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Background check

Background check
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Have you ever wondered how to check if the competencies described in your CV really coincide with reality before you sign a contract with a new employee? In the era of easy coloring of experience, a professional background check is becoming a key tool that allows you to confirm the reliability of a candidate and protect the company from costly recruitment errors.

What is background check/screening?

Background check is a systematic process of collecting and analysing information about a candidate’s professional background and professional qualifications. In practice, this means that a potential employer wants to be sure that a given candidate really has the declared skills and experience.

Background verification is particularly important in positions related to access to confidential data, confidential information and customer data. Where there is responsibility for the company’s finances or strategic resources, there is a risk of fraud, which is why the background process becomes an essential element of the security policy.

Key aspects of candidate verification: what does the employer check?

As part of background verification, various aspects of the CV are analyzed. The most frequently checked are:

  • Professional history: Verification of past employment, including positions held and exact dates of employment. Employers contact previous employers to confirm the candidate’s role in previous positions.
  • Education verification: Confirmation of the authenticity of diplomas and certificates confirming the acquired professional experience.
  • Social media: Analysis of social media activity in terms of behavior that violates business ethics.
  • Credit history and no criminal record: In some cases, especially in the financial sector or in high-risk positions, the credit history and criminal record certificates of job applicants are checked (if permitted by law).

Background screening and law: GDPR and data protection

Each verification must take place under strict legal rigor. In accordance with the provisions of the Regulation of the European Parliament (GDPR), the processing of personal data other than those listed in the Labour Code requires a legal basis.

In this process, the protection of personal data is crucial. The employer may not arbitrarily ask about the family situation, date of birth (if it is not necessary) or other sensitive data. The recruitment process may not be used to collect information that does not affect the assessment of a candidate’s suitability for a particular position.

Typically, verification takes place in the form of a statement from the applicant or by providing relevant documents. Any activities that go beyond the standard data catalogue require the consent of the data subject. Failure to have a legal basis to verify certain information can expose your business to severe penalties under data protection laws.

Benefits for the organization

For the employer, a reliable background is primarily about saving time and money. This allows you to make an accurate recruitment decision, tailored to the recruitment needs of the company and the specifics of a given position. Knowing your professional history and previous jobs can predict how a candidate will fit into a new job.

To sum up, a reliable analysis of a candidate’s professional resume is a standard in the world of professional business. Although the scope of the review depends on the type of position, the goal always remains the same: building a team based on competence and mutual trust.

Author of the article
k.wilga
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