Companies and landlords around the globe run background checks on a frequent basis. They use it to increase their chances of finding the right people to do business with. These checks are elaborate procedures that can last for several days or even weeks depending on the number of employees being hired at a time or the number of properties being let out. If you run a business of your own, you will find that there are a number of misconceptions associated with background checks which should be taken care of. Failure to do so can negatively influence the manner in which professionals are hired or tenants are dealt with. Following are few of the common misconceptions that surround background checks:

It’s carried out Only by Detectives

The first and the most well known misconception associated with background check is that it’s carried out by detectives. This is not true as those who perform background checks are supposed to do so with full disclosure and must use a signed release for inquiries. The process of background check is very transparent. All the parties involved are fully aware of the information that is being processed or has been gathered, and would also have consented to the process in entirety.

Is only for Bigger Companies

Another common misconception associated with background checks is that only large scale companies or bigger corporations engage in such a process. Smaller businesses like a letting agent or local business are also known to perform background checks on a frequent basis. Quality is a prerequisite for the growth of any business regardless of the size, and understanding the background of the people a business intends to deal with can significantly increase the quality of each transaction.

Online Searches Are Enough

It is also a misconception to think that an employee background check can be done entirely over the internet. The online databases do not contain sufficient information for a thorough check and it is necessary to carry out further research to gather significant amount of information about a potential or current employee.

Too Expensive 

A background check employee process is often believed to be too expensive by many company managers and directors, but this is far from the truth. A good service provider will only charge what’s fair. On the other hand, the company wanting to run background checks on potential employees or landlords wanting run checks on potential tenants must remember that knowing more than what’s produced voluntarily will only help them to find the right candidate.

Companies can benefit greatly as it increases their chances of getting high quality service professionals who are stable and don’t have anything in the past that could harm the reputation of the company. The same goes with Landlords; finding a tenant who has a healthy past will only ensure a smooth business relationship with the new tenant. Therefore with the benefits of background checks so many, the cost for getting one done cannot be classified as expensive.

Causes Discrimination against Employees with Criminal History

The background checks are not meant to punish prospective employees who unfortunately have a criminal history. It is done to examine the employee’s past work experiences and history of dealing with previous clients, and will only be taken into consideration if what’s found could affect the suitability of the candidate for the applied position. Also, when it comes to matters like civil suits or tax liens, issues older than 7 years cannot be taken into consideration as per the Fair Credit Reporting Act.