An HR Guide to Employee Background Verification

Investing in background checks for your company can make all the difference. Don't let the allure of a seemingly perfect candidate blind you to the risks of hiring without proper screening. The types of checks available - employment, criminal, educational verification & drug test - can provide essential information to help you make informed hiring decisions.

Background checks are not just a formality; they can prevent a multitude of issues that can arise from hiring the wrong person. Red flags to watch out for include criminal history, falsified credentials, and discrepancies in employment history. By taking the time to conduct background checks, you can protect your company from potentially damaging legal and financial consequences.

Don't take the risk of hiring blindly. Be proactive in your hiring process and invest in background checks to ensure the safety and success of your business. As Global HR Research reports, 96% of employers already conduct some form of background check - join their ranks and make it a standard practice in your company.

A? recent ToI article highlights the gaps in Aadhar based authentication system, and how crooks are taking advantage of it. It was found that over 12 bank accounts were opened digitally after verifying with Aadhar of different persons, although the resulting image for each was of one single person. Such loopholes are becoming increasingly commonplace.

Moreover, systems are unable to differentiate between a silicon fingerprint and a live fingerprint.?

Under such risk and circumstances, the need for a robust background verification for all use-cases becomes glaringly obvious.

Why Background Checks?

Background checks are crucial to any successful hiring process, as they can protect your business from serious financial losses and preserve your reputation. When it comes to compliance, failing to conduct proper background checks can result in hefty penalties, lawsuits, and even criminal charges.

Moreover, if you unknowingly hire someone with a criminal history or a history of fraudulent behaviour, it can damage your brand's reputation and credibility within your industry or community.

By conducting thorough background checks on potential hires, you can ensure that you're not only protecting your business's bottom line but also upholding your brand's integrity and commitment to ethical practices.

The Different Types of Background Checks

Background checks offer a powerful tool for assessing a candidate's suitability for your business. By verifying critical details such as education, credentials, and employment history, you can gain insight into a candidate's experience and qualifications. This information can be invaluable in determining whether a candidate is a right fit for your organization.

To make the most of this essential screening tool, it's important to understand the different types of background checks available. From criminal and employment history to professional licences and fingerprints, there are several types of checks you can use to inform your hiring decisions. With the right combination of background checks, you can create a comprehensive and effective screening process that safeguards your business against risk and ensures you make the best hiring choices.

Following are the different types of background checks which an organization can consider before hiring an employee:

? Employment

In today's competitive job market, employers rely on employment background checks to make informed hiring decisions. As the most common type of check, it provides crucial information about a candidate's pastqq and helps employers determine their suitability for a position.

Employment background checks typically cover the past seven years, or up to ten years in certain locations, and can include details such as employment history, education, criminal records, and more. This information can help employers ensure they are making a safe and informed hiring decision.

? Criminal

Hiring a new employee is a significant investment of time, resources, and trust. While you want to ensure that your new hire will be an asset to your company, it's equally important to protect your organization from potential threats. That's where criminal background checks come in.

By reviewing a candidate's record for major crimes such as violent or sex crimes, fraud, embezzlement, or felony convictions, you can help ensure that your company, customers, and colleagues are safe from harm. A criminal background check is a critical tool for identifying potential red flags and avoiding the costly and devastating consequences of a bad hire.

Don't leave your organization's safety to chance. Invest in criminal background checks and protect your company from potential threats. With this essential screening tool in your hiring arsenal, you can make informed decisions that safeguard your business and set you up for long-term success.

? Digital Identity Authentication

The Indian government has made it mandatory for individuals to link their Aadhaar with various government services and benefits, including bank accounts, mobile numbers, and income tax filings.

The verification of the Aadhaar is done through biometric authentication, which ensures that the individual presenting the Aadhaar card is the same person whose biometric data is stored in the government database. Aadhaar verification has become an essential tool in curbing identity fraud and ensuring that government services and benefits reach the intended beneficiaries.

Continuous monitoring is essential in this regard. There is a pertinent need for conducting verifications on all employees on a regular basis rather than as a one-time activity.

There are a lot of cases where employees are found moonlighting after joining a company.

The need to conduct criminal checks on a regular basis, is therefore increasingly important.

A one-time pre-onboarding activity is simply not enough in these situations.

? Education Verification

Education verification is a critical step in the hiring process, particularly in the wake of the rising number of fake degrees and certificates from unaccredited institutions. By verifying the educational credentials of job applicants, employers can ensure that they are hiring qualified and competent individuals who possess the knowledge and skills required for the job.

The consequences of failing to conduct education verification can be severe. Hiring someone with a fake degree or diploma can lead to a number of problems, including poor job performance, reputational damage to the company, and potential legal issues. In addition, such employees may lack the necessary qualifications and knowledge required to carry out their duties effectively, putting the company and its clients at risk.

To help employers with the education verification process, we have developed a proprietary database of fake and blacklisted universities and companies. This database is the result of conducting over 10 million background checks, and it allows employers to quickly and easily verify the educational credentials of job applicants.

By using Helloverify's database, employers can be confident that they are only hiring candidates with genuine and accredited educational credentials, thereby minimizing the risk of hiring someone with fake degrees or diplomas. In this way, education verification can help ensure that companies hire the best candidates for the job, maintain their reputation, and avoid potential legal issues.

? Drug Testing

Drug testing is an important aspect of the pre-employment screening process, particularly for companies operating in industries that require a high level of safety and security. By testing job applicants for drug use, employers can minimize the risks associated with hiring individuals who may pose a safety threat to themselves or others.

Helloverify offers drug testing services as part of our comprehensive background screening solutions. Their drug testing program is designed to meet the specific needs of each employer, and includes a range of testing options, from basic urine drug tests to more advanced hair and saliva drug tests.

By using Helloverify's drug testing services, employers can ensure that they are hiring drug-free employees who are capable of performing their duties safely and effectively.

Additionally, by conducting drug testing on a continuous basis, employers can ensure that their workplace remains drug-free and maintain a safe and healthy working environment for their employees.

Typical Red Flags

As an employer, you want to make sure that you're hiring the right person for the job. That's why it's crucial to conduct thorough background checks on potential candidates.

But what should you be looking for? Red flags that could indicate a potential problem down the line include:?

? multiple periods of unemployment

? a pattern of short-lived jobs

? inconsistencies in experience or education compared to the candidate's resume

? missing past jobs in relevant fields

? an omitted criminal history

? a candidate who refuses a background check.

While these red flags may not necessarily disqualify a candidate, they do warrant additional scrutiny to ensure you're making an informed hiring decision. A third-party vendor can help you navigate the background check process and make it easier, regardless of how many checks you need to conduct. By partnering with a reputable background check provider, you can rest assured that you're getting accurate and reliable information to inform your hiring decisions and protect your business.

How can Helloverify help in background verification?

Manual background verification processes can be time-consuming and may not be entirely reliable. This is where Helloverify comes in.

Helloverify is a leading provider of automated background verification solutions for businesses.?

Because this is an HR guide, lets focus on core problems for them-

• API Driven processes Reducing Manual workflow. A snapshot dashboard view to manage all cases. No need to use excel sheets or worry about missing emails. Live status on each case and ability to add or stop checks any cases.

• Concise, Easy to read and understanding reports with color codes to make an informed decision.

• Algorithmic error checking and validation to maintain highest quality levels in the industry.
• All our checks are digital in nature leading to Industry highest TATs to reduce time on the bench for employees and make them productive in no time.
• Automated Report Generation based on color code matrix. Other players in the industry eyeball each report based on an excel sheet, leading to high errors. And if the HR wants to change a certain color code it is a completely manual process where he has to call the background verification partner and change it. (For example, during onboarding, they had decided that having a civil case is red but after some months, they want to change that to green it is a very cumbersome process. In our case, it is as simple as switching buttons on and off on a dashboard.?
• Insufficiency of info from the candidate is another major issue for most HRs which leads to delays in the completion of the BGV process. We have an automated reminder system that leads to extremely high conversion rates and makes the life of an HR very easy.?

Our technology uses advanced machine learning algorithms and facial recognition technology to provide quick and reliable verification of candidate information, such as resumes, educational certificates, and work experience.

With Helloverify's solution, you can cross-check candidate information with multiple databases, including criminal records, financial records, and employment records, to provide a comprehensive background check.?

Our? innovative technology and streamlined process have made them a trusted partner for businesses looking to improve their hiring process and mitigate potential risks

Moreover, Helloverify provides an automated and integrated solution that can streamline the background verification process and improve the accuracy and reliability of hiring decisions.

Here are the top three ways how Helloverify can make background verification easier:

? Helloverify's solution includes an automated background verification process that can be integrated into the company's recruitment process.?

? Helloverify's AI/ML technology goes beyond just verifying information; it uncovers the truth, no matter how well it is hidden. The company is able to make faster, informed hiring decisions and mitigate potential risks to their organization.