Human Resources
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9
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When you employ someone you want to be sure the experience listed on their CV is real. It might sound like a no-brainer but people are known to give inaccurate information on their CV to varying degrees. For example, a candidate might be telling the truth about the company they worked for but include an incorrect job title. While it’s less common, candidates can outright lie about their entire job history and even create fake companies where they supposedly worked!
It’s an employer’s job to ensure a candidate is who they say they are and that their experience is valid. An employment verification check is a way that employers can ascertain candidates are legitimate.
Also known as a pre-employment screening or employment history check, an employment verification check is used to verify a candidate's employment history.
This employment history check verifies:
Employment verification checks are important because employers can verify a candidate has the job history they claim. There are very good reasons why employers should verify employment history.
Firstly, it's a way to make certain candidates have the skills and experience they claim, ensuring they are truly a right fit for the role. Secondly, an employment verification check helps you make certain a candidate is who they say they are. Unfortunately, fraud and identity theft is common in the digital age and it's up to employers to make sure they are hiring the right person. When you bring a new staff member onboard you’re exposing your team to someone new and it’s up to you to ensure that person is safe. You also want to be sure this person is equipped to do the job so they don’t become a burden to your team.
There are many ways to verify employment history.
The traditional method is to pick up the phone and call each company a candidate has listed on their CV. With the advent of email and social media, this method may have become slightly easier.
But we think the best way to conduct employment verification checks is by using software. Our reference checking software includes employment verification checks as part of their product. With access to real-time data sources such as government, credit bureau, private facilities, utility databases and more, platforms like Xref are built to easily conduct identity and employment checks. Employers don’t need to do any legwork to conduct due diligence and by making the process easy.
An employment verification check is designed to discover whether a candidate’s job history is real. This helps employers understand a candidate’s work history and confirm a candidate is who they say they are. A reference check is designed to get deeper insights into a candidate’s personality, working style, strengths and weaknesses. It works as more than an identity check. Ideally, an employer will conduct both an employment history and reference check on a prospective hire.
Consent and privacy laws vary between countries and states. Different states and country may have mandated certain background checks depending on the industry or role. Check which laws apply to you and be sure to follow them. Candidate consent may be required.
Be aware some applicants may be reluctant to have their current employer know that they are applying for another job.
Depending on the role and industry, you may choose to conduct the following additional checks in addition to an employment verification check:
Get in touch with our team to learn more about how you can conduct employment verification checks in an easy and compliant way.
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