并非所有背景调查公司都提供相同的产品或提供相同的价值以换取报价服务。一些公司提供纯在线界面，而另一些公司则充当顾问和合作伙伴，帮助客户应对合规风险并运行与其他人才管理活动无缝协作的背景筛选计划。
为确保您的投资获得最佳价值，仔细比较背景筛选服务和报价非常重要。您需要确保公司能够执行他们承诺的工作，并且他们能够以具有成本效益和及时的方式完成。在比较背景调查服务公司时，需要检查以下九个方面。
遵守
背景审查受公平信用报告法 (FCRA)、驾驶员隐私保护法 (DPPA) 和平等就业机会委员会 (EEOC) 以及一系列个别州法律的监管。州和联邦法规不仅保护个人的权利，而且还为公司如何处理背景筛选结果提供了明确的指导。提供背景调查服务的公司应该证明他们有一个机制来跟上法规的变化，并帮助他们的客户在进行背景调查时遵守法律。
专业背景审查协会 (PBSA) 提供另一个与合规相关的安心，该协会根据 FCRA 监督背景审查公司的严格认证过程。与获得PBSA 认证的公司合作可以额外保证背景审查公司遵守合规、研究和数据收集以及一系列相关业务实践的高背景审查标准。
成本
您不必为背景筛查支付过多的费用，也不想被愚弄选择声称以高得令人难以置信的价格提供广泛服务的提供商。相反，与提供点菜和套餐定价的提供商合作是有意义的，具有必要的灵活性来适应您想要的服务和筛选频率。
周转时间
根据 HR.com 和全国专业背景调查员协会 (NAPBS，现为 PBSA) 进行的一项全国性调查，62% 的雇主表示，获得结果的时间长短是他们的组织在进行背景调查时面临的最大挑战检查。周转时间可能会受到一系列因素的影响，包括特定城市的延误、个人提供的信息的准确性（例如，错误的 SSN）以及推荐人、学校或公司联系人回复所需的时间要求。
背景筛选结果的周转时间太重要了，不能靠运气，特别是当需要这些结果才能推动候选人的工作机会时。了解每次搜索和验证需要多长时间才能获得背景筛选结果非常重要。理想情况下，与您合作的筛查公司应提供“可操作的信息”，将自动化平台与人工分析相结合，以提供逐步更新、每次背景调查需要多长时间的指导，以及明确定义的预测和分析流程。沟通延迟。
使用此“RFP 评估记分卡”为背景筛选提供商创建一个成功的 RFP 流程>>
技术
背景筛选已经超越了来回传递授权和纸质记录。今天的技术通过超越纸质甚至电子邮件，将流程简化为发送通知、存储文档和时间戳筛选记录的平台。背景筛选技术也可以与您可能已经在使用的其他 HR 平台一起很好地工作。例如，借助预配置集成和允许无缝连接的应用程序编程接口 (API)，可以将背景筛选技术与公司申请人跟踪系统 (ATS) 结合使用。这样，随着候选人在招聘过程中的移动，他们的背景筛选信息也会随之移动。
在比较背景筛查服务时，与使用最新技术进行背景筛查的提供商合作是有意义的，定期改进其功能以保持竞争力并为您提供最好的背景筛查。除了集成之外，许多提供商还提供移动访问，允许候选人访问授权、披露等。
对候选人体验的影响
背景筛选应该对候选人和招聘公司一样有效。毕竟，当候选人从开始了解公司的那一刻到他们开始作为员工工作的那一刻都拥有良好的经验时，招聘结果会更加积极。
作为招聘公司的延伸，背景调查公司会影响公司的雇主品牌和招聘过程中的候选人体验。因此，与帮助您提供无缝、自动化且及时进行的背景筛查流程的背景筛查公司合作非常重要。背景筛选对候选人来说应该很容易，并且不会太麻烦以至于他们在等待过长的筛选过程完成时失去兴趣或抓住另一个机会。
报告的完整性
仅仅通过“检查框”练习的背景调查公司无助于最大限度地降低招聘风险，也没有充分利用您的投资。例如，许多公司可能会说他们会核实教育和就业情况，但会限制他们的核实尝试，并报告消息来源仅在 3 次尝试后没有回应。与不止于此的提供商合作会更好，但会更努力地工作并进行更多尝试，直到找到更多信息。在获得比较筛选服务的报价时，最好看到筛选公司有一个多阶段的流程，通过电子邮件、电话、传真和集成进行验证，而不是简单地说他们会进行三次尝试来验证候选人的学历和工作经历。
报告的准确性
简单地提供关于个人背景的报告与验证该报告的准确性是有区别的。因此，有必要了解背景调查公司如何确认他们提供的信息的准确性。在比较背景服务时，确保提供商检查主要来源并花时间进行任何必要的研究以验证每个背景筛查报告中信息的准确性非常重要。您希望背景筛查合作伙伴避免的一些准确性错误示例包括：
在报告中多次引用同一刑事罪行
报告已删除的记录
列出其他人的信念，而不是预期的候选人
在您无权检查的报告中包含数据
报告不正确的地址、姓名或其他信息
定制
并非所有公司或职位都是一样的，背景筛选产品应反映这一现实。在某些情况下，您需要涵盖数据库和犯罪记录搜索的背景筛查，而在其他情况下，您可能需要包括药物或健康筛查或国际筛查组件的搜索。
背景筛选服务还应根据行业提供定制服务。例如，医疗保健和金融服务等行业有特定的监管报告要求，并且与其他行业的筛查服务不同。任何服务报价都应包括自定义和捆绑选项，根据您公司和行业的工作类型为您提供灵活性。
客户支持
拥有一个优秀的背景调查提供商意味着拥有一个透明的请求和查看报告的流程，以及处理临时请求或在需要时提供澄清的必要支持。要寻找的主要支持优势包括：
后台筛选软件中的直接消息传递
有关影响不同地理位置的延误的常见问题、视频和警报等资源
访问专门的筛选分析师（不是呼叫中心），他们可以回答有关特定报告或结果的深入问题
比较背景筛选服务和报价需要超越成本本身。通过关注关键差异因素，例如结果的准确性、技术的使用以及对候选人体验的影响，您将能够更好地选择能够提高背景筛选计划合规性和效率的筛选合作伙伴。不完整的背景调查或筛选时间过长可能会导致违规处罚、失去候选人或损害公司的声誉和品牌。通过为您选择合适的背景调查公司，您可以降低这些风险，同时拥有高效的招聘流程。
To be sure you’re getting the best value for your investment, it’s important to compare background screening services and quotes carefully. You need the assurance that companies can perform the work they commit to, and that they can do it in a cost-efficient and timely manner. Here are nine areas to examine when comparing background screening service companies.
Compliance
Background screening is regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), as well as a range of individual state laws. State and federal regulations not only protect the rights of individuals, but they also provide clear guidance about what companies can do with background screening results. Companies providing background screening services should demonstrate that they have a mechanism in place to stay abreast of changes in regulations and help their customers remain within the law when conducting background checks.
Providing another level of compliance-related peace of mind is the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA), which oversees a rigorous accreditation process for background screening companies in accordance with the FCRA. Working with a company that is PBSA-accredited offers additional assurance that the background screening company abides by high background screening standards for compliance, research and data gathering, and a range of related business practices.
Cost
You shouldn’t have to overpay for background screening, nor do you want to be fooled into selecting a provider that claims to offer a broad range of services at prices that seem too good to be true. Instead, it makes sense to work with a provider that offers a la carte and package pricing, with the necessary flexibility to accommodate the services and screening frequency you desire.
Turnaround Time
According to a national survey conducted by HR.com and the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS, now the PBSA), 62 percent of employers said that the length of time to get results is the most significant challenge facing their organization when conducting background checks. Turnaround time can be impacted by a range of factors, including municipality-specific delays, the accuracy of the information provided by individuals (for example, a wrong SSN), and the time it takes for references, schools, or company contacts to reply to requests.
The turnaround time for background screening results is too important to leave to chance, particularly when those results are required to move forward with a candidate’s job offer. It’s important to know how long it will take to get background screening results for each search and verification. Ideally, the screening company you work with should offer “actionable information” that combines an automated platform with human analysis to provide step-by-step updates, guidance for how long each background check will take, and a well-defined process for anticipating and communicating delays.
Use this "RFP Evaluation Scorecard” to create a winning RFP process for background screening providers >>
Technology
Background screening has evolved beyond passing back and forth authorization and paper records. Today’s technology streamlines the process by going beyond paper, and even email, to a platform that sends notifications, stores documents, and timestamps screening records. Background screening technology also works well alongside other HR platforms you’re likely already using. For example, with the benefit of pre-configured integrations and an application programming interface (API) that allows for seamless connectivity, it’s possible to use background screening technology in conjunction with the company applicant tracking system (ATS). That way, as candidates move through the hiring process, their background screening information moves along with them.
When comparing background screening services, it makes sense to work with a provider that uses the latest technology to conduct background screening, routinely making improvements to its functionality to remain competitive and give you the best background screening has to offer. In addition to integrations, many providers also offer mobile access, allowing candidates to access authorizations, disclosures, and more.
Impact on Candidate Experience
Background screening should work as efficiently for candidates as it does for the hiring company. After all, a hiring outcome is all the more positive when candidates have a good experience from the moment they begin to learn about a company to the moment they begin work as an employee.
As an extension of the hiring company, background screening companies impact both a company’s employer brand and the candidate experience during the hiring process. Therefore, it’s important to work with a background screening company that helps you deliver a background screening process that is seamless, automated, and takes place in a timely fashion. Background screening should be easy for candidates and not be so cumbersome that they lose interest or take another opportunity while they wait for an overly long screening process to be completed.
Completeness of Reporting
A background screening company that merely goes through a “check the box” exercise doesn’t help to minimize hiring risks, nor does it make good use of your investment. For example, many companies may say they verify education and employment, but will limit their verification attempts and report that sources were unresponsive after only three tries. It’s much better to work with a provider that doesn’t stop there, but will work harder and make additional attempts until more information can be found. When getting quotes for comparing screening services, it’s better to see that the screening company has a multi-stage process for verification via email, phone, fax, and integrations, rather than simply saying they’ll make three attempts to verify a candidate’s educational and employment history.
Accuracy of Reporting
There’s a difference between simply providing a report on an individual’s background and verifying the accuracy of that report. Therefore, it’s necessary to understand how background screening companies confirm the accuracy of the information they provide. When comparing background services, it’s important to make sure the provider checks primary sources and takes the time to do any necessary research to verify the accuracy of information in each background screening report. Some examples of the accuracy mistakes you’ll want your background screening partner to avoid include:
Citing the same criminal offense multiple times in a report
Reporting on records that were expunged
Listing convictions for other people, not the intended candidate
Including data in a report you don’t have the authorization to check
Reporting on incorrect addresses, names, or other information
Customization
Not all companies or positions are alike, and background screening product offerings should reflect that reality. In some cases, you’ll have a need for background screenings that cover database and criminal record searches, and in other cases you may need searches that include drug or health screening or an international screening component.
Background screening services should also offer customization according to industry. For example, industries such as healthcare and financial services have specific regulatory reporting requirements and will differ from screening services for other industries. Any quote for services should include custom and bundled options that give you flexibility based on the type of jobs in your company as well as your industry.
Customer Support
Having a good background screening provider means having a transparent process for requesting and viewing reports as well as the necessary support to handle ad hoc requests or provide clarification where needed. Key support benefits to look for include;
Direct messaging within the background screening software
Resources such as FAQs, videos, and alerts about delays affecting different geographical locations
Access to a dedicated screening analyst (not a call center) who can answer in-depth questions about specific reports or results
Comparing background screening services and quotes requires looking beyond cost alone. By zeroing in on key differentiators such as accuracy of results, use of technology, and impact on the candidate experience, you will be better equipped to select a screening partner that will enhance the compliance and efficiency of your background screening program. Incomplete background checks or screening that takes too long can lead to noncompliance penalties, lost candidates, or damage to the company’s reputation and brand. By choosing the right background screening company for you, you can reduce these risks and have a highly productive hiring process at the same time.
