Pre-employment screening is not an easy process. A full and accurate picture of an applicant’s history might call for searching multiple databases, all of which require specific information to generate a quality result. This extensive research might worry some employers, as they want to hire a qualified candidate as soon as possible.
This might be why some background screening companies promise results in as little as 24 to 48 hours. Others ensure a complete report in three days. There are even internet searches that guarantee instant gratification, providing you a summary immediately after clicking a button.
These quick background checks may provide speedy results, but there is a slim chance that the information is accurate. These swift searches tend to access databases that are not updated frequently, which means the answers you receive do not construct the most recent portrait of your applicant’s past.
Reality Check
A more factual time frame is anywhere from 3 days for minimal searches to up to a week for more detailed reports. Certain screenings, such as FBI checks, can take up to 30 days before results are available.
These projections are under ideal conditions, which means you might be waiting up to two weeks for results. However, there are ways for you to help make your background screening process as seamless as possible just by verifying a few details have been taken care of.
Lack of Information
Certain information is required to perform a pre-employment screening. You will need at minimum a full legal name, a birth date and, for certain searches, a Social Security number. If you lack this information, your search will come to a grinding halt.
In addition to these details, you will not be able to move forward with your search without complying with certain federal laws. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires that your applicant sign a release form before a background check to be performed. Without this document, a background check company can and will not begin a search as it would be considered an illegal invasion of privacy.
The most common reason a search proceeds slowly, however, is missing forms. If you or the applicant do not provide a background screening company with your documents quickly, the search can clearly not begin, leaving your hiring process stagnant.
Incorrect Information
Wrong information can be just as problematic as no information. Misspelling a name, leaving out a previous alias or only providing a common name with no unique identifiers to help a company pinpoint the correct person will slow down the employment background screening process tremendously. Verify that the forms are filled out completely and correctly before submitting them.
A pre-employment screening might be an extended process, but waiting on quality results will save you time in the long run. Waiting a week for a complete background history on an applicant could make any hiring manager impatient, but it is definitely the better option when compared with taking on an employee that could tarnish your company’s reputation.