Recruitment Blog

The tech driving tomorrow’s background screening programs

Guest Author

Recruitment Expert

“You don’t know what you don’t know” is a phrase that we’re all very familiar with, and in the recruitment industry today, obtaining a clearer understanding of a candidate’s past through background screening is crucial when making the right recruitment decisions.

Applying background screening practices is one way to gain a deeper understanding of a candidate’s true characteristics, history and integrity. Across the globe today, more and more companies are engaging background screening experts and their tech tools to remove the risks that are typically present during the recruitment process.

With the emergence of new working trends during the COVID-19 crisis, the occurrence of candidate misrepresentations is likely higher than ever. Typically, misrepresentations are found in the areas of previous employment, education credentials and criminal history.

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The benefits of completing background screening on candidates translate to increased quality of hired candidates, improved retention rates, better protection of company brand and ultimately bigger smiles on client faces!

Of course, to realise the benefits, we have to overcome the obstacles along the way, and implementing an effective and appropriate background screening program involves many considerations. Culture, resources, knowledge, ROI, change management, infrastructure, technology, regulations, candidate experience…the list goes on!

Technology plays a vital role in most things that a well-oiled recruitment engine does today, and background screening is no exception. A good background screening provider will have successfully conquered, and continue to optimise system integrations, data security, cloud technology, process automation and user experience, and deliver recruitment teams accessible, effective background screening tools.

But what does tomorrow look like, and how will technology continue to integrate background screening programs into the daily lives of recruitment teams?

Artificial intelligence, machine learning and the use of image software will solve big background screening challenges, such as quality assurance, data accuracy, long delays and identity fraud during the background checking process.

For example, if you have been involved in criminal history screening you will know how frustrating it can be when you’re required to gather an extensive amount of identity documents, due to stringent government requirements. Such exercises will be made easier by introducing new technologies, like Image Recognition Software that can significantly reduce application error rates.

Biometrics is going to play a vital role in the identity verification stage of background screening. Biometric-based checks like facial recognition scans can be used to ensure that candidates are who they say they are, by verifying photo identification documents against the candidate’s facial image. Through this type of technology, the candidate experience and client peace of mind can be substantially improved.

Credential management using blockchain technology will in the future provide the capability for candidates to manage their own identification and personal data via a secure digital wallet, and the candidate will then decide how their information is shared.

Paper-based documents like licences or certificates will soon be phased out, and candidates will have far greater control over their own information.

This will improve the candidate experience, and also the time required to complete verification and background checks. And of course, all of this functionality will be accessible and controllable from a mobile device anywhere and anytime.

Over the last two decades, background screening has certainly become more and more crucial for all types of organisations, and throughout the next decade, new technologies will ensure that background screening will secure its place in the recruitment process, and in a profession that will undoubtedly be far more complex than it is today.

InterCheck are a dynamic employment screening company, accredited with the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), and are (humbly) considered to be one of the most innovative background checking providers in the industry – now trusted by over 1200 + organisations across Australia and New Zealand.

By providing cutting edge technology and being obsessed with providing a positive user experience, InterCheck helps to streamline background checking, and support organisations to onboard new candidates quicker and more effectively.

www.intercheck.com.au