Whether potential new hires have something to hide or not, background screening generally brings up feelings of uneasiness. Candidates often wonder:

• “What are they trying to uncover - do they think I am suspicious?”
• “Why do I have to provide so much personal information?”
• “Who will they contact to find out all of this information?”
• “What if I fail my background check?”

As the magnitude of the candidate experience continues to creep into the HR spotlight, it is important for HR personnel to understand how to alleviate anxiety in their candidates during the background screening process.

Collecting personal information for background checks.

With privacy issue concerns and data breaches becoming commonplace in today’s news, it is important for candidates to understand why they have to provide so much personal information, how the information will be used, and how long it will be stored. As noted by Steve Girdler, in his guest article for Entrepreneur.com, it is worth noting that a candidate may request to remove their data from the database immediately; it is important to have a process in place for such requests.

Open communication during background checks.

Any qualms from candidates about background screening can usually be resolved by providing thorough explanations. Let candidates know why the background check is necessary, why the information you are collecting is relevant, and what their rights are during the screening process. Provide greater support by keeping candidates informed on the status of their background check over the phone or via e-mail - no one likes to be left in the dark.

Addressing concerning history after a background check.

Sometimes candidates do not pass their background checks in full. Perhaps they have a felony on file, extended their employment dates to fill in some gaps, or fabricated their degree. If something concerning from a candidate’s background check comes to light, give the candidate a chance to explain. Allowing candidates to see their results and explain why discrepancies were found will let you see the bigger picture before making any hiring decisions.

Oftentimes, background checks reveal nothing surprising to candidates. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to be transparent when conducting background checks on your potential new hires; alleviating any concerns and anxiety in new hires is integral in providing a positive candidate experience.