Tag Archives: job candidate

Study finds reviewing candidate’s social networking sites can predict future job success better than standard tests

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Perusing social networking websites as part of employment screening tactics is a trend that’s catching on across several industries worldwide. But could using information gleaned from social media sites be an even better predictor of job success than traditional standardized tests used by human resources professionals to determine someone’s personality as it pertains to their aptitude and attitude?

A new study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology claims just that. The study found that a 10-minute review of a candidate’s Facebook profile page could yield not only red flags – past indicators of possible future problems – but also “an unvarnished look at a job candidate” and clues to “character and personality.”

The study involved trained “raters” who spent five to ten minutes evaluating 274 Facebook pages of job candidates and answering questions related to their personality. The researchers followed up six months later for performance reviews from the supervisors of 69 of the job candidates – approximately 25 percent of the original group – and found that the quick Facebook evaluations more accurately predicted success than standard IQ and personality tests.

The study doesn’t suggest employers should forgo the traditional background checks and employment verification processes in their employment screening protocols, but it does suggest that much of what we put online about our personal and professional lives can tell prospective employers a lot about us, and about whether we’d be a good fit for their company.

 

 

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When Background Check Results and Your Instincts Don’t Match Up

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It’s bound to happen at some point in time… your “gut instincts” toward a job candidate tell you he or she is perfect for the position.  However, when the background check comes back, you learn that you’ve been incorrect in your assumptions.

 

What gives?  How could your “sixth sense” be so off-base?

 

First of all, don’t worry – it isn’t you.  Secondly, that’s why you get background checks on all job candidates about whom you’re serious.

 

See, we “connect” with people for any number of reasons – they say what we want to hear, they make us feel comfortable, they remind us of individuals we like, they seem eager to please, they flatter us, etc.  And that instant connection can often lead to a feeling of sudden trust.

 

Background checks enable us to step away from emotionally making human resources decisions.  Job candidate vetting isn’t left to our senses alone, but to specific documentation.  Thus, not only are you ensured that the job candidate is someone with whom you want to work, but that he or she is also someone whose background is clear.

 

In the end, it’s fine to “go with your gut” in other areas of business.  But when it comes to hiring, your instincts can be wrong. 

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Let a Background Screening Company Vet Your New Employees

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You have a terrific job candidate who has given the right answers and seems to you to be the perfect person for your position opening.  But just to be certain, you’re going to give a call to her previous employers.

The first call goes something like this:

You:  Hello, this is Michelle Jones from ABC Company.  A former employee of yours, Jennifer Smith, is applying for a position as sales manager.  Do you have a moment to tell me about your experience with Ms. Smith?

Former Employer:  I can’t give you any information.

You:  But… all I want to know…

Former Employer:  Listen — I don’t want to get in trouble.  I can’t talk about anyone.  Bye.  [hangs up]

At this point, you’re not only frustrated, but you’re confused.  What went wrong?

First of all, you didn’t do anything incorrect or innately “bad”; you simply didn’t understand the lingo of checking references.  That’s why it’s highly recommended that you connect with a professional background screening company to check references for you. 

Professional background screening company employees are trained to be very systematic and deliberate when it comes to get as much information as is legally possible given the circumstances, the state in which the employer resides, etc.

Don’t spend time and energy calling potential employees’ previous employers.  Choose a professional background screening company to do it on your behalf and make your decisions base on the best, most accurate info.

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Importance of Employment Verification — “But He Said That Was Where He Worked!”

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“But the resume said she worked at ABC Company!”

It’s amazing how often employers are shocked when they find out (after the fact , of course) that someone didn’t work where he or she claimed to have worked.  But whose fault is it that the person was hired?  Noneother than the employer!  After all, the discrepancy could have easily been ferreted out with a simple employment verification.

The problem for many companies is that true employment verification takes time and energy… and organizations (especially small businesses) don’t always turn their manpower over to the task.  Instead, they assume that all resumes that come across their desks are on the up-and-up.

In the end, they are often surprised when they find out from a screening company like VerifyProtect that their “perfect” job candidate lied about where he or she previously worked -or- at least fibbed about the job he or she held there. 

Believe us — we’ve seen and heard it all, from flat-out lies to half-truths that would make Pinnochio blush.  In the end, it’s why we always recommend employment verification if you’re serious about hiring someone for all the right reasons!

Background Checking Takes Guesswork Out of Hiring Process

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If you’ve ever had to interview a job candidate, you know that there can be a ton of guesswork involved for both parties.  But when you add background checking to the mix, you take away much of that guesswork, replacing it with solid facts.

What elements of guesswork does background checking candidates for positions at your company help to remove?

  1. Fear of Hiring Someone with a Criminal Past. 
  2. Worry That There is Something Wrong on Resume That You’re Not Catching.
  3. Concern That You’ll Be Opening the Doors to Future Lawsuits.
  4. Fear of Hiring the “Wrong” Person for the Job.
  5. Worry That the Person You’re Interviewing isn’t Being Truthful.

Systematic, comprehensive background checking on all job candidates will make your job much easier.  Rather than relying on your “gut”, you’ll have specific information that will enable you to make hiring decisions about which you can feel wholly comfortable. 

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    • Both Employees AND Employers Benefit from Background Screening

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    There are some people who erroneously believe that background screening is somehow a “pain” or “irritation” for employees.  But that truly isn’t the case, especially when it comes to the best workers. 

    Below are five reasons that good potential hirees love background checks as much as employers do:

    1.  If an applicant has kept a great record, he or she will have nothing to hide.  And that means that there will be no surprises or secrets.

    2.  An applicant will know that the pool of possible candidates may shrink thanks to background screening measures.

    3.  A job candidate will know that the employer is serious about keeping the workplace safe and secure.

    4.  A potential employee will feel that the company is investing in his or her future with the organization; after all, background screening does involve an investment of money and time.

    5.  A great candidate will always love to have someone check him or her out because a clean record definitely reiterates how devoted he or she is to being a straight-up, honest worker.

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    • Treat Your Employees Well, But Protect Your Interests First

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    papersIt can be tough for many employers to accept the fact that, although they want to maintain an excellent working environment for their people, they have to make sure they protect their interests initially.  This comes in many forms, including background checks on all prospective employees.

    A quick, but thorough, background check can give an employer an abundance of information, including whether or not a potential hiree has been having credit problems.  (Though that isn’t necessarily a “deal breaker”, it can be a red flag, especially if the hiree would be handling a lot of cash or be in charge of the finances.)  Additionally, employers can find out if a job candidate has a criminal past, has lied on his/her resume and more.

    If employers conduct a comprehensive screening of all potential employees, there’s no need to operate an organization that fears its workers in terms of trusting them to conduct themselves honestly and in the business’s best interests.  And that’s better for everyone, including the consumers and/or companies the business serves.

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    • 5 Low-Cost Ways to Ensure Your Hiring Processes are Solid

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    Are your hiring processes up to par?If you haven’t been happy with the way your company finds, screens and retains new employees, try these 5 low-cost ways to ensure that you’re getting the right people.

    1. Shorten Your Hiring Cycle

    Studies have shown that, for certain jobs (such as those in sales and customer service), the longer your hiring cycle, the lower your chances of snagging the best people for the job. This doesn’t mean you should rush through your hiring processes, of course, but if you have unnecessary lag time, it’s a good idea to identify and eliminate it.

    2. Pick Background Screening Packages That Make Sense

    It doesn’t make sense for you to background screen every position the exact same way. If you’re currently performing the same checks on every new person that walks through the door, you’re spending money needlessly. (FYI – Click here for a fast way to determine what kind of background screening each employee needs.)

    3. Teach Your Managers How to Interview

    Can this be stressed enough? It’s critical that everyone in your company understand the most efficient ways to determine if a job candidate is worth pursuing. In fact, you may even want to hold a class on how to read a resume (or CV). Don’t assume that managers have these skills already; many of them have never had any education in this area.

    4. Ask Current Employees about Their Hiring Experience with Your Company

    Check around and see how current employees felt about the way they were hired by your organization. Did they feel it was professionally handled? Were they bothered by any aspect of it? What would they suggest changing? (You may want to position this as an anonymous questionnaire to elicit genuine responses.)

    5. Put a System (or Systems) into Place

    If you don’t have a hiring system in place, it’s time to start. Your hiring system doesn’t have to be complicated, either. It’s just a step-by-step explanation of how you go about getting from the “we’re looking for a person” phase to the “welcome aboard” phase.

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    • Credit Checks ~ Liked by Employers, Loathed by Applicants?

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    In an era where significant amounts of job candidates resort to lying on their resumes and during interviews, background checks have become necessity.  And that means many employers are turning to comprehensive checks which include information into an applicant’s credit history.

    Because so many Americans are having difficulty with their credit, there’s a growing movement by candidates to squelch credit reports.  Essentially, they feel the reports will unfairly pigeonhole them as being fiscally irresponsible.

    Though this is understandable, it still behooves employers to complete credit checks, especially if the job candidate is going to be handling money.  This doesn’t mean that a questionable report will definitely preclude an applicant from getting the job, but it does mean that the employer will know what he or she is getting in terms of a worker.

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    • Employees Shouldn’t Blab about Background Check Results

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    As important as it is to have a procedure for background checking all potential new hires, it’s equally as important to have expectations for how the data is handled. This is especially true in the day and age of the Internet.

    Consider this scenario:

    If a terrible (or even shocking) background check comes back on a potential job candidate, it might be tempting for your employees to talk about those findings on any of the popular social networking sites. (And yes, this does happen – people have been fired for what they say on Facebook, and that fact can’t be taken lightly by employers.)

    This means you have to find a good way to deal with the background check results you receive. Not only should they be treated with the highest degree of confidentiality, but anyone handling them should be aware that it’s unacceptable to talk about the findings with anyone who doesn’t need to know.

    Though it may seem to be “common sense” that your workers would understand their responsibility in this arena, you can’t take too many precautions.

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