Fred Amicucci FCRA Advanced Certified
Vice President of Business Development at DataScreening
Below is an article published in SHRM’s monthly publication and on their website in 2022 which I contributed to Screening.
It’s interesting to see that not much has changed since then with respect to the topics in the article. Mainly, good candidates are still hard to hire.
The article’s main topic was how some companies were cutting back on certain background checks searches to widen their pool. In my opinion, today, companies are going back to more in depth background checks, just like mandatory, in-person attendance has increased. Many are choosing to check a candidate’s education, their employment history, and even professional reference checks.
During COVID and even some time after, employers needed employees badly. They were willing to overlook some aspects of the screenings that they normally do. It took some time, but employers soon realized it wasn’t worth not thoroughly vetting these candidates. Oten times it results in unqualified employees.
Why and how?
Two reasons mainly. First, the increase in 3rd party fees from companies that many larger employers sub their verifications to, has led screening companies to adapt and to provide the same results to clients without the high costs. These 3rd party fees that used to be in the $20+ish range from about 8 years ago have drastically jumped to the current cost of $130+ Employers are now willing to accept other forms of proof of employment offered by background check companies, bypassing the exorbitant costs.
(Marketing tip, if you’re the only game in town but your price is too high, other companies are going to find a cheaper way to do it.)
The second reason is because of AI. When you’re scrolling through social media, do you know what’s real or not? The same goes for verifying diplomas, degrees, and transcripts.
For a short time after COVID, you may be able to trust a copy of a diploma or a degree. Today, no way. Any time technology advances, it advances not just for honest people to make our lives easier, but it also advances for dishonest people to deceit and to take shortcuts.
Lately, there’s been an abundance of these fake degrees, even fake transcripts. Courses on transcripts that the college didn’t even offer, and on a few occasions, candidates went through the trouble of making fake pictures of themselves receiving their diploma on stage, to back up their fake degree. To the inexperienced and untrained eye, it’s very easy to accept these documents as legitimate.
A reputable and Accredited background screening company will go to the original source of the information to give you the most accurate and the most up to date results available. They have the experience and a process to uncover these fraudulent details. Don’t waste your company’s valuable time and resources trying to figure out what’s legitimate or not.
Advancements in technology will always help us in business and in life, but human support and live data will never be replaced.