If you are looking to grow your workforce, it pays to know if the people you are recruiting are trustworthy. Your business will only suffer if you hire candidates that have a history of performing poorly or criminal activity.

A background check is essential to ensure you end up with capable workers who also have a clean record. Here are a few tips for running background checks on the people you want to have onboard:

1. Come up with a flow chart

A background check starts with the first level that focuses on the place where the applicant is residing. From there, you work up towards the fifth level where you can find out if the person has had legal issues in the past. To make sure you are on point in your screening process, it helps to draft out a flow chart. This ensures that you will only focus only on relevant information and avoid overstepping legal boundaries. Consider coming up with a diagram that shows each step of the process as well as the tools and organizations you need to help you on your background search.

2. Know what to check

Considering the complexity of running a background check, you will need to determine the specific information you want to learn from a candidate. The most basic is checking the person’s criminal background. You will need to know if the person has a record of felonies or cases of misdemeanor. It’s also important to verify the person’s social security number and address. You can also look up the person’s history of sexual misconduct. In the UK, you can search if the candidate has such a record in the Violent and Sex Offender Registry.

3. Ask your lawyer

If you are not sure about creating a process for screening applicants, you might want to ask your lawyer for valuable advice. There’s always a thin line between verifying a person’s employment history and violating that person’s right to privacy. Think of background checks as a legal landmine. To make sure you are not stepping on any risks that can lead to a lawsuit against you, consult with your legal team first and find out the best options to take.

4. Use the right tools

There are several tools you can use to aid you in screening a candidate’s records. Some websites can offer a quick and easy way to run background checks. If you are going to verify a candidate’s personal information, use devices that let you capture data from documents like driver’s licenses. You can look for a driver license scanner app that lets you instantly and safely capture the details you need for a successful screening.

5. Get a third party to handle it for you

Running a background check can be a time-consuming process. If you are receiving too many applications just to fill in a single position, the work becomes even more tedious from there. One way you can get around this is to hire a company that specializes in background checks. Even then, you will also need to conduct due diligence when reaching out to a business that can do the job for you.

When selecting a screening company, make sure to look for one that is accredited. It is also important to know the type of screenings available. On top of a criminal background check, you might also require the company to check the individual’s military records and debt obligations.

Consider reaching out to as many companies as you can and compare their rates. Be sure to find a company that has experience in your industry. They will be able to run screening procedures that cater to different positions, from entry-level clerk jobs to supervising positions. For more critical job roles, consider getting a full-service company that can provide you a comprehensive and legal report of the candidate.

6. Allow candidates to give their response

No matter the method you are using to run background checks, you must give candidates the avenue to discuss their records. You can’t always vouch for the accuracy of your background screening procedures. Allow the person to explain their records. You wouldn’t know if they are capable of the job, so always put these results up for review. That way, you can avoid rejecting someone who holds a lot of promise even though they have had a minor, non-threatening misdemeanor in the past.

Your business deserves to hire the best people around. Running an effective background check should help you save time and money. You also get to avoid hiring people who might not fit your business values.