Job Seeker Background Reference Checks

While we would all like to believe in the integrity of human beings, when Job Seekers are desperate for employment, often truths can be misconstrued in order to be placed in a role. Recruiters need to identify the real and critical requirement to conduct background checks on Job Seekers during the hiring process.

While Recruiter instincts might say one thing, Job Seekers have been known to bluff about many a detail in their job application pertaining to their skill, work history and qualifications. Recruiters need to be diligent in doing their homework and running reference checks on Job Seekers prior to their clients (the employer) making an offer of employment. Once made, these are difficult to retract and after having offered a job before conducting comprehensive background checks, Recruiters and employers expose their integrity and security to expensive risk.

Hasty hiring decisions can turn sour in an instant and once the Job Seeker has accepted the job offer, employers are bound by legal and contractual obligations that are often testing to get out of. Sadly, CV fraud is on the up and up given current economic pressures and state of the South African employment market. With the current demand for skilled workers and lack thereof in South Africa, it is becoming more difficult for unskilled Job Seekers to find successful employment. While this is by no means a justification, fraudulent and dishonest information is making a greater feature in these Job Seeker CV's than ever before calling for more stringent and diligent Job Seeker background reference checks.

Recruiters are obliged to run both reference checks with past employers as well as run background investigations on Job Seekers they wish to employ. To a certain but still damaging degree, employers are held liable for employee actions, which is why it is so very important to know who you are employing before doing so.

When Recruiters feel they may very well have found a suitable Job Seeker to fill the available vacancy, the next step is to identify relevant background checks that relate to the role that will validate the integrity of the Job Seeker. Recruiters must be aware that not all Job Seekers will be completely comfortable with such checks being run and view these as an invasion of their personal privacy. This is why such Job Seeker reference checks should always be administered in accordance with the basic requirement of the role itself and for the purpose to validate the information disclosed in the application itself.

On the opposite end of the scale, when employee background checks are taken too far, information gathered during overzealous reference checks and specifically information that has no bearing of the Job Seekers ability to perform the task have been known to lead to Job Seekers discrimination.

It is recommended to always ask the permission of the Job Seeker whether or not they would be comfortable with background reference checks to be run so as to be completely transparent about investigations as well as displaying respect for their personal privacy. In doing so this will also award the Job Seeker the opportunity to refuse or retract their application should they not wish to disclose such personal information, as well as proactively explain possible disparities without the risk of jeopardising the opportunity of employment.

To follow Recruiters can find a list of  Job Seeker background reference checks that should be applied, as reccomended by Jobs.co.za to ensure that thorough research is being conducted prior to hiring Job Seeker.

Verification of South African Identity Number:

Id validation matches the applicants identity number with their surname and confirms the Job Seekers South African citizenship

Credit Bureau Verification:

Bearing in mind that only under certain job functions would it be necessary to validate a Job Seekers credit record (such as in the banking sector and similar roles thereof), this check scrutinises a candidates credit history documented

Criminal Record:

This reference check is run to determine a Job Seekers criminal record and status thereof as well as name clearance confirmation

Academic Qualification:

This background check will confirm both secondary (High School) and tertiary (University) qualifications registered both locally as well and internationally as well as the date that these qualifications were attained

Employment History:

This reference check will authenticate both local and international employment history by detailing the company name, company address and contact details

Professional Association Membership:

This Job Seeker check will confirm any professional association they belong to that may be a basic recruitment requirement of the applicable role

Permanent Residency Verification:

This background check will ordinarily confirm the residency status of the Job Seeker in question

Drivers License:

Checking the driving licence status of the Job Seeker this reference check will confirm what type of driver's license is in possession as well as the issued date