Creating your startup is something that is both exciting and overwhelming. There are a lot of details to work out at the beginning of any company. If you’re fortunate enough, one of those important details is deciding on a process for on-boarding new employees. This is arguably one of the most exciting things about creating your startup: finding talented people in the industry and creating a formidable team for your new company.
To achieve this team, however, you’ll need to vet your applicants properly. It’s safe to assume that most people are honest and forthcoming, but this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do your due diligence. Confirming certain things like previous employment or even doing a criminal background check will be able to ease your mind and prevent any issues in the long run.
Criminal Records Check
Depending on what type of startup you are creating, you’ll want to prioritize certain portions of a background check over another. A criminal records check, however, is one of those options that is always a good idea to explore. Being able to search country, federal, and international criminal records can be a great resource to have. You, of course, want to employ individuals who stay away from illegal activities, since this is a way to gauge someone’s judgment and decision-making skills.
It’s up to you if this would be a deal-breaker for hiring an employee. For example, if someone committed a small crime a long time ago with no other charges since, you might decide to give this person the benefit of the doubt. Finding out that they were arrested for something like theft only a year ago would be a different situation.
Employment Verification
While it’s rare, people can lie on their resumes about previous employment. Examining where a prospective employee used to work is a great way to see what experience they have and what environments they thrive in, but none of this matters if the information isn’t accurate.
Even if this possible employee did work at the places they listed, this type of verification would also confirm dates worked. This is a great way to find out if someone is trying to cover up a period of unemployment. There’s nothing wrong with being unemployed, but hiding that fact is certainly a red flag.
Credit Checks
Something like this would probably be most useful if your startup is in the world of finance or if you’re looking to hire someone who will be close to your startup finances. This could potentially reveal fiscal irresponsibility, which is something significant to keep in mind if you’re trusting this employee with your finances.
Professional License Verification
In the same vane as employment verification, it’s essential to verify any professional licenses that a potential employee has or will need. Hiring someone with any professional license is a bonus since they will come with a level of knowledge or respectability that other applicants might not. If your company is in a field where professional licenses are needed to keep your company accredited and operating legally, this is a mandatory process.
Motor Vehicle Record Check
In the same way that you’ll want to make sure the person you hire to work with finances has a clean credit check, you’ll want to make sure any employee you hire whose job includes transportation has a clean driving record. Even if the person you’re looking to hire won’t be driving for your company during work hours, this could still be valuable information. For many people, driving is their sole method of transportation to and from work. Ensuring that this is stable is an essential step in the hiring process.
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