Hiring a new employee is a tough job that involves multiple steps, including the interview, reference, criminal record, credit (for some positions), education and driver’s license checks and the medical assessment.
This process can take several weeks depending on the stakeholders and their priorities. With unemployment at an all-time low and good candidates scarce on the ground, it can be all too easy to lose a potential high-value employee if the hiring process takes too long.
This article sheds light on the type of checks a company specialized in pre-employment screening performs and outlines the keys to success in the field.
Criminal record check: Quebec or Canada?
Two types of criminal record checks are available to Quebec employers: the provincial check (which includes only Quebec provincial courts) and Canadian criminal record check, which is done through the CPIC (Canadian Police Information Centre).
The Quebec criminal record check provides details about any charge or sentence, and some information about the progress of the case before the courts.
The Canadian criminal record check has the advantage of covering all the provinces and territories. However, the Canada-wide screening system only allows us to obtain confirmation of the candidate’s statement as to whether they have a criminal record or not. In other words, if the candidate does not declare anything and has a criminal record, the report will say “Incomplete” without providing any further clarification.
Key #1: The key to success when it comes to criminal record checks is making sure to deal with a specialized firm that will advise you on the type of check to use depending on the position to be filled and provide you with detailed results based on the information on file within a few business hours.
Reference check
In recent years, voicemail tag has made checking references difficult. Calls aren’t always returned, and some companies only agree to confirm some information such as job duration and position held. It’s essential to get creative, be persevering and develop ways of yielding successful reference check results.
For production positions, we advise employers to use an evaluation grid questionnaire to measure more than twenty criteria, such as quality and quantity of work performed, autonomy, compliance with health and safety standards, teamwork, availability, punctuality, attendance and so forth.
For office positions, we generally suggest querying references with open-ended questions to elicit more detailed information about tasks, responsibilities, skills, aptitudes, areas for improvement, relational skills and many other criteria.
Key #2: The critical thing when checking references, whether internally or through an external supplier, is to adapt the evaluation criteria according to the position held to ensure you speak to the right supervisor by way of the company’s HR department (to avoid getting references from the candidate’s friends or family members) and persevere to ensure you get feedback quickly.
Credit check
A credit check is generally performed for administrative positions (accounting, credit, finance and other positions with direct access to cash). It can help prevent financial risks such as internal fraud. Through a credit check, you can assess whether a candidate has sound financial responsibility habits. Have they ever declared bankruptcy? Are they under collection for any reason?
Two types of credit checks are available. A candidate’s credit score – a matrix calculation of credit providers based on the candidate’s credit habits – can be checked. The score (a number) is ranked as low, medium, good, very good, excellent.
A complete credit check can also be run and will summarize the candidate’s overall credit history, creditors, loans and repayment patterns, bankruptcies, claims and many other items.
Key #3: A credit check should be performed for all positions that have access to a company’s financial resources, such as accounting or credit. This type of verification helps limit the potential risk of fraud.
Education background check
You’re poised to hire a professional who lists the degree required for a given position on his résumé. But what’s the real story? An education background check can validate the information provided with the educational institution in question. It isn’t uncommon for applicants to report having completed a program when in fact they are missing a few courses to complete their degree. It isn’t enough to get a copy of the diploma from the student because it’s very easy to falsify such a document or even to create one from scratch.
Key #4: An education background check is an essential step when recruiting for a position that requires a specific diploma. You may be surprised by the number of false degrees candidates list on their résumés.
Pre-employment medical assessment
The hiring process is well underway, and the pre-employment checks confirm that the candidate has the skills to fill the position. The next step is to make a job offer, which may be conditional on a medical assessment. Generally, this procedure must be performed by a doctor, who checks whether the candidate has medical issues and is fit (or not fit) for the position being sought. Many types of assessments are available, such as a medical examination by a doctor, a functional capacity assessment, a visual assessment, drug testing and many more.
The medical provider’s report will indicate whether or not the candidate meets the requirements of the position and may also raise certain anomalies identified during the pre-employment medical examination.
Key #5: The pre-employment medical assessment is generally the last step in the pre-employment process and is important because it helps prevent workplace accidents or identify a candidate’s inability to do the job for which they applied.
About the Groupe Trak
Groupe Trak is the first Canadian investigation company to offer all background check services including pre-employment medical services online through its partnership with Biron Santé en entreprise. Groupe Trak stands out for the quality of its customer service, speed of execution and state-of-the-art online platform.
