The first slice of cheese is a nationwide criminal search.

To get full coverage, you need to add more slices. Now imagine you take another piece, turn it, and lay it on top of the first. The holes get smaller, or completely covered up. That second slice of cheese is a county / state criminal search, depending on the jurisdiction. 

You can keep adding cheese on top of your hand in the form of federal criminal searches, or inquiries like a Motor Vehicle Report or a Sex Offender Registry search. Consult with your partner to ensure you have enough slices of cheese.

Perform an Individualized Assessment for each Applicant

Having selected the right inquiries, and run the investigation, we now turn our attention to reviewing the results.

Whether an applicant’s report was cleared, or if they have adverse information, employers need to complete an Individualized Assessment each time they decide to reject a candidate.

The Individualized Assessment empowers companies to make consistent, documented hiring decisions. Using this tool can help shape your hiring practices and safeguard your organization from potential discrimination claims.

Employers must follow specific state and federal guidelines when completing an assessment.

In the state of New York City, for instance, employers are required to document the reasons behind their decision when deciding not to proceed based on the background check report. This requirement is laid out in Section 752 of Article 23-A, designed to prevent unfair discrimination against individuals with prior criminal convictions.

The state's intent is to use employment as a means of reducing criminal recidivism and to discourage automatic rejection of job candidates solely based on their criminal histories.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) mirrors many aspects of these state guidelines. Their guidance emphasizes that background information from any source should not be used to discriminate in violation of federal law.

Given the alignment of state and federal positions on this issue, it is imperative for companies to adopt a consistent approach to hiring or not hiring individuals with criminal records and other adverse information.

To facilitate this process, CI has developed the Individualized Assessment Decision Matrix™. This tool helps employers make more informed decisions when adverse information is discovered in a background report.

By using the Individualized Assessment Decision Matrix™, or a similar tool you create, you can avoid potential issues and ensure consistency in your hiring practices.

In doing so, you'll not only find the right roles for each job candidate but also safeguard your organization and yourself against future discrimination claims.

Implement a Robust Preadverse and Adverse Action Policy

Unfortunately, in background checks the last step is not always fun, but it is quality compliance. The Preadverse and Adverse Action letters mark the end of the hiring cycle.

The process starts when a background investigation reveals information that raises concerns about the candidate’s ability to perform the role effectively or reflects negatively on your business. 

In deciding not to hire a person, the FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) mandates that you must inform the job candidate of your decision not to proceed with their application. This notification is known as the Preadverse Action Notice that we recommend sending by certified mail.

The primary aim of the Preadverse Action Notice is to provide the job candidate with an opportunity to review the report and, if they wish, dispute any findings they deem inaccurate or incomplete. Importantly, at this stage, you are not obligated to keep the position open for the candidate.

What if the decision not to hire the applicant was based on factors unrelated to the background check, such as a lack of skills or qualifications?

In such cases, too, we strongly recommend that companies proceed with the Preadverse Action and Adverse Action Notices as a matter of good practice. This approach provides an additional layer of protection, especially if disputes arise later.

The Adverse Action Notice is the second key requirement under the FCRA and should follow the Preadverse Action Notice, but not less than five (5) business days after its delivery.

This notice serves as the official declaration that your business has chosen not to proceed with the candidate, marking the conclusion of the application process.

The Power of Strategic Hiring

In conclusion, optimizing your hiring process is a critical step in building a successful and thriving organization. The five steps can supercharge your hiring journey and lead to more informed, reliable, and secure hiring decisions.

By conducting thorough interviews, partnering with professional providers, completing comprehensive background investigations, performing individualized assessments, and implementing a Preadverse and Adverse Action policy, you can create a hiring process that identifies the right talent and protects your organization.

In today's competitive job market, where appearances can be deceiving and credentials are not always what they seem, a well-crafted and well-executed hiring process is the key to unlocking your workforce's full potential.

For assistance strengthening your hiring process, contact CI at info@commercialinvestigationsllc.com or call (518) 271-7546.