Pre-Employment Screening Basics

Job candidates submit a CV to a potential employer to begin the basics of the hiring process. This step is often followed by an interview, and sometimes the employer may conduct a pre-employment screening of the candidate. This screening is done to verify accuracy if information provided on the CV, and confirm the client's background history which could have an effect on job performance. If a candidate has nothing to hide, this step is nothing to worry about and can give the employer confidence when making the final hiring decision.

Information Obtained in a Pre-Employment Screen

All employers in Australia must confirm that job applicants are allowed to work in the country before hiring can be considered. There are considerable fines imposed if the company cannot prove an employee's right to work in the country. Therefore, this is a step many companies make to protect themselves and their employees from potential government fines.

Other information obtained in a pre-employment screen can include:

- Basic Identity Information- the screen will confirm a candidate's identification information for proof that the information provided on the CV is accurate and not a misrepresentation of facts. This could include educational history, address checks, and speaking with past employers as references.

- Criminal Background Checks- candidates seeking a career working with children, the elderly, or in health care are often given a background check to confirm past history of crimes against those parties or other criminal behaviour.

- Health or Wellness Checks- jobs that involve operating commercial vehicles or performing physical tasks can ask for an eye test or health check to ensure the candidate can handle the requirements of the position.

- Request for Information Not Provided on CV- some employers may use a pre-employment screening to check into gaps in employment history, evasiveness or unwillingness on the part of the candidate to provide information, or investigate extreme or unsubstantiated skills to ensure the employee is being truthful in the document.

Many of these factors, such as criminal record or failing of a certain health screen, are not reasons to not hire an employee and employers can be fined or prosecuted for discriminating based on such factors. Employers should be aware of the candidate's history, but also realise that people change and grow and can be given new opportunities to better themselves and the company they will be working for.

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Who Performs Pre-Employment Screens?

For most professions, the employers themselves will conduct much of the pre-employment screen through review of the CV and reference calls. Full-service background checks can be ordered from a third party to save time during the hiring process, and assist in making the proper hiring decision for both the company and the candidate.

For professions that will involve handling of private information about business clients, financial transactions, or government interaction, more thorough background checks are needed to verify clear criminal history and other factors. This is often done by a third party recruitment checking service, and employers can require candidates to pay for a portion of the background check.

Overall, checking candidate history through a pre-employment screen is a step that saves time during the hiring process, and provides confidence and safety for the employer and employee, as well as any potential customers they interact with. This article has been brought to you by Recruit Check; convenient reference checking for a fast, efficient hiring process.