THE KESSLER REPORT Continued
A Publication of Michael G. Kessler & Associates, Ltd.
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FraudBusters® Edition
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Volume 3
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Number 1
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...Are
They Lying? (Continued from page 5)
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| with few complaints claimed that
instead of attempting to complete the search internally they had gone to an outside
service to do it for them. As one respondent offered, "What it came down to was that
when we attempted to do the job ourselves, we were missing many elements. The bottom line,
I suppose is, if you want it |
done right you have to go to a specialist.
A company specializing in this type of business has the databases and the know how to
check every possible source. We were often amazed at their findings, and relieved that the
information they uncovered came out prior to making an offer of employment." Although the responses received by way of |
our study were varied, certain
elements continually surfaced. There is proof that not all applicants for employment feel
the need to be 100% truthful in filling out applications. Although the majority was not
hiding anything of a critical nature, the feelings across the board were that background
and reference checks were an essential tool for the Human Resources Professional. |
In conclusion one of our
respondents added, "Hiring the right person for the right job is a monumental task.
By having tools in place which make our job easier we can be more efficient in our choices
and concentrate on the elements necessary to fit the perfect individual to the perfect
job" |
| Do Your
Screening Methods Measure Up? |
| So how well do you think your
company screens potential vendors or job applicants? Most employers probably think they
are doing better than they actually are. One way to check yourself is to compare your
current practices against those recommended by fraud protection experts. Answer
"Yes" or "No" to the questions below and see how you score on our
company protection meter. |
1. Are job applicants notified in
writing that no offer will be made until a thorough background search is completed and
that if fraud on the resume or job application is detected after the person is hired, it
will be grounds for immediate dismissal? 2. Do you have written
vendor service agreements that outline the screening |
procedures that will be utilized and
provide for termination of the contract upon discovery of any misrepresentation or fraud? 3.
Do you obtain a signed release from interviewees permitting you to obtain
information about their background?
4. Do you audit the screening records of vendor employees assigned to your |
location to ensure that a proper
background check has been conducted? 5. Do you document both
successful and unsuccessful attempts to contact former employers, educational institutions
and references?
6. Do you verify that the names of companies provided by a vendor as
references are legitimate businesses?
(Continued
on page 8) |
| ...A Proper
Background Search (Continued from page 5) |
| even provide
information on former employers. Vendor
Background Checks
Hiring a new vendor is like hiring a new
employee. You want to know with whom you will be dealing. Therefore you need to scour the
background of a prospective vendor much as you would
check the |
background of a
prospective employee. The standards to which you will hold the vendor should be clearly
stated in the vendor service agreement. Some
of the items to check on vendors, in addition to those items listed above: |
- Verify Company Name, Address, Employer Identification
Number
- Obtain references from other customers. Verify they are
actual customers.
- Audit background checks of vendor employees
Whether you conduct the background check yourself
or hire an agency to do it for you, you |
need to be as
knowledgeable as possible about your employees and your vendors. One tragic incident of
theft or violence in your workplace or business could have long-range implications for
your entire company. |
