*Collaborative post.
Before hiring an employee, it’s worth carrying out a few pre employment checks. Such checks can help to provide evidence that a candidate is right for the role and that they’re not hiding any information from you. Below are 5 of the most important checks to consider when recruiting staff.
Proof of citizenship/visa
It’s important that a candidate has legal documentation to prove that they can work in your country. If a candidate doesn’t have citizenship or a working visa and they are caught working for your company, the two of you could get into a lot of trouble. Ask all applicants to bring a passport/ visa documentation to the interview so that you can check it. You can also check a job applicant’s right to work online.
A criminal background check
You should check whether employees have a criminal background before hiring them. You can do this by applying for a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check. If a candidate has a criminal record, it is up to whether you hire them. Certain offences may be forgivable. Others may be less so – especially in certain roles (in jobs that involve working with kids, most employers take a zero tolerance approach to any criminal record).
Health screening
Health conditions may prevent some candidates from being able to carry out certain roles. A pre employment medical check can be worth carrying out to make sure that an applicant is fit to carry out the role. You don’t want to hire someone to take on a physically exertive role if they have major respiratory issues or a heart condition as they could end up killing themselves on the job. Make sure they have no health conditions that put them at high risk of an injury (this isn’t an excuse to discriminate against all health conditions – be realistic about the risk).
Past employer references
References from past employers can be valuable. If a candidate claims to have experience working for a certain company, a reference can serve as proof to this claim. It can also show that the candidate left the company on good terms enough to receive a recommendation from the employer. A reference doesn’t have to just be from an employer – it could be from a high-ranking colleague or even a past client. Just make sure that it’s from someone credible.
Online behaviour
Many employers now like to research candidates online to determine just what type of person they are. There are a few red flags that are worth looking out for. Firstly, you should take great caution if an applicant seems to have no online presence at all – it could be a sign that they’re hiding their true identity. If the applicant has social media accounts, you should consider what type of content they’re posting here. Obviously, you don’t want to hire someone who is regularly going on racist rants or bad mouthing past employers. Ideally, there should be a semi-professional tone to their social media accounts and they should come across amicable. A strong social media following is a plus as it could show they’re an influencer.