04/ 24/ 2008
by Charles R. McConnell
Some of the most important steps in screening potential hires are simple steps taken in your own employment office. For starters, weed out the applicants who don't meet the stated minimum qualifications of the job in question (there are usually a number of these).
Next, carefully review each application or resume for contradictions. Here's an example: How could applicant Smith have been in college in California while working in Iowa? Contradictions are often an indicator of false information. As elementary as avoiding contradictions might seem, some folks whose resumes are partly works of fiction can't keep their lies or exaggerations straight.
Also important is recognizing gaps in an applicant's record. A well-written resume' will leave no significant gaps. Often the reason for a gap is innocent, say having left the workforce to look after a child or care for an ill relative. But a gap sometimes indicates something the applicant would prefer to hide for fear of harming the chance of employment, perhaps a job that ended in termination for cause. And it's not uncommon for a gap to coincide with a prison sentence.
This isn't to say that contradictions and gaps should mean automatic rejection. Rather, these should call for exploration upon interview should an applicant otherwise meet the job's requirements.
The foregoing steps can help trim a batch of applicants down to a number appropriate for a screening interview. The screening interview is held to assess any contradictions and gaps, review qualifications and make a first judgment as to whether a person might fit into the company.
Some interviewers advocate checking references of all applicants for a given position, but this practice can become burdensome and potentially infringe on privacy issues. Ordinarily, seeking outside information should occur only after an individual has been offered a position. To this end all offers of employment should be extended contingent on successful reference checking and, if appropriate to the position, successful background investigation.
Given the government's increasing focus on illegal immigration, firms that are in business to audit Social Security numbers and perform background checks are becoming steadily busier. Companies are becoming increasingly cautious because of the government's focus on identifying and removing undocumented workers—and punishing the organizations that employ them.
Do not shortcut the reference-checking process. Occasionally an applicant may seem so well-suited to the job that a hiring manager is tempted to skip reference checking and make a firm offer. But there are risks involved in doing so. First, reference checking is a reasonable way to verify an individual's experience. Also, conscientious reference checking is the best way to guard against charges of negligent hiring; should an individual you hire subsequently cause harm to others, your ability to show that you made a good-faith effort to check references can be your protection.
If a job requires driving, once you determine the applicant has a license you should check the person's driving record with the state's motor vehicle department. To best protect the company from liability, the job requirements should insist on a clean driving record.
The question of whether an applicant has been convicted of a crime can get sticky; it can often come down to a question of the nature of the crime relative to the nature of the job. How do you learn about convictions? First, you ask on the application; many people will answer honestly because they know that if they are later found to have provided false information they can be discharged for lying on the application. In other instances a routine criminal background check can verify or refute what's stated on the application.
Special attention is needed to positions whose incumbents have access to "the keys to the castle," namely security guards and certain maintenance personnel. Many such positions involve ready access to most areas of a facility and thus provide considerable opportunity for a dishonest individual.
Follow these tips to screen applicants in a manner that improves your chances of making appropriate hires:
- Begin at the application or resume' stage, first weeding out those who clearly don't meet the basic qualifications of the job.
- Review remaining resumes or applications for gaps or contradictions. For applicants who have potential in other respects, prepare to address the gaps or contradictions in the first interview.
- If possible, conduct screening interviews to reduce the number of applicants to those who seem best suited to the job and the work environment.
- Ask every interviewee for written permission to check their work references, verify educational records and conduct necessary background checks (this permission is often obtained as part of the application process).
- For those applying for positions requiring licenses (registered nurses, drivers, etc.), verify current licensure.
- Extend offers of employment contingent on successful reference checks and, as appropriate, passing a pre-employment physical examination.
