Online Hiring Background Checks: Catch a Catfish with Comprehensive Screenings

With changing times come big changes in the hiring process. Many companies are moving to make hires online during this global pandemic, which means an increased need for online hiring background checks.

Avoid Hiring a Catfish

While exciting, hiring new staff online can come at a cost. Without meeting in person, do you really know who you’re interviewing or talking with? Avoid hiring a catfish. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about how online hiring background checks help you hire new staff.

What is a Background Check?

A background check uncovers information about an individual. Typically, it is completed when someone applies for a job. This could include a criminal record check, credit check (with permission), bankruptcy, education verification, and more.

For example, if you’re hiring for a position that involves working with children, a background check will reveal whether the applicant has any criminal record, particularly child-related charges.

Background checks reveal a lot of information, including:

• Education
• Financial Status
• Criminal Records
• Vehicle Records
• Marriage Status

Legal and Illegal Background Checks

When it comes to online hiring background checks, it’s important to know what is legal. Searching through someone’s trash or secretly recording them on video or audio is not legal. Bank statements and other private documents are also off-limits.

Knowing the legal boundaries in your province and city is crucial. Improperly conducted background checks can land you in legal trouble. This is why many businesses work with a private investigator for all their background check needs.

Why Work with a Private Investigator?

Hiring a private investigator or agency to run online hiring background checks on potential hires saves you time and aggravation. It helps ensure you hire someone who will be a valuable asset to your business. Private investigators receive training on the best and most advanced background check methods. They know where to look to find information quickly and keep updated with new technologies. Depending on the type of information you require, you’ll receive all the pertinent information about a potential online hire.

A comprehensive background check includes:

• Pre-employment screening
• Professional background (licenses)
• Criminal record
• Legal and litigation status
• Bankruptcy status
• Court case information

Unlike standard background checks available online, a private investigator’s report is far more extensive. Each report contains detailed information to help you determine whether or not the candidate is who they say they are and whether they are the right fit for the job. If there’s something suspicious about a potential hire, a private investigator will uncover the necessary information before you hire them, saving you time and resources.

The Impacts of Catfishing

Catfishing involves setting up a fake persona online to trick others into sending money or conducting other abusive acts. With the rise in online hiring, catfishing has become a larger concern. It is very easy to create a fake persona online, making it easier for someone to lie on their application and pretend they would make a great employee.

Catfishing: Not Just a Dating Problem

While catfishing is most commonly associated with online dating, it also occurs in job applications. Individuals may use fake pictures and fabricated backgrounds to secure employment. This deceit can lead to hiring unqualified individuals who intend to commit fraud or receive payment for work they’re not qualified to complete.

Tips for Conducting Online Hiring Background Checks

Hiring new staff is an exciting time for any business. New employees mean growth and expansion. However, how companies hire in today’s economy is different from two years ago. Many businesses have moved to hire new staff online instead of in person. Here are a few tips to help you make the right hire:

• Use video conferencing for interviews: This helps you see the potential hire face-to-face.
• Add extra steps to your hiring process: Have the potential hire speak with several people within the company, including team members, managers, and even executives.
• Call references: References can provide additional information to help you make a good hiring decision.

Other Private Investigator Services

In some situations, you might want to invest in a private investigator if you believe you’ve made the wrong hire. Private investigators offer many services in addition to background checks, such as:

• Surveillance: This involves monitoring an individual’s activities. It is useful if you suspect an employee is engaged in illegal activity.
• Locates: This service helps find missing persons or assets. If an employee disappears with company products or funds, a private investigator can help locate them.
• Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM): This involves checking for bugs and malware to protect your company’s sensitive information.

Decrease the Risk with Online Hiring Background Checks

While background checks might seem like something you can handle on your own, finding the right information is best left to a professional. A private investigation agency like The Smith Investigation Agency can bring you peace of mind. Hiring a private investigator to help with your online hiring background checks allows you to focus on what matters: hiring the right candidate for the job.

Whether you’ve moved your hiring process online or still interview in person, a thorough background check on a potential hire benefits any business.

Get More Involved in Your Hiring Process

Learn more about online hiring background checks and the types of services private investigators can offer a business like yours. Ensure you make informed hiring decisions and protect your company from potential fraud and deception.