When Is the Best Time to Conduct Employee Background Checks: Before or After the Offer?

Hi All, I have a small question for all my dear friends regarding background checks for employees in their current companies. Would it be wise to conduct a background check:

1. Before giving the offer letter or after giving the offer letter? This is because the offer letter may or may not be accepted by the candidate, which could indicate their interest in joining the company. Additionally, performing a background check at this stage may affect how the candidate's current seniors perceive him if he decides to stay with his present company.

2. At the time he submits his resignation to his current employer. This moment signifies that he has chosen to join the new company since he only resigns after accepting the offer letter. Conducting a background check at this point may not be detrimental as he will soon be leaving his current company, and his resignation letter indicates his intention to leave.

Please advise on the best time to conduct a background check on a candidate considering the scenarios mentioned above.

Thanks with regards

Requesting clarification on the exact time when the reference check with the present company will be conducted in relation to job responsibilities and other employment details.

Regards

Dear Kartiken,

Background Checks: Timing and Considerations

Background checks or reference checks can only be done after the candidate joins your company, not before, because if conducted earlier, it would be a breach of contract in terms of the offer letter.

Another practical aspect to consider is that if you ask the current employer of the candidate for feedback, there is a chance that the current company may try to retain the candidate by providing negative feedback to you.

Therefore, it is advisable to conduct the background check after the candidate has joined the organization.

Regards,
Amit

Background checks with PAST employers must be done before any offer letter is issued.

Background Checks with Current Employers

Background checks with the current employer should NOT be done earlier than when the candidate actually joins your employment. Three reasons for this advice are:

1. If the current employer comes to know that its employee is being considered elsewhere, the candidate may be extremely embarrassed at his present employment and will be unhappy with us for having put him in that position. Our image will have an adverse effect on potential candidates (as this incident is bound to be shared by the concerned candidate with his friends). The current employer may either terminate the candidate's employment or make an effort to retain such a candidate only till his services are absolutely essential and after that vindictively release him, regardless of whether the candidate will be left in the lurch.

2. You have enough material to look at from his past employers to make up your mind.

3. The candidate will be on probation in most cases for you to observe and form an objective assessment of whether he should be confirmed or released.

This approach will help you save time when making employment decisions!

Regards,
Samvedan

Dear Seniors,

When a candidate submits their resignation to their current company and we receive confirmation of this, we begin the background check process with the candidate's current company. This process is initiated only after we have received confirmation from the candidate that they have submitted their resignation and have informed them that we are starting the process on our end.

This procedure is followed to ensure that when the candidate joins our company, we are already aware of any outstanding dues or incomplete notice periods, preventing any last-minute negotiations or delays in the joining date. It also prevents the candidate from facing any issues related to their previous company's requirements.

Moreover, by confirming the candidate's release from their current company before their joining date, we can avoid any complications that may arise after the candidate has already started working with us.

Please advise if this approach is recommended.

Thank you.