It is said an employer knows whether a potential future employee will be a good fit within five minutes — however, this is not always the case. Some people are extremely charismatic, friendly and lead with their best foot forward. While these are all great traits to have, it can also leave hiring managers a bit deluded.
Don’t put the future of your company at risk. While going through the hiring process, you want to make sure that you leave the final interview as a confirmation of the information that you already know. The difference between an interview and pre-employment screening lies in the fact that a meeting is used to see whether employees can walk the talk that is listed in their cover letter and resume. A pre-employment screening, on the other hand, is essential in verifying that said potential employee is upfront and honest about what he mentioned on the highlight reel of their resume.
If you are feeling unsure about the hiring process and want to help solidify your choice of the ideal candidate, we offer these three tips to keep in mind as you move forward in the hiring process.
3 TIPS FOR PRE-EMPLOYMENT SCREENING YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO MISS
1. Actually Call The References
When listing references on a resume, many people think of it as a formality or mere standard procedure rather than something that is actually followed through on. Depending on the type of employment, this is often true. Many employers disregard references altogether and go ahead and trust that those people listed under references would gladly rave about the candidate. But is this true? The answer is: you’ll never know until you put it to the test.
Many candidates often include people with whom they barely have a working relationship. They might also neglect to put former supervisors and bosses on the resume. Such actions can be a bad sign. That is why it is best to give those references a call and fill in the holes that may be missing on the candidate's resume.
Gloating about your experiences on a resume is easy. After all, we all like to think we are talented professionals who can add value to a company or project. The reality is, this may not always be the case. Many people lack self-awareness; that is why an external opinion can be invaluable to you as an employer. By hearing someone else's comments on the phone about a potential employee, you can gain a new perspective on this candidate and have more confidence when moving forward with making your hiring decision.
2. Check the applicant's declared skills
Applicants often lie about their abilities, believing that requirements are overstated without good cause. This kind of fraud can be revealed during the interview. Nonetheless, sometimes due to inattention, credulity, or simple lack of time, the employer does not check the authenticity of these skills. If they are not necessary for work, the applicant continues to work successfully. But if specific requirements were stated for a reason, then problems will arise, and most likely, the candidate will not pass the probation.
Hence, HR-specialists should use SHL-tests when evaluating potential candidates to analyze their abilities - for example, to process large amounts of numerical and verbal data, compare figures and symbols, think abstractly and logically, and assess their learning ability in general.
The purpose of such tests is to weed out participants who do not match a specific level. According to the statistics, 70-80% of applicants do not pass such tests for the first time. Why do so many people fail the assessment; is it such a challenging assignment? No, such tests cannot be called inconclusive, but time limitation, competitive atmosphere and psychological pressure complicate the process.
To cull some of the applicants, run the test before the interview. This assessment allows you to determine how the applicant is prepared for the tasks of the vacancy, and to what extent the level of development of his abilities meets her requirements.
3. Use a Comprehensive Pre-Employment Screening Service
One key to screening out employees is using an all-inclusive screening tool to sift out employees who are not legitimate or honest. Several screening companies offer exceptional deals in checking candidate's’ credit history, criminal records, education verification, employment verification and identity. This is key to ensuring that what’s listed on a resume and named in a cover letter is verifiable and accurate.
If you have filtered out candidates and are down to the last few remaining contenders, this can be the deciding factor in guiding your decision. While there may be a fee for using a pre-employment screening service, it is cheaper than wasted time and resources on a poorly-selected employee.
These are three of the top tips that we offer to utilize in the hiring process. Whether you are hiring a large batch of employees, a small handful or just one single candidate, these steps should always be followed to select the best-fitting candidate.
What tips would you suggest to ensure you select the right employee? Comment below!
Laura Greene is one of the content managers for TrustedEmployees – creative people who provide businesses, non-profits, and volunteer organizations with a tailored and compliant approach to background screening through personalization, innovation, and dedication.
