A deep fear that likely lurks in the mind of every small business owner is accidentally hiring an employee who turns out to have malicious intentions and/or a bad reputation that damages the company's name. This is why comprehensive screening and background checks need to be performed during the hiring process.
The Internet has made this part of the process easier. You can search for a person’s name to try and query useful information about their reputation and experience. However, at the same time, you should not trust everything you see on the Internet. It is your responsibility as an employer to use reputable, valid sources for background checks and make decisions at your discretion.
First, it is important to closely study applications. Check for inconsistencies and impossible/unlikely qualifications. You may go as far as to contact listed previous places of employment to check the validity. If an applicant provides contact information for recommendations, make sure to reach out to those sources.
During the hiring process, it is also useful to ask specific questions to gauge an applicant's ability to handle certain situations. If you have a high-energy, stressful workplace, you will want to try and understand if an applicant is the right fit for that sort of environment and can mentally handle it.
Of course, you will always want to do some online searches to gather background information on an applicant. Oftentimes, if you search for a name and location, you can quickly find any criminal records or arrests. However, it is important to do a fair check and query legal, reliable websites for true background checks. The Sex Offender Registry for your state should be checked, as well as websites such as Sterling, Checkr, and GoodHire. This part of this process should be given close attention and would be useful to create a hiring playbook to establish a standard for online background checks.
Your organization’s reputation is often at stake, depending on who you hire. It is up to you to make sure you comprehensively screen potential hires while also doing it in a legal and fair way.