Executive Background Checks

It only stands to reason that employers think about ratcheting up background checks when it comes to screening potential executives.  The prevailing logic is "these positions pay a lot of money and I want to make sure that everything looks good".  You can't argue with this institution.  Executives do make more money, they are hard to replace and even more difficult to find.  In addition to the cursory searches (Social Security Number Trace and County Criminal Records Check), employers should consider the following:  Federal Criminal Record Search- While a minuscule number of crimes are prosecuted at the federal level, they are mainly the types of convictions that would concern employers.  Many, but not all federal convictions are white collar in nature.  Employment Verifications- While important for many other positions, employment verifications are vital for executives.  It will help to confirm items such as starting and ending title, starting and ending salary, starting and ending position and responsibilities, etc.  Education Verifications- Confirms education degrees and we have all seen many public embarrassments based on fraudulent education credentials.  Professional License Verification- Confirm that your candidate is in fact a member of a state bar, a licensed medical practitioner, a CPA, etc.   

These are just some of the searches employers should consider when screening executive candidates.  A more specific list should be discussed based on the unique needs of an organization.  I guess the most important message here is that whatever you choose to do, make sure that you perform a thorough background check.  The risk for not doing so is just too great.