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