What Are Pre-Employment Background Checks & Their Importance?

Whenever a company hires an employee, it is considered an investment. The purpose is to have an individual in a certain position who will contribute, and add to the growth of the company over time. Companies in general aim to employ candidates who can maximise growth. Unfortunately, poor hiring decisions can sometimes lead to #badhire bringing the wrong candidates on board. A bad hire has many consequences, such as the new employee failing to meet performance standards or fit well into the company culture. As a result, the company incurs substantial losses in terms of both time and finances. And, this is the last thing that any company wants.

While previously it was difficult to identify bad hires in the early stages of recruitment, now employers have the opportunity. With the help of pre-employment background checks, employers can weed out unsuitable candidates. Verifications such as educational background checks, past employment checks, #UANVerification, criminal record checks, identity verification, and other verifications can guide employers in the right direction. In this blog, we will discuss the significance of pre-employment background checks and how digital employee background verification by solutions like Digiverifier is one of the best options for employers.

What Is Pre-Employment Verification?

Pre-employment verification means confirming if an applicant who has applied for a vacant position in the organisation has the qualifications and standards required for that job in the company. It typically involves verifying employment history, education, criminal records, and other relevant aspects of the candidate’s past to confirm the accuracy of the information provided in their application. It is done to help employers select new employees wisely, reduce risks, and maintain a secure and effective working atmosphere within the organization.

Types of Verifications Covered Under Pre-Employment Checks & Their Importance

Proper pre-employment background verification is a series of verifications performed to verify various crucial aspects for employers to understand the credibility of the candidate. Here we have discussed all the types of verification performed in the pre-employment phase and why they are important.

Digital Employment Verification

For quite some time, industries have been plagued with candidates who embellish their work experience in resumes and submit deceitful certificates. Employers face a daunting task in detecting genuine candidates at the initial stages of selection. With the help of Digiverifier’s employment verification, employers can identify such individuals by verifying their past employment history against trusted databases.

UAN Check

Employers can invest in a UAN check to verify the past and present employment details of an applicant. This crucially aids in detecting any potential instances of dual employment or #moonlighting, a phenomenon that is growing rapidly.

A candidate with a PF deduction from a prior employer is guaranteed to possess a UAN or Universal Account Number, allocated by EPFO. Utilizing this UAN number, sophisticated digital background check solutions such as Digiverifier promptly conduct verification to help employers identify candidates who are moonlighting.

Education Verification

A lot of people fake their educational qualifications to secure a high-end job. But, with time, these employees who lack knowledge and experience will not be able to perform well, which can cause big losses for the organisation. Hence, educational background verification matters! Digiverifier makes it possible for employers to verify the education details of candidates against sources such as Digilocker.

Identity Check

Identity check is important for employers to confirm the candidate’s identity, and in this case, the PAN ID and address are checked from ITR sources while Aadhar is verified from UIDAI sources.

Criminal History Check

As the resumes do not ask for a candidate’s criminal history, many candidates choose not to mention this to recruiters. It could be risky for an organization to hire such individuals. Therefore, checking criminal records is a crucial element in the digital employee background verification process. Digiverifier is capable of verifying the criminal record of a candidate by cross-verifying details against the court record system by a law firm with a signature and seal.

Global Database Background Verification

Under pre-employment background verification, it is important to invest in digital global employment background verification, especially for employers who conduct global hiring. Under this verification, solutions like Digiverifier conduct verification against international databases such as Most Wanted List and Most Wanted Criminals, as well as national databases, to verify candidates’ past criminal records and other aspects. This verification helps employers curb the possibility of a bad hire, make informative decisions, and keep the organisation safe.

Drug Test

Using digital background checks, employers can identify candidates who use drugs or other illicit substances. Partnering with global and domestic drug testing laboratories, Digiverifier can help businesses ascertain whether any applicant is involved in such practices. These labs perform comprehensive tests that include 10-panel drug tests. Employers can be sure that the lab results are accurate as 10-panel drug tests are conducted. 

Conclusion

Background checks expose information about applicants that resumes and interviews may not, hence they are crucial in the hiring process. Employers may only obtain a genuine picture of a candidate’s background through comprehensive background verifications, which is best accomplished using appropriate digital solutions. Advanced AI-powered solutions such as Digiverifier that verify against tamper-proof databases and offer accurate findings are designed to guide employers in the right direction. If you are preparing for an upcoming recruitment drive, conducting a comprehensive pre-employment background check is essential. Make sure to leverage the right solution for this purpose. To find out more about Digiverifier and its services, please get in touch with the team.