Finding excellent candidates is not always simple. When you do find one, you need to act quickly. When you’re prepared to proceed, you make an offer subject to the outcome of a background investigation. But what should you do after a failed background check after a job offer?
Knowing what to do next is crucial if a background screening for employment needs to be taken into account. Candidates whose employment background checks “failed” can thwart your company’s hiring goals. If a candidate’s background investigation “failed,” it’s critical to fairly evaluate the results. The standards you establish as the business owner will determine the actions you take.
What should you do if a background check on a candidate results in a “failed” result after a job offer?
The requirements differ from company to company, and the specifics of the job will be a big factor in whether you pass or fail the check in the first place.
For instance, if you are applying for a job that requires driving and you have traffic violations, the background check may turn you down.
However, if you are applying for a job that does not require driving, the employer may not care about this and you may succeed.
A job interview is not a test or exam from school where there are “right” or “wrong” answers and a distinct, objective standard for what qualifies as “passing” or “failing.” A background check may reveal a range of details about a candidate’s past, such as criminal and civil court records, employment and educational history, driving record information, and credit history.
Depending on the employer and position, information from any of these categories could possibly be a “red flag” and each could possibly be a reason for a background check to fail.
What Kind of Background Checks Are Usually Used by Employers?
A level 1 background check, also known as an employment background check, is frequently used by employers. Your name, (occasionally) social security number, and other identifying information will be used in these background checks to retrieve information about you. The purpose of the majority of employment background checks is to find out if the applicant has a criminal history and to verify the accuracy of the information they provided. You are required by law to agree to this kind of professional check.
In order to confirm that you are a candidate, background checks are typically performed after a position has been offered.
What Could Cause Someone to Fail a Background Check?
There is a long list of potential reasons why a background check might turn someone down.
Failure causes are frequently related to the nature of the job; just because someone check a category in the list below doesn’t mean that’s why they failed.
Criminal Record
According to the PBSA, 93% of employers who conduct pre-hire screening use criminal records searches. However, a lot of employers take into account the type of crime and whether the applicant was convicted of a crime.
According to Sterling Talent Solutions’ Background Screening Trends & Best Practices Report, even then, the majority of employers (59%) only exclude 5% or fewer candidates based on prior convictions, and 67% of employers said they would move forward with a candidate evaluation after discovering a conviction not disclosed initially on an employment application, with the majority saying they would give a candidate the chance to explain their criminal past.
However, there are some professions where having a spotless record is essential. For instance, high-security jobs will not hire you if you have ever been convicted of a serious offense or one that was connected to addiction, mental illness, sex offenses, or cybercrimes. Similar issues arise when working with vulnerable populations (children and the elderly), such as when providing care, teaching, operating school buses, etc.
Erroneous Employment History
Determining a candidate’s suitability for a position often involves considering their prior employment. A candidate’s level of expertise can be inferred from a long career in the field.
Being dishonest about tenures and positions held is one of the biggest background check “red flags.”
Employers can rest easy knowing they are choosing a candidate with the hard and soft skills required for the position advertised thanks to thorough employment checks.
Background Check for Education
If a candidate’s education background check “failed,” it’s possible that they lied about their GPA, degree type, or place of attendance.
Background checks on education are essential for candidates seeking a highly technical position within your organization. Additionally, they are advantageous for younger candidates making their first career entry.
The prevalence of fake degrees has only increased how crucial it is to perform an educational background check. There may be up to two million fake degrees in the US alone, according to rough estimates.
Very Bad Credit History
Credit reviews are not always included in background checks, and some jurisdictions severely limit them. However, if you are permitted to access the reports and find high debt, numerous delinquencies, and collection accounts, you might be concerned about the applicant’s moral character and sense of responsibility with money, particularly if they are applying for management or financial positions.
Difficult Driving History
There may be speeding tickets or other moving violations found in a motor vehicle report (MVR). This will be a serious issue if driving is one of the responsibilities of the position. Checking a candidate’s driving history may help you avoid any potential legal and insurance repercussions that might occur if the employee were to be involved in an accident while working or while operating a company vehicle.
The next step to a failed background check after job offer rest with the employer and their organization’s policies. They are the one’s who will determine whether to take a risk on the candidate or not.