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PeopleCheck uses technology in a smart way to support the process but we strongly believe that the human ability to cross-check and understand context is invaluable. We hope that these are helpful insights and potential issues to be aware of:
Discrepancy in reason for leaving a former employer – potential issue #1
It is important not to take an explanation merely on face value. We have seen hundreds of cases were the candidate stated they left on mutual understanding, and after further referencing, we discovered they were dismissed with legal action pending.
Major discrepancy in former job role – potential issue #2
This can lead to hiring someone into a position that they are not competent to perform. In a worst-case scenario, such a hire could potentially cause irreversible damage to the organisation’s brand and reputation.
Undeclared county court judgments (CCJ’s) – potential issue #3
The candidate stated that they had no outstanding CCJ’s when in fact there was a £64,000 unsatisfied CCJ listed in recent months. It is always good to check to avoid the risks associated with potential financial stress, specially if the candidate is going to be directly working within the finance and accounting team.
Partially declared negative information – potential issue #4
The candidate provided a very detailed explanation of previous negative issues in the application process. Upon investigation, further negative information became apparent, one of which being a conviction for fraud. This may have been a possible attempt to demonstrate full disclosure and hope that the more significant information was not found.
Non-pursuable information provided – potential issue #5
Within the application process, the candidate provided details of companies and former employers, stating that they had gone into administration and no longer exist. Upon further investigation, it was found that these companies were in fact trading and full verifications were pursued. In two cases, the candidate had been dismissed for gross misconduct. This may have possibly been an attempt to misinform the verifier with the intention of avoiding a negative reference being discovered.
Aliases and former names not being disclosed during the application stage – potential issue #6
With proper cross-referencing of a consumer search, a former name was identified that the candidate did not include in their original application. The discovered former name was then included within the checking process and a criminal conviction was revealed.
All above issues were identified and properly articulated to the prospective employer in a timely manner. – Identifying such issues early was made possible by well-trained professionals who understand the importance of a meaningful screening process.
