Hiring the right people starts with having the right information. But here’s the truth: your background check is only as accurate as the data you begin with. One small mistake—a wrong Social Security Number or a single digit off on a date of birth—can completely change the outcome of your screening process.
And that’s not just a hypothetical scenario. It happens every day. Sometimes it’s an innocent typo, and sometimes it’s intentional. Either way, if you’re not verifying the data you receive, you could be making hiring decisions based on inaccurate information. That’s a risk no organization wants to take.
Why Accuracy Matters
Imagine this: A candidate mistypes their SSN, the background check runs, and the nationwide search comes back clear. Sounds harmless? Not really. Without safeguards, you could unknowingly hire someone with a criminal record who slipped through cracks.
The Hidden Risk
A candidate with a criminal record could pass a background screening simply by altering a name, SSN, or date of birth. Unfortunately, this happens more often than you’d think. The good news? There are steps you can take to prevent it.
How to Strengthen Your Process
- Consider a report with nationwide coverage based off the candidate’s address history with county and federal criminal searches. An older candidate lacking social trace information could be an indicator of incorrect data.
- Depending on the role, Consider adding a Motor Vehicle Report, as the result will include the candidate’s current name spelling and licensure status with state licensing bureau.
- Consider an AKA service: A service to research and include all alias variations in your candidate’s history.
- Centralize I-9 and E-Verify with your Background screening organization: Align SSN and DOB across official documents and background checks. E-Verify flags mismatches early.
- Consider Use of CBSV Services within your organization: This is a candidate consent based service that Confirms SSN and DOB directly with the Social Security Administration for a match or no-match result.
- Consider Ongoing Monitoring or Annual Re-Screening: Continuous checks help maintain workplace safety.
Final Thoughts
Don’t panic, just take time to review your internal processes. Ask yourself:
✔ What safeguards do we have in place?
✔ Have we evaluated our current procedures?
✔ Where can we improve?
A few extra steps can make a huge difference in protecting your organization and ensuring your hiring process is accurate and reliable.
Ready to strengthen your background screening process?
Contact us today for a consultation or learn more about our Screening University Program—designed to help your team master best practices and compliance.
