| Staffing vendors who refer candidates on the | | | | institutions, we need to know who we're |
| strength of a resume and a phone | | | | submitting," says Tony Williamson, president |
| interview-foregoing thorough background | | | | of Golden Valley, Minnesota-based vendor |
| checks-are asking for trouble.Case in point | | | | Ajasa Technologies, Otherwise you risk losing |
| from the CEO of Palmiter Recruiting of | | | | the business on one bad apple. "An employer |
| Plymouth, Minnesota: 15 years ago, before she | | | | doesn't want to run the risk that an employee |
| founded her staffing company, Elizabeth | | | | over his head in financial debt will be |
| Palmiter was on assignment as a contractor | | | | tempted to steal from a banking |
| herself when the nightmare of nightmares | | | | customer.Perfecting the personal reference |
| occurred at a client's worksite.During a | | | | checkYou should always check references to |
| routine reference check, a contractor marched | | | | support a hiring decision. Unfortunately, |
| into his supervisor's office and killed him | | | | this is made harder by the litigious nature |
| with an automatic rifle. | | | | of the corporate world. Many companies are |
| | | | reluctant to do much more than verify a |
| The scary thing is that because it was an | | | | former employee's job title and dates of |
| automatic rifle, he could have killed other | | | | employment, for fear that a candidate will |
| people, too," says Palmiter.Today, Palmiter | | | | sue them for providing a poor reference.You |
| works on the other side of the desk-as a | | | | should be prepared to be creative when |
| staffing vendor for tier-one companies in | | | | calling references. Here are a couple of |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul. Impossible to forget, | | | | suggestions that have worked for others.1. |
| experiencing workplace violence first-hand | | | | Work through your network -In the course of |
| has made Palmiter diligent about checking the | | | | the conversation about the candidate's |
| backgrounds of all candidates-whether the | | | | background, try to identify references that |
| hiring company requires it or not. | | | | you and the candidate have in common. This is |
| | | | easier for the seasoned recruiter who |
| The same isn't true at all staffing | | | | personally knows hundreds of people in |
| companies.According to a recent report from | | | | companies across a market or sector and a |
| Taleo Research, only 33 percent of companies | | | | value-add that can help sell your worth to |
| conduct background checks on employees. The | | | | client companies.2. Broaden your search - You |
| loss of human life is a rare and extreme | | | | can also contact the given references and ask |
| consequence of not vetting prospective | | | | them to suggest others who might have |
| employees and contractors. More commonly, | | | | experience with the candidate, offers Joseph |
| staffing vendors may face legal action, | | | | Golemo, a branch manager with |
| damage to business reputation, loss of | | | | Minneapolis-based ENRGi Consulting. Everyone |
| clients and revenue and negative media | | | | knows the people on the first list will give |
| coverage if they fail to thoroughly screen | | | | a good reference to the candidate, so you |
| prospective candidates.Criminal background | | | | call them and ask some cursory questions," |
| checks are insufficient | | | | says Golemo. "Then get to the real purpose of |
| | | | the call, which is to ask: 'Is there anyone |
| Even when you do perform a criminal records | | | | else I can speak to that will be able to |
| check, keep in mind that it probably isn't | | | | provide a reference for this |
| sufficient protection.National background | | | | candidate?'."This second-tier reference will |
| checks don't reveal all the offenses on | | | | not have been coached or prepped by the |
| record, according to news reports as there is | | | | candidate, so will probably provide a more |
| no national database of felony convictions. | | | | balanced view of the candidate's background |
| Criminal records are filed in more than 3,100 | | | | and capabilities.3. Verifying identity - |
| courthouses throughout the United States | | | | Still, with all the rigors of a criminal |
| reporting processes can differ widely, making | | | | history check, personal interviews, drug |
| it difficult and costly to guarantee that a | | | | screenings, credit checks and reference |
| new hire isn't a law breaker.27 percent of | | | | checks, some companies are starting to take |
| organizations surveyed said they had suffered | | | | their screen processes a step further-to |
| serious damages due to a flawed records | | | | verify the identity of the candidate.These |
| check, according to Taleo Research. Some of | | | | companies have their consultants and |
| the consequences included workplace fraud (10 | | | | potential hires fingerprinted at a local bank |
| percent), employee theft (10 percent), | | | | or police station, according to Golemo. |
| workplace violence (7 percent).So while you | | | | |
| should always contract a reputable credential | | | | Fingerprinting candidates foils the |
| checking service, such as Verified | | | | possibility that an individual may attempt to |
| Credentials, StaffingCheck or ADT, you should | | | | borrow the identity of another worker in |
| complement those reports with additional | | | | order to get a job they would be otherwise |
| investigations, including:credit checks drug | | | | unqualified to perform.It works like this: |
| tests in-person interviews informal reference | | | | The candidate is fingerprinted during the |
| checks technical interviews Nothing replaces | | | | screening process. Then on the first day one |
| the personal interviewA 20-year veteran in | | | | the job, the new hire is fingerprinted again |
| the staffing industry, Rick Kuula, president | | | | to ensure the candidate's fingerprints match |
| of Stillwater, Minnesota-based staffing | | | | the prints on file.It may seem extreme and |
| vendor Solutia Consulting, Inc. meets with | | | | time-consuming, but it also ensures you're |
| every consultant during the hiring | | | | providing the best, cleanest candidate for a |
| process.Though a technical screening is part | | | | project. In the long run, it protects you |
| of Kuula's review process, it's not the main | | | | from the negative consequences of making a |
| focus.If we have a feeling that there's | | | | bad referral, and can preserve a good client |
| something not right with the candidate and we | | | | relationship for years to come.Being rigorous |
| can't put a handle on it, we're better not to | | | | also sends a clear message to a hiring |
| pursue it after the first contact," says | | | | company. "It shows that we're not just |
| Kuula.It's not rocket science. It's spending | | | | throwing resumes over the fence," says |
| time with the candidate to get to know them," | | | | Palmiter. "It shows that we're doing our jobs |
| says Kuula. The personal touch helps to | | | | and that we're a valuable resource."Doug has |
| insure that the candidate is a good fit for | | | | a long history in the recruiting and staffing |
| the hiring company's culture and the staffing | | | | industry. He started in IT as the Director of |
| vendor's talent pool for the long | | | | IT for the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. |
| haul.Digging deeper into credit history is | | | | Doug then started his own IT consulting & |
| another step you can take take-especially for | | | | staffing firm (Quantum Consulting) which he |
| candidates assign to financial industry | | | | grew to over 75 consultants. In 1995 Doug |
| accounts."If you care about the quality that | | | | sold his firm and founded which received over |
| you're presenting, especially to financial | | | | $100 million in venture capital. |