Why Human Resources professionals hire private investigators

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Most people don’t meet too many private investigators in their everyday lives, so it’s no wonder that there are many misconceptions about the work PIs do as well as the people who hire them. There isn’t a lot of information available about the work of private detectives and a lot of people base their opinion on the media that is available, whether it’s detective noir stories or TV shows that focus on the domestic and infidelity cases.

However, the work of a private investigator spans many different fields and most PIs offer a varied mix of services that can benefit a large variety of clients. One of the less commonly known groups of clients an investigator may work for are Human Resources (HR) professionals.

HR Professionals have the daunting task of filling open positions within their companies with quality employees. Making sure a candidate is a good fit for the position is a must, and this includes the development of a profile for the potential employee and the assessment and evaluation of that profile.

A background check is one of the services that PIs offer, and this can help create this profile and make sure that the candidate is who they say they are as a form of pre-employment screening. These are some of the things that a background check can reveal about potential candidates:

1.   Criminal Records

2.   Lying on Resumes

3.   Education Padding

4.   Past Employment Records

5.   Credit Ratings

6.   Sexual Offenders

 

1.   Criminal Records

One of the first things a background check will reveal is whether the candidate has a criminal record. The criminal record that the check can reveal can help employers avoid or lower the rates of workplace violence. Nearly 2 million US workers become victims of workplace violence each year, and for women this is the second leading cause of death while on the job. It’s important to note that the investigator doing the check must be in compliance with pre-employment laws and regulations.

2.   Lying on Resumes

Pre-employment screenings can help verify whether all the details a candidate has provided on their resume are true. Lying in resumes is illegal in several states but it’s also surprisingly common. Even in states where it is not an illegal act this deception is still extremely unethical and may result in damage to a company’s reputation should it become public.

3.   Education Padding

Education padding is the number one lie that can be found on resumes. Candidates can embellish, fudge or completely make up information about their education. A private investigator can make sure they attended the college or colleges they claim on the resume by tracking down college records, years of attendance and any degrees the candidate may or may not have received.

4.   Past Employment Records

A background check can help verify that the past employment records a candidate has provided are accurate. PIs can track down past employers and reveal false claims or any omissions of a previous employment. This can help the company get a better idea of the candidate’s previous work experience, get accurate references and make sure they will be a good fit for the company.

5.   Credit Ratings

A private investigator will be able to run credit reports on the potential employees and reveal their credit rating. One of the biggest reasons a credit ratings is important is because it can help the company get more insight about the candidate and reveal warning signs that can point to risks of theft and fraud. When performing the check, PIs need to comply with all consumer reporting laws.

6.   Sexual Offenders

Each year there are 30,000 cases of rape or sexual assault occurring to women at work. A background check can reveal whether a candidate is a registered sexual offender as PI’s can acquire nationwide data on sexual offenders which can help lower the risk of workplace sexual assault and harassment as well protect the company from the legal and financial repercussions that result from these cases.