| |
| |
|
Careers & Employment Information |
|
|
|
Employment Screening Today - Are Online Database Searches Enough?
In today's employment environment, HR managers are faced with the monumental duty of hiring and maintaining, as well as the ongoing development, of employees. But the single most difficult task lies first in hiring the right people. Not only are prospective employers faced with the largest available potential workforce since the Second World War, but, as things have become more sophisticated, so have the deception techniques of those who would shaft you and your company. Negligent hiring, sexual harassment, and frivolous employee lawsuits have increased sharply in recent years, as have the incidents of workers' compensation fraud and employee theft. What Can You Do? In the area of hiring the most qualified candidate for the job, there are the reference checks, the employment and education verification and the background check. A good background check should include thorough candidate identification, financial and driving histories and criminal convictions at any and all court levels. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Unfortunately, it isn't that easy. Today, you must conduct as thorough a check on the company doing your screening as you would on screening your candidates. Why? As mentioned, a lot of little companies have sprung up touting the wonders of overnight background checks, some of which could be illegal. A number of these firms, which rely upon database research to compile the background data, without so much as a verification of the information, discovered. Case in point. A well-known HMO recently settled out of court with a group of families, two of whom suffered the loss of their mothers because a psychopathic orderly took it upon himself to call patients and tell them that they had cancer. Two women committed suicide and fourteen others sought serious psychiatric help to get them through the problems that didn't really exist. Yes, the HMO did indeed do a background check - one that was low-cost and was ordered on a computer screen. No record was found, and the candidate was hired. No one took the time to learn that this individual had just been released from prison in Massachusetts one year before for doing the same thing at a Boston-area hospital. In this case, the HMO saved a few dollars on the background, but the result was a $14 million settlement! When hiring a background check firm, look for stability, longevity, a good track record, and one that isn't afraid to refer you to any of its clients. Look for professional memberships, and above all, find out how they do their criminal conviction research. If they do it by database or computer, you could be better off if you stay away. Thomas C. Lawson, CFE, CII is President and Founder of APSCREEN International, the world's leading full service Consumer Reporting Agency since 1980. Lawson is called "one of the real pros" as he has helped to reshape laws including those for employment screening, permissible credit reporting, asset discovery and fraud examination. Tom is a Life Member of: ACFE, ASIS, SHRM, PIHRA, PNRRA, PRRN, CII, WAD, WIN, FCAOC and OCEMA.
MORE RESOURCES:
Employment - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
60 Hour Work Weeks - Can You and Your Career Survive Them In the 80s while I was an account executive for AT&T most people in my organization worked normal (for then) business hours. By that I mean they arrived close to 8 or 8:30AM and left between 5 and 5:30PM. Skilled Mechanic Wage Study Review Well what is a good mechanic worth these days? You cannot place a value on them simply as labor units as they teach in management school, they are worth more than money. So why not treat them with respect and dignity and pay them what they are worth, we believe that the national averages are too low. Smokin' Up a Storm: Clothing, Smokers, and the Job Interview You're nervous. You're so nervous that you crave a smoke. Why Culinary Education If you are thinking about a career in culinary arts then studying in a culinary school is a must. You may be a great cook but you will never become expert learning culinary arts yourself. In Control - Inside Tips on Interview Success No, you can't control how the interview will be conducted, nor can you control the outcome. But you can influence it greatly by the way you present your personality and your skills. Put Some Mystery in Your Life Mystery shoppers. For some it conjures up images of private eyes and undercover detectives. How To Conduct A Successful Job Search Campaign 1.Define your objective: Know what kind of work you most enjoy and perform the best. When Your Job Goes Away: Seven Tips Q. "What do I do after a job goes away?"A. How To Write A Resume, Avoid These Resume Mistakes HOW TO WRITE A RESUME-MISTAKE #1NEVER USE THE WRONG PAPER! What kind of paper should you choose when typing your resume? The color of paper you will want to use will be white or ivory. You will also want to type your resume on a heavier paper, such as a 20 lb. How to Choose Your Ideal Career They say that most people do complete and total career changes at least once often twice in their lifetimes. Very few people chose the ideal perfect career for themselves when they're in high school and blissfully happily work those same jobs for the rest of their lives. Shades of Grey A paperweight sits on my desk, etched in silver the message: Life isn't always black and white. It serves as a reminder there are few absolutes at work (or in life). Why Do Interviews Die: That Sinking Feeling and How to Prevent it! Interviews die because a mistake occurred. Sometimes, you've made a mistake; sometimes they die because someone who screened a resume did. Avoid Potential Job Interview Disasters There are definitely things that you can do to avoid minor mishaps which could ultimately blow an interview. Become familiar with these 7 potential interview disasters so you can prevent them from obstructing your path to that ideal job. Update Your Resume Today A friend was just promoted to a position of vice-president of a company. I am happy for him and the first thing I told him after congratulations was "update your resume". Job Offers and Pay Negotiations When you first get the job offer it will often be a verbal offer and is likely to be subject to taking up references and perhaps even a medical examination.So never say you are accepting a job offer, or resign from your present job until you have received a formal offer in writing for the new position. Job Hunting Tips: Assessing Personal Value A week out of work is a vacation. You can sleep late in the morning, revel in your newly found free time, shop when the stores are empty, and get around to those chores you have been putting off for too long. Managing Emotions During Career Change and Job Search, Part Two Half the battle in successfully managing your emotions during a job search or career change process is in recognizing and naming what you're feeling. Most of us could barely brainstorm a dozen or so emotions, yet many, many more exist. Your Interview Secret Weapon Have you ever been on a date where you had nothing in common so you spent your time asking questions about the other person's past?"Where did you work before that? Where did you grow up? Where did you move to after that? How many brothers do you have?"You get the idea. Your brain is in escape mode and your mouth is simply buying time until you can leave. 10 Major Signs of Job Dissatisfaction The New Year is a great time to analyze your job and the satisfaction you get from doing it. Running the rat race is just that, scurrying around only to find that at the end of the day or week you are still not happy about who you are and what you do. Surviving The Technical Interview Ah, the technical interview. Nothing like it.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
