How to choose a background check provider for hiring at scale
Hiring for large organizations has become increasingly complex and competitive. In the battle for top talent, every step of the recruiting and hiring process is critical. If one task causes a delay and the candidate drops out of the funnel, your total investment is lost.
Lack of efficiency not only slows down hiring and increases the risk of candidate attrition; a cumbersome screening program can also cost your team in other ways and lower talent acquisition ROI.
“We're moving so quickly to hire candidates…you need that person yesterday. By having an efficient and fast background check process, we know we can get people on board quickly,”
Helen Quinones
People Director, Sailormen Inc. (Popeyes)
No wonder choosing the right background check provider is a make-or-break decision for large employers.
Are you settling for subpar background checks?
In a tight labor market, selecting the wrong background screening provider can be a costly error. A frustrating background check process not only delays hiring but also drives top talent to competitors offering a smoother experience. Then your team is left back at square one trying to hire qualified workers for roles that you needed filled yesterday.
The right background check partner can deliver faster turnaround times, accurate reports, more streamlined workflows, and a better candidate experience, helping you secure high-quality candidates before the competition does.
Here are five ways the best background check partner can help you get ahead in your hiring market—plus the questions you need to ask and must-have solutions when choosing a provider.
1
Get ahead: Hire faster than competitors
61% of talent management leaders agree that the demand on talent teams exceed their capacity to deliver, Gartner reports. Hiring teams in every industry are feeling the strain of a global labor shortage that is predicted to leave 85 million jobs unfilled by 2030.
All this to say, your team needs to move fast to win scarce candidates, and they need to do it without added stress, time, or overhead costs.
Demanding or lengthy background check forms and redundant workflows (such as duplicate information input) frustrate both your candidates and your talent acquisition team, leaving you vulnerable to increased candidate dropoff in a competitive market. To speed up your process and shorten your time to hire, here's what to look for in a background check partner.
Questions you need answered
AI, automation, and data gathering
- What percentage of your background check process is automated versus manual? How does this impact turnaround times?
- What percentage of your reports require manual steps to identify record types, charge types, and reportability?
- How does your organization utilize AI in report fulfillment?
- How does your screening system automatically sort and identify court charge results for easier adjudication?
- What percentage of background checks are completed on the first attempt, without candidate intervention or corrections needed?
- How does your platform handle significant increases in background check volume during peak hiring seasons or unexpected hiring surges? What specific measures do you have in place to maintain consistent turnaround times regardless of volume fluctuations?
- How do you handle counties that are known for slow processing times, like Cook County or certain rural jurisdictions?
Adjudication
- What tools do you offer to help ensure consistent adjudication decisions across our organization?
- Can your platform support multiple adjudication rulesets and filters within a single account? If yes, how are rulesets applied to different candidates?
- Can your platform provide automated adjudication workflows that help our team make fast, consistent decisions regarding adverse action?
Platform capabilities
- How many customers and checks does your platform currently support, and can you accommodate the volume of checks we need per day/month/year?
- Can you provide information regarding your platform’s reliability and uptime? What is the likelihood that an outage could impact our workflows?
- Can we create and modify our own background check packages directly in your platform, or do we need to submit requests to your team?
Must-have solutions for modern background checks
- Faster turnaround times from a provider that uses machine learning technology to identify, classify, and filter data in a fraction of the time required by manual, legacy processes.
- Data accuracy that keeps your screenings on track, helps you mitigate compliance risk, and builds trust with candidates.
- Status updates for employers and candidates that include estimated completion dates for background checks to help you plan ahead and keep your candidates engaged.
- Bulk ordering tools that allow you to launch background checks for many candidates at once, which leads to time savings and enhanced efficiency.
- Screening packages that fit your needs and allow you to choose from pre-bundled screening packages or customize packages so you can conduct the background checks necessary for each position.
- Easy-to-review results that are delivered in an easy-to-use dashboard and include color-coded reports.
- Program reporting that puts actionable data and key performance metrics on volume, spend, turnaround time, and more at your fingertips.
- Account segmentation providing a flexible approach to your firm's organizational model. This is key to structuring the user access, report visibility, unique evaluation criteria, and billing location needs.
- Optimized adjudication with tools that let you filter irrelevant criminal records as part of your adjudication matrix, reducing the need for manual review.
- Adverse action workflows that save time by generating candidate notification letters and managing mandatory waiting periods automatically.
For example, Checkr’s AI-enhanced Assess tool helps large organizations spend fewer resources on adjudication, speed up the process, and get new hires through the door faster by setting criteria for a role upfront and automatically filtering reports for relevant records. With Checkr’s efficient, automated workflows, customers report the ability to reallocate up to 75% of adjudication resources to other tasks.
Dig in:
Look for evidence of reduced turnaround times with current customers. The gold standard is a 30%+ reduction in turnaround times. Also, ask about instant verification capabilities (such as employment verifications) via direct payroll system integrations.
See how Kimpton reduced turnaround time to under 24 hours for a high-volume hiring program
2
Get ahead: Capture top talent with an outstanding candidate experience
If your background check provider treats candidate experience as an afterthought, it’s time for a change. 66% of candidates in a recent survey said a positive candidate experience influenced their decision to accept a job offer.
A poor candidate experience may not only cost you qualified talent, but also your reputation. Lack of transparency regarding the background check process, a clunky candidate interface, or unexplained delays can all cause promising candidates to drop off. In fact, 47% of candidates said they'd accept a lower starting salary if they thought the hiring company treated the hiring process with respect and communicated extremely well.
What makes for an exceptional candidate experience? Good communication, quick responses, and a rapid hiring process are among the top elements. Unfortunately, 66% of candidates have been “ghosted” by employers according to Checkr’s Hiring Disconnect Report. Prevent this problem by partnering with a background check provider that facilitates efficient communication with AI-powered workflows and dedicated support.
Questions you need answered
Candidate workflow
- How do candidates provide additional information and supporting documentation related to their general candidacy and/or specific charges that may surface on their background check report?
- Are all candidates afforded the opportunity to tell their unique story, or only those cases impacted by Ban-the-Box and Fair Chance laws?
- What avenues do candidates have to dispute the information in their background check report?
Transparency
- Do you provide tools that allow us greater visibility into background check fulfillment and estimated timelines? Is there any functionality that helps us predict a candidate’s start date?
- Do you track the percentage of invitations completed on a mobile device? If yes, what is the percentage?
Support
- How do you handle errors or missing information during the background check process to minimize delays?
- Describe your candidate support options, including hours of availability, average response time, and available communication channels.
- Do candidates have access to self-service support options?
Must-have solutions for modern background checks
- A mobile-friendly platform that lets candidates conveniently complete forms, provide consent, and more on their mobile devices to keep the process moving quickly.
- A user-friendly candidate portal that makes background checks effortless for candidates with a streamlined login using certain personally identifiable information, eliminating the need to create a username or remember a password.
- Automated exceptions handling to save time by alerting candidates to correct mistakes during the background check workflow, before the background check search begins.
- ETAs and status updates to keep candidates engaged and provide estimated completion dates for their background checks. Ongoing status updates offer transparency throughout the process, building trust.
- A self-service help center to keep candidates informed and provide quick answers to their questions.
- Chat support that minimizes the need for live calls and speeds support resolutions.
- Live, expert support when candidates need it, saving your team time and letting you focus on recruiting instead of answering candidates’ questions.
- Candidate context options enable candidates with criminal histories to share their stories about their records, helping them gain a fair chance at employment.
Dig in:
Ask if providers can quantify the average reduction in candidate contact rates after switching to their service. The gold standard is a 15%+ reduction in contact, demonstrating the provider is creating an outstanding candidate experience.
3
Get ahead: Enhance efficiency with seamless integrations
84% of HR leaders believe that improvements to the background check process would positively impact their talent acquisition ROI and help reduce hiring costs. If you’re facing pressure to cut costs, start by taking a look at the efficiency of background checks within your end-to-end hiring flow.
Your HR team shouldn’t have to input the same data in multiple places or use manual workarounds to link solutions. Such old-fashioned approaches cause background screening backlogs that can cost you top talent and waste time that could be better spent engaging with candidates.
Instead, look for background screening solutions that offer pre-built and custom API integrations for your Applicant Tracking System (ATS), Human Resources Information System (HRIS), or Human Capital Management (HCM) platform.
Questions you need answered
Pre-built integrations
- Can you provide a list of ATS/HRIS/HCM partners with readily deployable integrations?
- When was the integration for my preferred HR tech last updated?
- What is the turnaround time for deploying a partner integration, and what does the background check workflow look like following integration?
- How does your organization support custom integration work?
Custom API
- Describe your modern, RESTful API capabilities. Can you support a customized, fully hosted (embeddable) workflow within our proprietary application that does not redirect the candidate to a screening invitation?
- Do you have SSO and data sync capabilities that enable end-to-end streamlined workflows?
- Outline the available webhooks we can leverage to stay abreast of changes throughout the background check fulfillment process.
Must-have solutions for modern background checks
- Seamless, pre-built integrations with your preferred ATS, HRIS, and onboarding systems to streamline manual workflows, eliminate duplicative work, and save time.
- Turnkey embeddable components to easily customize your background check experience to reduce development time and ongoing maintenance.
- A background check API to seamlessly connect the screening process across the technology platforms you already use, enabling faster hiring, revenue growth, and a strong brand experience.
- SSO and datafeed solutions that let you build a complete tech flow that minimizes manual steps, reduces the chance for error, and works the way you do.
Dig in:
Focus on the ease of implementation for a provider’s HR tech stack integrations. Lots of providers like to mention how many integrations they offer, but the devil's in the details of how fast and easy it is to get started.
Make choosing the best provider easy with our free RFP template
4
Get ahead: Only accept superior customer support
Are you losing top candidates to the competition due to lackluster support from your background check provider?
On the back end, responsive support for your TA team is critical to completing background screening tasks and efficiently moving candidates through the funnel. A background check provider that offers individualized attention to easily set up your account, including speedy implementation and guided onboarding with dedicated specialists, lets you quickly get started screening applicants and reducing time to hire.
Your background check provider should deliver customer support in your preferred channels, whether that’s email, phone, text, or live chat. Look for a detailed knowledge base and learning center, plus robust candidate support. A provider that offers excellent candidate support prevents delays and eases the burden on time-pressed TA teams to answer candidate questions.
Questions you need answered
Support infrastructure
- Describe your customer support options, including hours of availability, average response time, and available communication channels.
- Are there any additional costs for customer support or different tiers of customer support?
- Do you provide a knowledge base or other resources for self-service support?
- Do you provide training sessions or other materials to help our team learn to navigate and maximize results from your platform?
Proof points
- What is your Net Promoter Score (NPS), and can you share G2 or CSAT scores? How do those compare to your competition?
- What is your current client retention rate, and how do you calculate that rate?
- List five things your company requires from us for a successful relationship.
Updates and lead times
- What are your standard lead times for system changes, and how quickly are you able to make updates to our program?
- How frequently are these resources updated to reflect new issues or features in your platform?
Must-have solutions for modern background checks
- Superior customer support from a qualified support team that delivers the expert assistance you need.
- Dedicated candidate support from a multilingual support team, as well as support for international candidates (if you hire abroad).
- Convenient communication channels so your team and your candidates can quickly get the help you need in the way that best suits your needs.
- A self-service help center that lets you find solutions quickly by providing on-demand answers to many FAQs.
Dig in:
When asking about a provider’s Net Promoter Score, keep industry standards in mind. An NPS over 30 is good; over 40 is great.
P.S. Checkr’s NPS is +60, find out why.
5
Get ahead: Mitigate risk with built-in compliance tools
Complying with background screening laws and regulations is becoming more complex by the day. In addition to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines, employers must contend with 37 state and more than 190 local Ban the Box laws. There are also an increasing number of Clean Slate laws, salary history laws, constantly evolving drug screening laws, and changing local regulations. A single violation of the FCRA could cost an employer up to $1,000 in statutory damages or even more in punitive damages.
Complex web of laws and screening regulations makes compliance challenging
FCRA
Legality of marijuana
Ban the Box
Salary history
Credit history
FCRA is a federal law governing how companies order and consider information contained in a background check. It covers all 50 states, plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico.
47 states plus Washington DC have enacted laws that make medicinal and/or recreational marijuana use legal for adults under at least some circumstances.
37 states and 190 cities/counties have enacted Ban the Box laws that vary greatly based on scope, nature, location and and jurisdiction, but generally restrict some employers from asking about a candidate’s criminal history on initial job application forms.
19 states and 19 cities/counties, plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico, have enacted salary history laws that vary based on location and jurisdiction, but generally prohibit employers from asking for previous salary information.
10 states and 3 cities, plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico, have enacted laws that restrict the use of credit information in hiring decisions.
This web of laws can be further complicated when hiring at scale for locations in multiple cities or states, or when supporting a remote workforce. For employers that hire hundreds of employees per month, missteps when reviewing background check reports may exponentially increase the risk of costly litigation. Unfortunately, even large employers may struggle to allocate time or dedicated legal staff to stay abreast of constantly changing legislation across jurisdictions.
You can mitigate compliance risk by choosing a background screening provider that uses modern technology to efficiently sort and classify criminal charges from jurisdictions nationwide. Adjudication tools that allow you to set granular criteria for specific positions help ensure your team sees only relevant, reportable, and reviewable charges—even when you’re hiring at high volume.
Questions you need answered
Regional compliance support
- Can you provide examples or case studies demonstrating how your solution has successfully maintained compliance in complex regulatory environments?
- What features does your platform offer to help us comply with Ban the Box laws, especially regarding the handling of criminal records?
- How does your solution generate the necessary compliance forms for different hiring locations?
- What type of ongoing support and updates do you offer to ensure that your solution remains compliant with changing laws and regulations?
Scalability
- Can we customize the platform’s compliance features to meet our specific needs and regulatory requirements?
- How scalable is your solution to accommodate our company’s growth or changes in regulatory landscapes?
Metrics and insights
- What reporting and analytics capabilities do you provide to track our compliance and efficiency metrics?
- Do you provide insights specific to fair chance hiring and EEOC compliance?
Must-have solutions for modern background checks
- Compliance support for the FCRA, EEOC, Ban the Box, and local regulations to help take the pressure off your HR team.
- Improved efficiency and compliance support with a platform that filters out information that is not legally reportable and dynamically generates the regional compliance forms you need.
- A streamlined way to protect your business if you operate in an area that has adopted Ban the Box laws that may include specific regulations about how to handle criminal records in the decision process. A built-in feature that helps you seamlessly gather candidate stories is a smart way to help ensure compliance for your company.
- Easier adjudication with tools that let you filter irrelevant records as part of your adjudication matrix. Minimize the need for manual review, reduce the risk of human error, and remove bias for a fair, compliant hiring process.
- Adverse action workflows that save time and improve compliance by generating candidate notification letters and managing mandatory waiting periods automatically.
- Continuous monitoring to notify you of reportable changes to your workers’ records in real-time so you can keep your company and customers safe.
- Fair chance reporting that combines resources, social proof, and analytics to help you understand, implement, and advance fair chance hiring practices and DEI initiatives.
Dig in:
Get specific with your compliance concerns. Ask about how a provider’s compliance tools help you comply with evolving legislation, and build a consistent, efficient adjudication program. The best adjudication tools can help you reduce adverse action rates by 20%+.
Stay ahead: Choose a partner who can grow with your program
Once you think you’ve found a provider who checks every box for your program, shift your gaze to the future. You don’t just need a transaction-focused vendor for right now; you need a partner who can innovate alongside your talent acquisition team as your hiring program evolves.
Double down on areas where you see scalability and partnership as an essential need for your future business objectives before you make a final decision. By choosing a partner who can grow with you, you set yourself up to improve the ROI of your background check investment.
Questions you need answered
Innovation & technology
- What cadence does your organization use to develop new product features and enhancements?
- How do your key objectives related to innovation and product development align with our goals for our hiring program?
- How does your team view AI and machine learning’s role in hiring and background checks, now and in the future?
- Can you describe any new products or tech you currently have in development that could enhance our program in the future and help us get ahead?
Customer listening
- How will you actively gather our team’s feedback, innovation ideas, and product requests?
- Do you host Customer Advisory Boards, feedback loops, or similar customer listening programs?
- Can you share examples of product advancements or custom solutions that have been developed and launched based on customer feedback?
Compliance
- How do you proactively monitor and implement updates to your solution that reflect evolving compliance legislation in our hiring region(s)?
- How easy is it to implement new custom rulesets or workflows based on changes to regulatory landscapes in our hiring region(s)?
Don’t settle for “good enough”
Is your current background check provider delivering slow results, a negative candidate experience, or poor customer support? If so, it’s time to switch. In today’s competitive talent market, the wrong provider could hurt your chances of hiring the top talent you need.
The right background check partner can help you streamline, automate, optimize, and modernize your screening process so you can:
- Increase efficiency and streamline hiring and onboarding with ATS, HRIS, HCM, and API integrations.
- Hire qualified candidates faster at any scale, reducing your cost of vacancy.
- Offer an exceptional candidate experience to onboard more of your top candidates and enhance your employer brand.
- Enjoy robust customer support for you and your candidates, using your preferred communications channels.
- Support compliance with advanced platform features and workflows that mitigate risk.
97%
of customers say our turnaround times are faster
90%
of customers say Checkr has simplified their daily work
99%
of our checks are automated after data retrieval, with human QA
Checkr’s easy-to-use, customizable screening options help large employers conduct fast, accurate background checks that streamline high-volume hiring. Our AI-powered processes simplify your workflows and even help you ensure that dispersed hiring teams evaluate candidates consistently. When you or your candidates need assistance, our responsive, expert support teams are there for you every step of the way.
Ready to win more qualified talent with better background checks?
Disclaimer
The resources and information provided here are for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Always consult your own counsel for up-to-date legal advice and guidance related to your practices, needs, and compliance with applicable laws.
