"Employee Screening Choices- Know What to Look For"

by Gregory Dupree, USIS, IHCA Associate Member

Enter “Background Check” into any internet search engine and you will be inundated with companies offering their services. Just remember that the Best Price does not always mean Best Value. You should always consider the reputation of the company you are considering as well as the options offered so that you are better prepared to make an informed choice. You should look for companies that offer:

Multiple Automated Searches- these search options should be far-reaching with the ability to “Deep Dive” for information that is not easily retrieved during casual searches such as Education and Employment records. Social media searches such as Face book and Twitter should also be considered.

Multiple Screening Options- there is no “one size fits all” package when it comes to Background Investigations. You should be able to make your selection based on need (ala carte) not just on what is offered. That way you don’t end up paying for what isn’t necessary. The best way to do this is to classify employee positions based on internal security levels. The higher the security level, the more extensive your Investigation should be.

In-Person Interviews- this is the best (and sometimes most expensive) option for getting the most complete and accurate picture of an individual. You should always have this option available to you especially for high profile positions. A dynamic Face to Face interview always has the potential to garner unsolicited but important information.

A final thought to consider is that existing staff should periodically be re-investigated (check with HR about this). Even the smallest life changing event can sometimes alter a currents employee’s character. Remember, hiring and maintaining a good staff requires eternal vigilance.

Gregory O. DuPree is a Program Manager for Health Care and Pharma Solutions for USIS, the largest Background Investigations Company in the United States. He has over 15 years experience in conducting Federal and Commercial Investigations. Greg can be reached at: Gregory.dupree@usis.com. USIS is an Associate member of IHCA and conducts Investigations, Audits and Site Visits in the Federal, Health Care and Pharma arena.