| "> | | | | haul. |
| Staffing vendors who refer candidates on the | | | | Digging deeper into credit history is another step |
| strength of a resume and a phone | | | | you can take take–especially for candidates |
| interview—foregoing thorough background | | | | assign to financial industry accounts. |
| checks–are asking for trouble. | | | | “If you care about the quality that |
| Case in point from the CEO of Palmiter Recruiting | | | | you’re presenting, especially to financial |
| of Plymouth, Minnesota: 15 years ago, before she | | | | institutions, we need to know who we’re |
| founded her staffing company, Elizabeth Palmiter | | | | submitting," says Tony Williamson, president of |
| was on assignment as a contractor herself when | | | | Golden Valley, Minnesota-based vendor Ajasa |
| the nightmare of nightmares occurred at a client's | | | | Technologies, Otherwise you risk losing the |
| worksite. | | | | business on one bad apple. ”An employer |
| During a routine reference check, a contractor | | | | doesn't want to run the risk that an employee |
| marched into his supervisor’s office and | | | | over his head in financial debt will be tempted to |
| killed him with an automatic rifle. | | | | steal from a banking customer. |
| The scary thing is that because it was an | | | | Perfecting the personal reference check |
| automatic rifle, he could have killed other people, | | | | You should always check references to support a |
| too,” says Palmiter. | | | | hiring decision. Unfortunately, this is made harder |
| Today, Palmiter works on the other side of the | | | | by the litigious nature of the corporate world. |
| desk–as a staffing vendor for tier-one | | | | Many companies are reluctant to do much more |
| companies in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Impossible to | | | | than verify a former employee’s job title |
| forget, experiencing workplace violence first-hand | | | | and dates of employment, for fear that a |
| has made Palmiter diligent about checking the | | | | candidate will sue them for providing a poor |
| backgrounds of all candidates—whether the | | | | reference. |
| hiring company requires it or not. | | | | You should be prepared to be creative when |
| The same isn’t true at all staffing | | | | calling references. Here are a couple of |
| companies. | | | | suggestions that have worked for others. |
| According to a recent report from Taleo | | | | 1. Work through your network - |
| Research, only 33 percent of companies conduct | | | | In the course of the conversation about the |
| background checks on employees. The loss of | | | | candidate’s background, try to identify |
| human life is a rare and extreme consequence of | | | | references that you and the candidate have in |
| not vetting prospective employees and | | | | common. This is easier for the seasoned recruiter |
| contractors. More commonly, staffing vendors | | | | who personally knows hundreds of people in |
| may face legal action, damage to business | | | | companies across a market or sector and a |
| reputation, loss of clients and revenue and | | | | value-add that can help sell your worth to client |
| negative media coverage if they fail to thoroughly | | | | companies. |
| screen prospective candidates. | | | | 2. Broaden your search - |
| Criminal background checks are insufficient | | | | You can also contact the given references and |
| Even when you do perform a criminal records | | | | ask them to suggest others who might have |
| check, keep in mind that it probably isn’t | | | | experience with the candidate, offers Joseph |
| sufficient protection. | | | | Golemo, a branch manager with Minneapolis-based |
| National background checks don’t reveal all | | | | ENRGi Consulting. Everyone knows the people on |
| the offenses on record, according to news | | | | the first list will give a good reference to the |
| reports [ as there is no national database of | | | | candidate, so you call them and ask some cursory |
| felony convictions. Criminal records are filed in | | | | questions,” says Golemo. “Then get |
| more than 3,100 courthouses throughout the | | | | to the real purpose of the call, which is to ask: |
| United States reporting processes can differ | | | | ‘Is there anyone else I can speak to that |
| widely, making it difficult and costly to guarantee | | | | will be able to provide a reference for this |
| that a new hire isn’t a law breaker. | | | | candidate?’.”This second-tier |
| 27 percent of organizations surveyed said they | | | | reference will not have been coached or prepped |
| had suffered serious damages due to a flawed | | | | by the candidate, so will probably provide a more |
| records check, according to Taleo Research. | | | | balanced view of the candidate’s |
| Some of the consequences included workplace | | | | background and capabilities. |
| fraud (10 percent), employee theft (10 percent), | | | | 3. Verifying identity - |
| workplace violence (7 percent). | | | | Still, with all the rigors of a criminal history check, |
| So while you should always contract a reputable | | | | personal interviews, drug screenings, credit checks |
| credential checking service, such as Verified | | | | and reference checks, some companies are |
| Credentials, StaffingCheck or ADT, you should | | | | starting to take their screen processes a step |
| complement those reports with additional | | | | further—to verify the identity of the |
| investigations, including: | | | | candidate. |
| - credit checks | | | | These companies have their consultants and |
| - drug tests | | | | potential hires fingerprinted at a local bank or |
| - in-person interviews | | | | police station, according to Golemo. |
| - informal reference checks | | | | Fingerprinting candidates foils the possibility that an |
| - technical interviews Nothing replaces the | | | | individual may attempt to borrow the identity of |
| personal interview | | | | another worker in order to get a job they would |
| A 20-year veteran in the staffing industry, Rick | | | | be otherwise unqualified to perform. |
| Kuula, president of Stillwater, Minnesota-based | | | | It works like this: The candidate is fingerprinted |
| staffing vendor Solutia Consulting, Inc. meets with | | | | during the screening process. Then on the first |
| every consultant during the hiring process. | | | | day one the job, the new hire is fingerprinted |
| Though a technical screening is part of | | | | again to ensure the candidate’s fingerprints |
| Kuula’s review process, it’s not the | | | | match the prints on file. |
| main focus. | | | | It may seem extreme and time-consuming, but it |
| If we have a feeling that there’s | | | | also ensures you’re providing the best, |
| something not right with the candidate and we | | | | cleanest candidate for a project. In the long run, it |
| can’t put a handle on it, we’re | | | | protects you from the negative consequences of |
| better not to pursue it after the first | | | | making a bad referral, and can preserve a good |
| contact,” says Kuula. | | | | client relationship for years to come. |
| It’s not rocket science. It’s spending | | | | Being rigorous also sends a clear message to a |
| time with the candidate to get to know | | | | hiring company. “It shows that we’re |
| them,” says Kuula. The personal touch | | | | not just throwing resumes over the |
| helps to insure that the candidate is a good fit for | | | | fence,” says Palmiter. “It shows that |
| the hiring company’s culture and the | | | | we’re doing our jobs and that we’re |
| staffing vendor’s talent pool for the long | | | | a valuable resource. |