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Ask HN: Whom Do You Use for New Hire Background Checks?
My last Q about this hire is can he stay out of serious trouble and manage his own finances. I've Googled 'background check' and the vendors all look sleazy to me.
So HN - Whom do you use for background checks?
EDIT: I have signed permission from the prospect to do the check.]
- bdfh42 17y agoBackground checks sound pretty sleazy in any case - what business is it of yours if someone once had financial problems (such a record will never tell you the why only the what). Call the last employer but one for an honest assessment of the reasons your prospective employee left and how easy they are to get one with - you already know they have the knowledge required for the job - you tested for that before and during the interviews - right? If you still feel a little uneasy then it's a "No Hire" - end of story.
- rfreytag 17y agoAs SysAdmin he will control all the servers in my company, have access to all the data, all the passwords, all the personnel files. He will control $100Ks of investment. I think this is basic due diligence. I have also had confirming advice this is a good idea from previous company owners (and stories about times when they did not). Its like checking if your accountant has money troubles. There is also lots of research that shows people are really really poor at detecting lies (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXm6YbXxSYk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXm6YbXxSYk). We all have made mistakes in judging people, I am pretty trusting actually and have been burnt. There is too much on the line this time.
- bdfh42 17y agowell at least that way you are going to hire someone who has not been "caught".
- byoung2 17y agoCall the last employer but one for an honest assessment of the reasons your prospective employee left and how easy they are to get one with Most employers will not give detailed info to protect themselves from defamation lawsuits. Usually HR departments at big companies will just confirm the start date, end date, and position. Occasionally you can get more, if it is quantifiable (87% attendance, 2 promotions, 1 writeup). I got a voicemail once that said something like this: "We're interviewing John Doe for the position of general manager at a widget factory. If you believe he is a trustworthy employee that you would hire again, call 213-555-1234. If you wound not hire him again, call 213-555-5678." Pretty sneaky!
- plinkplonk 17y agoIs it even legal to do checks on "can he manage his own finances"? Even in India (where you can have checks of criminality and so on at the point of hiring, especially in large companies, thanks to the focus on Outsourcing) people don't disclose their financial information to employers. Banks and financial institutions will turn any inquiries down unless you are a law enforcement officer with the proper paperwork.
- rfreytag 17y agoI think it is legal (but IANAL). The online services _certainly_ offer credit reports having this level of detail. But I'll edit the question to make sure people know that the prospect has given signed permission for the inquiry.
- RiderOfGiraffes 17y agoWasn't this question asked just a few days ago? I've searched with SeachYC, but I haven't found it, so maybe I'm imagining things, but I could've sworn I've seen it here recently.
- rfreytag 17y agoI searched too - no I don't think so.
- coglethorpe 17y agoI have had employers in the finance sector pull my credit report to check me out. I'm pretty sure they use one of the big 3 US credit agencies. You might be best off to check with one of them to see how you can do this legally. If they don't do it directly, they can probably show you a third party that would.
- rfreytag 17y agoI think there are companies that bundle this stuff and do it cheaper than the big 3. But like I said in the OP they all look a bit "oily" so I'm looking for referrals from HN.
- igrekel 17y agoOver the years, I had several requests for my approval to check if I have a criminal record, but I don't remember any about my credit report. Plus a potential employer could use the information from the credit report in salary negotiation. I don't really like this idea. Credit report are easy to obtain if you have consent, just check the major agencies, the ones I have dealt with in the past (not when hiring people) are TransUnion and Equifax.
- rfreytag 17y agoPlease see my comment http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=854928 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=854928 You are putting a lot on the line when you hire a SysAdmin, Accountant, and certainly anyone with check-writing authority. The employer that uses financial distress to bargain someone down is getting what they pay for. The employee will jump as soon as they can. I am not that kind of employer.
- igrekel 17y agoThat is really when you are small enough that you can't afford controls and verification to ensure real security. The point is not about the employer exploiting financial distress but that the employer can know what your current revenues are and therefore gain an edge.
- rfreytag 17y agoAs I said I am not that kind of employer.