整体大于部分之和”——亚里士多德

亚里士多德当然是一位杰出的思想家，他远远领先于他的时代。他简单而深刻的顿悟定义了我们现在所说的协同作用[1]。已经创建了许多隐喻来使用其他词来表达这个概念，所有这些都是正确的。“一幅画不仅仅是其各部分的总和”——Wendelin Van Draanen。相当沉重的“世界不仅仅是其苦难的总和”——迪帕克乔普拉。有点影响力——也是我们最喜欢的，“拳头不仅仅是手指的总和”——玛格丽特阿特伍德。

同样，背景调查——我们说的是彻底的背景调查——远远超过其各部分的总和。犯罪/公共记录搜索、以前的工作、教育、药物测试——所有这些都是非常有价值的评估，旨在帮助确保您的求职者告诉您的是事实，并且您雇用的人确实是他们所说的人。

最好和最彻底的背景调查由多个组成部分组成，使雇主能够从多个角度查看潜在员工。最好的背景调查就像食谱或拼图游戏，由不同的屏幕组成，共同提供最完整和可靠的资料。指纹是非常有价值的。电子验证检查也是如此。但是，当添加到犯罪记录审查和其他筛选中时，它们会提供更完整的候选人审查，从而更有效地帮助确保更安全的工作场所。

单独来看，每个组件都会告诉您很多信息。正如我们的2019 年就业筛查基准报告所示，犯罪/公共记录搜索仍然是最受欢迎的筛查类型，93% 的组织表示他们依赖此测试。64% 的组织进行了身份确认，而 56% 的接受调查的公司验证了以前的工作和/或推荐信。但正如我们所指出的，“大多数组织都会进行背景调查，其中包括多种类型的搜索。”

当然，很大程度上取决于工作类型。申请以驾驶公司车辆为主要组成部分的职位的个人——例如商业司机、豪华轿车司机或出租车司机——很可能会审查他们的机动车辆记录。申请技术作家工作的个人可能不需要这样的考试。

行业也是如此。申请涉及处理金钱或获得财务记录的职位的候选人可能会审查其财务历史，因为他们准确和负责任地处理此类事务的能力可能与所提供的职位有关。不涉及财务的其他类型工作的候选人可能不会接受他们的财务记录审查。

哪些其他类型的筛选可以构成完整和彻底的背景调查？虽然您可能不需要其中的每一个，但可以考虑添加屏幕，以便更全面地了解您可能将公司最敏感数据、公司（可能还有您的员工）的财务信息、直接沟通的候选人委托给他们访问您最有价值的客户，以及您组织的品牌和声誉。

I-9/就业授权

• I-9 表格用于验证受雇在美国就业的个人的身份和就业授权。所有美国雇主都必须确保他们为在美国就业而雇用的每个人正确填写 I-9 表格。这包括公民和非公民。观火背调 使流程变得在线且直观，客户可以通过专门的基于 Web 的门户创建、查看、下载、存储和打印 I-9 表格。

药物/酒精测试

• 从商业运输系统到医院再到制造商，各种规模的企业都需要一个无酒精和无毒品的工作场所。观火背调 等经验丰富的大型背景调查组织与业内最受尊敬的 SAMSHA 认证实验室和设备制造商合作，为客户提供全套测试方法和服务。

教育信息

• 正如您在众多文章中所读到的那样，许多人伪造他们的教育——包括 C 级特别是对于知名员工甚至董事会成员，验证教育可能会在未来避免不必要的负面宣传。

机动车记录 (MVR)

• 任何将操作公司自有车辆的人都可能会审查他们的驾驶记录。此类审查将显示候选人是否因超速而被传讯，或是否犯有在药物或酒精影响下驾驶等违法行为。在交通部 (DOT) 监管的行业中运营的组织必须每 12 个月申请一份每位司机 MVR 的新副本。

专业执照/资格验证

• 医疗、生命科学和其他领域的组织需要获得许可并验证候选人的资格。确保这些认证和资格是最新且准确的，对于组织及其客户的安全和保障至关重要。

信用记录

• 雇主可能会要求进行信用检查，特别是如果候选人将涉及获取金钱或金融交易。虽然不会透露候选人的信用评分，但雇主可能会看到候选人信用报告的修改版本。不良的信用检查可能会显示延迟付款、过度债务或债务管理不善，这可能表明盗窃或欺诈的风险增加。

指纹识别

• 指纹检查根据数据库验证候选人的指纹。教育、医疗保健、儿童保育和安全敏感职位等领域的候选人更有可能被采集指纹。州或地方法律要求这些职位中的许多职位在背景筛选过程中包括指纹。大多数指纹现在可以通过扫描仪以数字方式捕获。候选人在信息亭扫描他们的照片。然后这些打印件以电子方式传输给联邦调查局。结果通常会在 24 小时内返回。

社交媒体

• 虽然查看社交媒体资料可能会提供对候选人的更多了解，但最佳做法是在此过程的后期进行此检查，以避免与候选人的外貌、种族、性别或其社交资料中可见的其他因素相关的潜在歧视问题。

虽然应用基本筛选（例如犯罪、身份和以前的工作）单独提供对候选人历史的批判性一瞥，但增加筛选参数以阐明候选人背景的其他方面可能会提供更全面和可靠的外观。通过与客户经理协商，观火背调的客户可以轻松地增加他们的背景调查标准。

最后，正如我们在基准报告中指出的那样，“在确定对每位候选人进行哪些检查时，组织应考虑职位要求和法律允许的内容。”

[1]两个或多个组织、物质或其他代理的相互作用或合作，以产生大于它们单独作用之和的综合作用。

“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts” – Aristotle

Aristotle was, of course, a brilliant thinker who was way ahead of his time. His simple, yet profound epiphany defines what we now call synergy[1]. Many metaphors have been created to express the notion using other words, all of them true. “A painting is more than the sum of its parts” – Wendelin Van Draanen. The rather heavy “The world is more than the sum of its suffering” – Deepak Chopra. And somewhat impactful — and our favorite, “A fist is more than the sum of its fingers” – Margaret Atwood.

In the same manner, a background check – we’re talking a thorough background check — is far more than the sum of its parts. Criminal/public record searches, previous employment, education, drug testing – all are extremely valuable assessments designed to help ensure that what your job candidate tells you is the truth and the person you’re hiring is really who they say they are.

The best and most thorough background checks comprise multiple components, which enable employers to see a prospective employee from multiple angles. The best background checks are like recipes or jigsaw puzzles, comprising different screens that, together, offer the most complete and reliable profile. Fingerprinting is extremely valuable. So is an E-Verify check. But when added to criminal record reviews and other screens, they offer a more complete candidate review that’s far more effective in helping ensure a safer and more secure workplace.

Individually, each component tells you a lot. As shown in our 2019 Employment Screening Benchmark Report, criminal/public record searches remain the most popular type of screen, with 93% of organizations stating they depend on this test. Identify confirmations are run by 64% of organizations, while previous employment and/or references were verified by 56% of companies surveyed. But as we noted, “Most organizations perform background checks that include several types of searches.”

Of course, much depends on the type of job. Individuals applying for positions in which driving a company vehicle is a major component of the position – e.g., a commercial driver, limousine driver, or cab driver – will quite likely have their motor vehicle records reviewed. Such an examination may not be required for individuals applying for a job as a technical writer.

The same goes for the industry. A candidate applying for a position involving handling money or having access to financial records may have their financial history reviewed since their ability to handle such matters accurately and responsibly may be pertinent to the position offered. Candidates for other sorts of jobs not involving finances may not have their financial records reviewed.

What other types of screens can comprise a complete and thorough background check? While you may not require each and every one of these, consider adding screens that may provide a more holistic look at the candidate with whom you may be entrusting your company’s most sensitive data, corporate (and possibly your employees’) financial information, direct communication access to your most valued clients, and your organization’s brand and reputation.

I-9/Employment Authorization

• Form I-9 is used for verifying the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. All U.S. employers must ensure proper completion of Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States. This includes citizens and noncitizens. HireRight has made the process online and intuitive where customers can create, view, download, store, and print I-9 forms via a dedicated web-based portal.

Drug/Alcohol Testing

• Businesses of all sizes, from commercial transportation systems to hospitals to manufacturers require an alcohol and drug-free workplace. Experienced and large background check organizations like HireRight partner with the industry’s most respected SAMSHA certified laboratories and device manufacturers to offer clients a full suite of testing methodologies and services.

Education Information

• As you may have read in numerous articles, many individuals falsify their education – including C-level Particularly for high-profile employees and even board members, verifying education may save unwanted negative publicity in the future.

Motor Vehicle Records (MVR)

• Anyone who will be operating a company-owned vehicle may have their driving record reviewed. Such a review will show if the candidate has been cited for excessive speed, or committed illegal acts like driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Organizations operating in a Department of Transportation (DOT) regulated industry are required to request a new copy of each driver’s MVR every 12 months.

Professional License/Qualification Verifications

• Organizations in the medical, life sciences and other fields require licensure and verification of candidate’s qualifications. Ensuring these certifications and qualifications are current and accurate are paramount to the safety and security of the organization and its customers.

Credit History

• Employers may request a credit check, particularly if the candidate will be involved with access to money or financial transactions. While a candidate’s credit score won’t be revealed, employers may see a modified version of a candidate’s credit report. A poor credit check may reveal late payments, excessive debt, or debt mismanagement which could indicate an increased risk of theft or fraud.

Fingerprinting

• A fingerprint check verifies the candidate’s fingerprints against a database. Candidates in fields like education, health care, child care, and security-sensitive positions are more likely to have their fingerprints taken. Many of these positions are required by state or local law to include fingerprints in the background screening process. Most fingerprints can now be captured digitally by a scanner. Candidates have their prints scanned at a kiosk. Those prints are then transmitted to the FBI electronically. Results are often returned within 24 hours.

Social Media

• While reviewing social media profiles may provide additional insight into candidates, it’s a best practice to conduct this check later in the process to avoid potential questions of discrimination related to a candidate’s appearance, race, gender, or other factors visible on their social profile.

While applying basic screens such as criminal, identity and previous employment individually offer a critical glimpse into a candidate’s history, augmenting your screening parameters to illuminate other aspects of a candidate’s background may provide a more holistic and dependable look. Customers of HireRight can easily augment their background check criteria by conferring with their Account Manager.

Finally, as we noted in our Benchmark Report, “When determining which checks to perform for each candidate, organizations should consider both the requirements of the position and what is permissible under the law.”

[1] The interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.