Employment verification: deciphering fact from fiction

background check process. Such employment verification will weed out fraudulent applicants that are unfit for the position, while opening up company doors to those whose claims are valid. When it comes to the employment history part of an employment verification process, you should require the applicant to submit a list of previous employers with dates of hire and earnings to begin the employment verification. If there are any gaps in time of employment ask the applicant why to determine if there is anything you need to investigate. It is important to have at least three references to ensure consistency within the applicant’s past. Next, look up the applicant’s specified companies to determine if they are real and that the provided phone numbers look real. If the area code of the number does not match the location of the company then there might be a red flag to investigate. Call these references and determine the validity of the applicant’s claims. During the employment verification, if the company no longer exists, check with the state Secretary of State which will have a website listing pre-existing companies with relevant contact information. While performing the employment verification checks, give the applicant background check forms to complete and sign. These background check forms give you access to both criminal and credit records – both of which could play an important role in your hiring decision. The process of employment verification should also envelope the company’s checking of academic and vocational training documents. A clear watermark should be found on the college transcript, otherwise it could be a fake. Additionally it’s worth taking into consideration the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9, enacted in 1986. Through it an employer can verify an employee’s identity as well as his or hers eligibility to work in the U.S. This is to be filled out by an employee upon hire. To make the employment verification process more dynamic, employer’s can ask for reasons encompassing the applicant’s decision to leave his/her previous position and determine that reason’s validity by contacting the corresponding company. Often times this area is full of discrepancies and shed light on an applicant’s willingness to tell the truth. While it can be a painstaking and time consuming project, employment verification is one of the most important parts of your business. Keep in mind that this is integral to your hiring process, and can even be used for current employees. For more information, get in touch with Mind Your Business, Inc. – we can provide you with a solution for all your employment verification needs.]]>