As more companies come to realize that their employees’ talents and skills drive their business success, they become more strategic and deliberate in how they source, attract, select, develop and retain employees. Talent Management Systems are designed for the specific purpose of streamlining these efforts through automation, creating more efficient and cost-effective processes. Unlike Applicant Tracking or Talent Management Systems of the past, today’s Talent Platforms are solutions that make it possible for corporations to manage their organization’s entire talent lifecycle through a single web-based system, eliminating the need to purchase multiple, costly, disparate talent management solutions or software that don’t communicate well with each other. Furthermore, with a single web-based system, integrating with multiple partners and services is more seamless than ever, saving time and improving efficiency.

What are the Benefits of Utilizing a Talent Platform?

Talent Platforms offer robust, yet scalable technology, capable of powering multiple talent initiatives within one core platform. This, in turn, equates into greater process efficiencies for your HR team. Such efficiencies include, but are not limited to, the creation of job requisitions, the tracking of candidates, and the management of employee referral and transfer programs. Additionally, Talent Platforms are highly flexible solutions that can configure to your unique hiring management processes and are capable of accommodating your evolving needs as your organization grows or your processes change. Furthermore, Talent platforms can improve your organization’s internal and external communication, reporting capabilities, brand identity and EEO/OFCCP compliance.

Can Talent Platforms Integrate with employeescreenIQ?

Absolutely! Talent Platforms have the ability to bring together numerous HR Solutions and Service Providers that address a myriad of business challenges that organizations of all sizes and in all industries face today. A Talent Platform, for example, can integrate with a background check provider to produce thorough, accurate screening reports that meet your unique needs as well as the standards of federal and international employment guidelines. The enhanced interface of a Talent Platform allows users to utilize the background check provider’s latest technologies in a seamless bi-directional process which returns results quickly and easily. This enhanced interface is designed to help HR professionals become even more efficient in evaluating candidates and more competitive in their race to introduce new talent to their organization. Additionally, as the bi-directional capabilities of a Talent Platform reduces the time it takes to complete crucial stages of evaluation such as pre-employment screening, it is also ultimately reducing a corporation’s overall time-to-fill metric.

Interested in Learning More About Talent Platforms?

Contact iCIMS, a leading provider of web-based Talent Platforms, at 1-800-889-4422. Or visit their website at www.icims.com and view a free online demo at http://www.icims.com/view.

Kristy Megna is Marketing Communications Coordinator for New Jersey-based iCIMS, a leading Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider. Kristy can be reached by email at kristy.megna@icims.com.

About iCIMS:

iCIMS, a leading Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider, is an Inc. 500 honoree focused on solving corporate business issues through the implementation of easy-to-use web-based software solutions. iCIMS’ Talent Platform enables organizations to automate their entire talent lifecycle from applicant tracking through onboarding and beyond, offering an efficient, cost-effective alternative to timely manual methods. Supporting more than 600 clients, iCIMS has the experience of managing the recruitment initiatives of companies of all sizes, and across all industries. iCIMS offers fully scalable solutions that best suit the organization’s existing workflow and processes and offers powerful yet flexible tools that grow with the company’s evolving needs. Additionally, when clients partner with iCIMS, they receive much more than a software package. iCIMS’ award-winning technology platform is backed by the industry’s best customer service. Consistently recognized for outstanding service, iCIMS has maintained a 97% corporate renewal rate since 2003, and has earned a perfect 4.0 out of 4.0 for customer service in an independent study, as well as 9.5 out of 10 in a recent client survey. This commitment to providing superior customer service has enabled iCIMS to retain its position as one of the largest and fastest-growing providers in the space while maintaining one of the industry’s highest customer satisfaction and retention rates.

With our presidential election around the corner, both John McCain and Barack Obama are lobbing claims of flip-flopping on the issues back and forth in order to discredit the other. Considering that we have always criticized the national databases as a standalone research tool, I thought now might be a nice time to publicly do one of our own: Is it Time to Embrace the National Criminal Database Search?

Flip-Flop?
The mere hint of this question might cause long time followers of our exquisite literary works (translation: endless and incessant rants), to wonder what is going on in this bizarro universe. So let’s get it out there. employeescreenIQ has been opposed to conducting National Criminal Database Searches as the sole resource for a criminal background check. That position has not and will not change. Where we have become not-so-publicly enlightened up until now is the benefit of conducting such a search as a complement to a thorough criminal record search.

What Do We Mean?
The best method for revealing criminal convictions has been and will continue to be searching for records in all counties and all names where the applicant has resided, worked and attended school for at least the last seven to ten years. Since this is where most, if not all convictions that would be considered for employment (save federally prosecuted crimes) would be filed, prosecuted and stored, conducting this type of search gives you the best chance of identifying criminal records. Now, in a perfect world, it wouldn’t cost tens of thousands of dollars to conduct a county criminal record search in every county throughout the country. This would allow you to stack the odds in your favor of ensuring that if your applicant has ever been convicted of a crime that you would find it. Since we don’t live in a perfect world and organizations simply can’t afford this type of search, a standard county criminal background check will only reveal convictions if they were convicted in that particular county. If someone committed a crime in a jurisdiction that wasn’t searched, the record will not be found.

Adding a National Criminal Database Search to a comprehensive county search might reveal criminal convictions that have taken place in other jurisdictions. Might is the operative word. The scope of a database search still hasn’t changed. Databases are compiled by for-profit companies that aggregate criminal records from wherever they can get them and by whoever is willing to furnish. There is no mandate for how often information is reported, what types of information is reported and for accuracy of information. With that said, how can I make a case for adding this search as part of a thorough, accurate and compliant background check?

Establishing Rules of Engagement
If you are interested in utilizing this search, here are couple helpful tips.

• Do not use this type of search as the sole means of identifying criminal convictions (hah! We haven’t really flip-flopped, have we?) A County Criminal Record Search is still your best bet. The database should be used as a complement to your search.
• Do not use the presence of a record on a database search in your hiring decision. What? Yes, you heard me. The record found should be properly authenticated before it is used in the hiring decision. This means conducting a County Criminal Record Search in the county where the record has been revealed. This step will allow you to authenticate the record and ensure that it belongs to your applicant. Remember, you don’t want to use a record that doesn’t belong to your applicant, was supposed to be expunged, isn’t legally reportable, etc. Failing to adhere to this step can and most likely will get you in legal compliance hot water.
• Understand that a lack of a reported criminal conviction on a National Database does not mean that the individual has not been convicted of a crime. While the applicant might not in fact have ever been convicted a crime, the lack of records simply means that the database did not have any records on this individual.

Show Me The Benefits!

• When combined with a thorough County Criminal Search, National Criminal Record Searches allow you to cast a wider net and give you the opportunity to identify convictions outside of the counties of residence.
• The price for this inexpensive search usually does not exceed the price of a single county criminal records search
• Many National Databases have the added benefit of additional searches such as a Multi-Jurisdictional Sex Offender Registry.
• Inexpensive Add-On
• Instant Results when there is no presence of a record
• Allow your organization to make a more informed and confident hiring decision.

Are There Any Drawbacks?

There can be unintended consequences of conducting these searches, but if you adhere to the advice shared above these consequences can be mitigated.

• False Positives- Since there are little to no regulations on databases, sufficient identifiers are often missing from records making it difficult to confirm that the record belongs to your applicant. Remedy: Follow up each hit with a County Search to authenticate the record.
• Time- While a “No Record Found” is reported instantly, the presence of a record necessitates a follow up search in the jurisdiction where the offense took place. This would seem like a minor inconvenience when a record is actually authenticated. However, because there are instances of false-positives, unreportable information, etc. the follow up just takes time to tell you that there is nothing that you can use in your hiring decision.

Who’s Flip-Flopping?

The truth is, not us. We are still adamantly opposed to using database searches as the sole source for a criminal background check. However, the National Database Search is a great value-add when coupled with a best practices countywide criminal records search. The phrase we hear most often when employers are brought into court for their employees’ alleged harmful actions is that “if you could have known, you should have known”. Conducting this inexpensive complementary search allows for greater due diligence. For more information about this service and others, please contact employeescreenIQ at (800) 235-3954 or at www.employeescreen.com

Nick Fishman is the Chief Marketing Officer for Cleveland-based employeescreenIQ, a best practices provider of pre-employment screening services throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Nick can be reached at (800) 235-3954 ext. 441 or by email at nfishman@employeescreen.com.

As you may know, in March we successfully launched employeescreen University, a first of its kind interactive, educational Web site for security, risk management and human resource professionals that features regularly updated, free background-screening information; all aimed to help hiring managers make better hiring decisions.
The reaction from the marketplace has been overwhelmingly positive and we have evolved the content based on the responses we receive from our visitors.

Some of the new features added since the launch include:

Guest Articles Section- A unique point of view about background checks and, or other related topics from industry insiders and experts. Sample of Guest Contributors includes:

• Ron Bower, Vice President and Director of Talent Sourcing at AmTrust Bank on Developing Employee Referral Programs
• Pam Devata, Labor and Employment Attorney at Seyfarth Shaw on new FACT Act requirements aimed to protect personal identifying information
• Keith Greene, former Vice President of Workforce Readiness at SHRM on developing strong partnerships with background screening organizations
• Michael Sankey, Founder and CEO of BRB Publications on how to search criminal records

employeescreenIQ Podcast Channel- Interviews with relevant hiring professional experts and content specific programming from employeescreenIQ associates. Sample of Podcasts already conducted includes:

• China Miner-Gorman, C.O.O. and Interim President of the Society for Human Resource Management
• Joel Cheesman, Head Cheese at Cheezhead.com
• Jonathan Goodman, Vice President of Business Development at HRMarketer.com
• Many More Podcasts available

Resources Page for FCRA and Other Important Links

Court Delays Update Page

Announcements Section

In the coming months we plan to include additional social networking tools, introduce new videos, and conduct best practice webinars both live and recorded and much, much more.

If you haven’t yet visited the site, please check out what you’ve been missing at http://university.employeescreen.com. We also invite all visitors to offer feedback. What did you like? What didn’t you like? What topics would you like to see more of? Etc.

Nick Fishman is the Chief Marketing Officer for Cleveland-based employeescreenIQ, a best practices provider of pre-employment screening services throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Jason can be reached at (800) 235-3954 ext. 441 or by email at nfishman@employeescreen.com.

The 2008 Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Annual Conference in Chicago was second to none! employeescreenIQ has been a big supporter of SHRM and their trade shows for many years. Since our company was founded we have done well over fifty trade shows, and I can’t remember one as great as this. There was a buzz! The buzz was, let’s take this opportunity (economic downturn) and find the best vendors to support our business. The feedback was fantastic!

We tried a few new things at the show. First, we gave away a 42” Flat Screen Television. Attendees giving us their business card were entered into a drawing to win. Shelli Johnson of Adventist Health System was the lucky winner. Second, we gave away “Property of employeescreen University” Tee Shirts to everyone. This was our first opportunity to tout our new University website at a major event (if you haven’t yet seen this innovative, new, and free educational resource, go check it out now at http://university.employeescreen.com. The enthusiasm was tremendous. We again gave away the familiar employeescreenIQ backpack/tote bags that have become so popular (people actually map out the location of our booth now just to score one).

Additionally, in a SHRM first, we launched the employeescreenIQ podcast series. A few of us spent a good portion of the show walking around and interviewing various people about HR, Background Checks, the Economy and other issues. We were lucky enough to get interviews with such people as China Miner-Gorman, C.O.O. and Interim President of the Society for Human Resource Management, Joel Cheesman, Head Cheese at Cheezhead.com, & Jonathan Goodman, Vice President of Business Development at HRMarketer.com. The podcast channel was officially launched after the show and can be accessed at http://blog.employeescreen.com/category/podcasts/. It was great to see many of our clients stopping by and telling us all the reasons they use us. It’s always fun to put names with faces and faces with names! We look forward to expanding on this great momentum at next year’s conference in New Orleans! See you all then.

Jason Morris is President and C.O.O. for Cleveland-based employeescreenIQ, a best practices provider of pre-employment screening services throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Jason can be reached at (800) 235-3954 or by email at jmorris@employeescreen.com.

# How to Collect Information from your Applicants

**Natalie Beck**

It’s a common misconception that the only information required to perform a background check is a person’s name and social security number – that these two pieces of data will provide you with everything you would ever need or want to know about an applicant. While those are two very important pieces of information when it comes to checking your applicant’s background, additional information is required to find other pieces of information that may be of interest to you. Employers should always endeavor to verify information provided by the applicant by cross checking it with official documentation.

Name and Social Security Number

As stated, the applicant’s name and social security number are key components to any thorough background check. The SSN trace provides a 7-10 year address history for your applicant so we know in what jurisdictions to conduct the criminal check and under what name (or names if aliases are found on the trace as well). Employers should capture this information directly from the applicant’s SSN card to ensure the accuracy of the name and number your applicant is providing to you.

Date of Birth

Once our researchers walk through the door of that courthouse, the importance of the SSN with regards to finding any criminal records somewhat diminishes. Most courts have stricken SSN’s from public access terminals due to the risk of identity theft. And if you search only by name, you could come up with a multitude of false positives (think Joseph Smith, Michael Jones – all very common names). Most courts will not even allow researchers to conduct the criminal check with this limited information. SSN’s may be used as additional identifiers on criminal records but in most cases is not a search method for locating the information. That is where your applicant’s date of birth comes into play. Most courts classify their records by a person’s name and DOB – not name and SSN as many might think.

Dates of birth are vital to the background screening process. Obtaining your applicants date of birth is extremely important so as to identify the record and confirm that it does belong to your applicant and not another person. Our recommendation is to obtain this information from an official record, such as a birth certificate, passport, or any other document issued by a state or federal institution. While we would all like to believe every applicant that we interview is being 100% truthful, there will always be those few that will give you a different month, day, or year (or all three!), so you will not find that felonious assault charge they know exists.

Driving History

All states issue a license number to those who are legally allowed to operate a motor vehicle in their state. License numbers are different for every single person and information about the holder of that license is classified by the license number. So, the only effective method to run a motor vehicle check on your applicant would be to obtain your applicants drivers license number and state of issue and authenticate it with a copy of the applicant’s actual license.

Just a side note – a state ID card is NOT the same as a driver’s license. They may look the same, depending on the state, but they are most certainly not. A state ID card is not a license to drive so there would be no driving history found if we were to attempt to run a state ID number in the motor vehicle check. So, when obtaining a copy of your applicant’s driver’s license, make sure it is a driver’s license and not a state ID card (and if you can’t tell, just ask!)

Education / Employment Information

I can’t tell you how easy it would be for pre-employment screeners if there was a one stop shop for all information pertaining to your applicants educational and employment history. That there exists one phone number to call, one website to check, or one place to mail a request to obtain this information with only a name and SSN as the search criteria. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case and we don’t see that being the case anytime soon. So, this is information your applicant will have to provide to you on their own whether by resume or your company’s application. If you want to be extra careful, ask to see transcripts from the school(s) they attended or W-2 forms from their previous employers. Either way you get it, rest assured that our staff will call the institution directly to verify the information provided and get the real story.

Professional Licenses

If you are hiring a doctor, nurse, lawyer, CPA, etc., those are positions that require a state license to practice. It is extremely beneficial to obtain the most information you can from your applicant regarding their professional license. The best practice would be to, again, have the applicant provide you with a copy of the license. If for some reason they cannot provide it, the minimal information required to see if this person does in fact have a license to practice in their field would be their name, type of license, and state of issue. But the more information you have (license number, date of issue, date of expiration, etc.), the quicker the verification will be completed.

The Consequences of Erroneous Information

Should your applicant provide you with any erroneous information, we will sometimes be able to catch it. If the SSN or drivers license doesn’t trace, we’ll know and contact you for clarification. If your applicant claimed receipt of a particular degree or that he worked for a particular company but neither actually occurred, we’ll be able to confirm that from the school and the former employer. But what if your applicant’s name is spelled wrong or the date of birth provided is not correct? Well, that is something we won’t know and throws everything off balance with regards to the criminal check which many consider to be the “jackpot” of the search. For example, if your applicant’s name is Michael Jones but he tells you his name is Michael Janes, we won’t find any possible criminal records for your applicant with that misspelling. Our court researchers go into the courthouse and search court records with the name provided. So, if Michael Jones has a burglary charge and our researcher is searching the name Michael Janes, the record will not be found. If the spelling is just a little bit off (Michael Jones vs. Micael Jones), we may still catch it but there is no guarantee. If name is spelled correctly but the DOB is a little off (11/12/1950 vs.11/12/1951), we may still catch that as well and go back to you to confirm the DOB (but of course, no guarantee). But if the DOB provided is drastically different that what the true DOB is, all bets are off and you will not receive an accurate criminal history report on your applicant. Not to mention, an incorrect name and/or DOB will provide inaccurate results for additional services, such as the Sex Offender Registry, Homeland Security Search, OIG/GSA search, etc.

Double checking the information provided to you by your applicant from official documents is the best practice to ensure that the background check you will be receiving at the end of the day is an accurate portrayal of your applicant’s history. Should erroneous information be discovered after the fact, we are always happy to re-run the search for you. But it is definitely in your best interest to make certain that all pieces of information are as accurate as possible so as not to incur any additional cost or turnaround time for your applicant’s background check.

*Natalie Beck is Project Coordinator for Cleveland-based employeescreen**IQ**, a best practices provider of pre-employment screening services throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Natalie can be reached at (800) 235-3954 ext. 459 or by email at nbeck@employeescreen.com.* ]]> http://www.employeescreen.com/theverifier/the-verifier-issue-xvi-august-2008/verifierxvi_applicant_information_background_check/feed/ 0