Monday, March 2, 2009 - Checking Personal References: Is It Worth It?
Not all of your job applicants have a significant employment history. Some are young. Some have only had one job for many years. Others have been self-employed. So, in order to learn a bit more about the applicant, LABORCHEX clients ask us to check personal/professional references. It could be a teacher, friend, former coworker, clergy member, or even a client (if the person was self employed and provided services). We ask them a series of questions and provide their exact responses to you. You'd think that applicants would only give references they know will offer good information about them. But this is not always the case. We've heard people say things like: "Well, now that he his is out of prison for selling drugs, I guess he needs a job." "I have no idea who she is." "He's a good worker as long as he isn't on a drinking binge." How our clients use this information is up to them. But it can be quite revealing.
Posted by Steven at 9:24AM.
Monday, February 2, 2009 - What Happens if Your Job Applicant Has a Criminal Record?
Each month LABORCHEX completes thousands of criminal record checks for our clients nationwide. And every day we see criminal histories that we know are troubling to our clients. However, they use the information we provide in different ways. For example, one client might look at a 5 year old felony conviction for writing a bad check as nothing serious, especially if the applicant hasn't committed any criminal acts since. However, another client may have a policy that will not permit anyone with a felony conviction to be employed in any manner. LABORCHEX can check criminal records anywhere in the U.S. and around the world. BUT, we advise all clients to work with their legal counsel before placing orders with us, to establish exactly how you will use the information we supply.
Posted by Steven at 8:59AM.
Monday, January 5, 2009 - Always DEMAND a Completed Job Application
Surely you have a standard job application for people seeking work. But some applicants bring their own resumes and simply ask that you accept it rather than a completed application. DON'T DO IT! Take the resume, but insist that the application is done, too. After all, a resume tells you only what the applicant wants to reveal. Rarely, do they give details about getting fired or why a job was ended. Your standard application probably addresses those important questions. A person who wants a job with your company should be very happy to complete an application thoroughly. If he/she does not, what is that telling you? LABORCHEX will help you verify all of the information on the application, plus check criminal/driving records, educational accomplishments, references, and more.
Posted by Steven at 11:34AM.
Monday, December 8, 2008 - Getting 2009 off to a Great Start!
Most businesses experience natural employee turnover during the first couple of months of a new year, as workers who have made it through the holidays with a regular paycheck may decide to look for new jobs. With that in mind, it's wise to make sure that background checks get done on any new employees that you are seriously considering about bringing onto the payroll. This includes ALL categories of workers, from CDL/HAZMAT drivers to office employees. And don't fall into the trap of not checking friends or relatives of current workers. They can often have LOTS of issues.
Posted by Steven at 12:01PM.
Monday, November 3, 2008 - Will IDENTITY THEFT harm your business?
Every day you hear and read stories about stolen identities. How can you be sure the people who want to work with you really are who they say they are? One of the background screening levels offered by LABORCHEX instantly confirms the social security number and the names associated with it. Plus, you get the addresses where that social security number was used (to get a loan, rent an apt., etc.) for the last 1-25 years, so you can compare those details with those that appear on job applications and resumes. Results are instantaneous.
Posted by Steven at 8:06AM.
