A robust economy, the presence of both Indian corporations and MNCs, the opening up of various sectors, etc., has opened up job opportunities for the educated and skilled Indian youth. However, a few candidates resort to methods like resume polishing, exaggerating achievements, fabricating facts, and so on, which has increased the incidence of bad hires.
It is why employers conduct background verification to learn about a candidate’s employment history, criminal records, educational qualifications, and proof of residency. Almost every company now carries out background checks on job applicants before hiring them.
What is the purpose of an employee background check, and how long does it take?
Employee background verification is a detailed examination of a candidate’s work history, academic qualifications, criminal antecedents (if any), and, in some cases, credit ratings.
The procedure usually takes three to fourteen days. It can extend if a company wants to conduct thorough research into the credentials (mostly done for senior-level recruitments). Companies typically run this test after the completion of the interview round.
In India, how are employee background checks carried out?
Typically, businesses choose to partner with third-party background verification companies. In contrast, a few organizations aim to conduct this check in-house, but this case is quite rare because of the ample benefits rendered by a background check services provider. For instance, these companies use AI-enabled solutions with minimal manual intervention. This positively impacts the TAT and delivers accurate results. In addition, this method is also cost-effective and aids in meeting the compliance requirements, such as GDPR protocols.
Different companies in India use various methods to do background checks, and this is how it gets done:
- SMEs and Large conglomerates engage third-party services to conduct these checks.
- Government agencies and PSUs perform thorough background checks before offering a job.
Background Verification Efforts by the Government:
In addition, the government is increasing checks to prevent the falsification of documents. Here are some of the methods it is using to help companies do background investigations.
- Aadhaar authentication: It is the first step.
- National Academics Depository (NAD): NAD was established by the Government of India to digitize educational records. The NAD plans to include all school boards in its ambit and plans to provide authentic certificates to verified users.
- Register of National Skills (NSR): The NSR is the largest global database of working professionals that helps companies verify employee information (if they are registered).
Social Media
Every company you interview with nowadays scans your social media accounts. Thanks to social media, employers can now readily trace your interests, occupations, affiliations, etc. It implies that a hiring manager can form an impression of your personality without meeting you.
The following are four things about pre-employment screening that you must be aware of:
- For Indian enterprises with ISO 27001 certification, background verification for recruitment is required.
- Your medical information, financial background, and biometric information are privately held. Without your permission, it is not available to an employer.
- There are no laws barring companies from looking at your social media accounts.
- If you are seeking employment in a senior position, companies will mandatorily conduct a thorough background check on you.
What is the role of a third-party background check service provider?
It is an era in which technology plays a critical role in employment background checks, how they get conducted, and how they are beneficial. You can acquire the information you require if you work with a third-party pre-screening business, including real time address verification. Working with a professional background investigation company will save you money and effort while ensuring that your consumer screening procedure is compliant.
