Survey: Majority of U.S. Hirers Now Using Background Checks
Employment background checks have become an integral part of the hiring process and will only increase in popularity, according to survey findings released by Cleveland-based EmployeeScreenIQ. The company, which itself provides a variety of background screening services, surveyed more than 600 Human Resources professionals between April and May 2010. Their response revealed that employment screening has become a widespread practice: of the companies surveyed, 92 percent currently perform background checks. Of that majority, 70 percent use them for more than 80 percent of their hires. Additionally, 70 percent of respondents said that background checks have increased in importance in recent years.
Another key finding: while many job applicants' credit histories have been ravaged by the recession, only a third of the respondents view credit checks as a high priority in the hiring process.
These findings and more have been compiled into a complimentary 14-page report, titled "Trends in Employment Background Screening." Other topics include employer perspectives on emerging issues, laws to protect job applicants, attitudes of hiring managers and candidates, and sections on resume fraud, social networking, and the use of contract workers. The report also features a sampling of comments from respondents, providing a candid glimpse into employers' opinions.
"This report is a must-read for employers who need to understand the trends and challenges that are transforming the world of background checks," said Nick Fishman, EmployeeScreenIQ's chief marketing officer. "The job market is still intensely competitive, and some applicants have resorted to extreme measures to land the ideal job. More than ever, companies can't afford to make a bad hire." Fishman delivers commentary on the survey findings in a new podcast interview available at http://blog.employeescreen.com/podcast-on-background-screening-survey-results/.
To download a copy of the free report, go to www.employeescreen.com/trends.asp.