When the pressure is on to hire top talent and build great teams, hiring managers may often worry if they're up to the task. It's a big challenge to adapt to a candidate's market and meet the needs of the organization. There's also the fear of missing out (FOMO) on a candidate who may be a perfect fit - especially when considering the wait and cost of a background check. 

Here are some tips for managing those fears. 

What keeps hiring managers up at night?

Restless Nights - A Thousand Questions

You know the feeling - you wake up in a panic, heart-racing and a thousand restless questions spinning in your mind:

• Did I forget to check something on a that one candidate?
• Am I hiring someone who will be a good fit for the team?
• How will I know if I hired the wrong person?
• Am I being biased or have I set up enough processes to discourage hiring bias?
• Are my hiring practices fair and compliant?

Then you toss and turn until your alarm goes off and you hope there's enough coffee to get you through the day. It doesn't have to be this way. A little pre-planning goes a long way to help you get a restful sleep once again.

Create a Background Screening Policy

One of the best ways to soothe a worried mind is preparation. Creating a background screening policy, especially based on which background checks will be run per job description, is helpful to know you're covering your bases. You'll be sure to run extra criminal screens on those who will have access to vulnerable populations or financial information. You'll know which background checks are appropriate for C-level hires compared to those who will be in sales or accounting. You'll also have procedures for obtaining consent to background checks, deciding in a fair, compliant fashion and the proper notification procedures if a candidate fails a background check.

See also: Is Your Screening Policy Compliant with Background Check Regulations?

If you're unsure where to begin, click the link below to access free templates for setting up a compliant, inclusive background check policy. 

Signs of a Bad Hire

If you're concerned you may not have a good fit for your team or your hire may not work out, consider these questions:

• Is the new hire asking for special treatment?
• Are other employees complaining about the new hire?
• Is the new hire making repeated mistakes or clashing with others?

The answers to these questions may reveal some red flags but they may also uncover some weak links in your hiring process. Did you hire too quickly? Did you involve the team that the new hire would be working with? Did you skip the background check process because you thought it would cost too much or take too long?

Use this scenario to review your hiring procedures and incorporate what you need to tighten it up. Concerned about the costs and time to run a background check?  Review this page to get an idea of what you should be paying and the bottom of this page to determine how long it should take.  A job-related background check policy will also help to reduce the time and costs associated with background screening.

Plan Ahead - Sleep Better

Preparation, as well as working with a trusted screening provider who certifies their staff on compliance, can help reduce the stress of hiring and recruiting. You'll know what to expect, what screens to run, how to ensure you have accurate candidate information, how much it will cost and how long it will take. 

Contact us at VeriFirst so we can help you plan ahead and you can look forward to sweet dreams once again.