You know you need a background check partner that provides timely, thorough reports you can rely on to make smart, safe hiring decisions. You also know you need to work with an agency that offers packages and prices that meet your needs and your budget. But what else makes a good background screening partner? Here are four things to look for in a screening partner that will help you improve your hiring process:

Ease of Contact

Hiring decisions need to move quickly, especially in today’s tight labor market. A generic toll-free phone number for your background check agency won’t cut it; you need a name, a direct number, and an email address. And you need a real person that answers to know your business. You should always work with a professional screening firm that assigns your business its own dedicated account manager who’s available to take your calls when you need them. Your account manager will answer your questions and make sure your business is kept abreast of changing laws relating to background checks and your industry. 

This also means that your account manager and the folks actually doing the verifications and screens are working during your workday. A US-based team that’s available during your workday will provide the best and most effective customer service.

International Resources

While having a US-based team is important, you also want your professional screening partner to have an international reach. International employment background checks aren’t just for multinational firms; mom-and-pop shops are also finding it increasingly necessary to go beyond US borders during the background check process. The world we live in today is small; folks live and work all over the globe. Your background check services need the ability to verify work and credentials and uncover potential red flags everywhere your candidates have been.

Large Drug Testing Network

A large drug testing network makes it easy for candidates to find a convenient location. Talk to your background check provider about their drug testing network to make certain it meets your needs.

Candidate Experience

Mobile technologies are making background screenings so much easier. Gone are the days when a candidate needed to bring all their relevant paperwork into the office in order to fill out the paperwork. High-tech, user-friendly portals allow candidates to enter all their info into an app on their phone from home at their convenience. But here’s the important thing to remember: while the portal is provided and run by your background check provider, the candidate will see that portal and their experience with it as a reflection of your company. And that makes the portal and the candidate’s experience really important. You can’t afford to lose great talent because they got frustrated with the background check app.

Summary