Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Filtration & Separations Recruiter - Background Checks and Company Security

My name is Lisa Sprowls and I am a Filtration Recruiter. I work on many sales/ engineering/executive/ and management level positions serving the search and recruitment needs of both large and small manufacturers and distributors in the Filtration/Water & Wastewater/ Separations/and Environmental Industries.

With each and every finalist candidate that we present to our clients, we also provide a complete background check. Our background checks are provided by our parent company, BackTrack Inc., www.backtracker.com. All reports provided include employment verification, education verification, social security trace report, motor vehicle report, reference checking and criminal records searches.

Background Checks and Company Security
More and more companies and organizations are doing background checks on their job candidates, and even current employees. One of the primary reasons for doing background checks is internal security and protection from negligent hiring lawsuits. Some companies choose to outsource the screening and some choose to do the screening in house with their own staff. Which ever option your company chooses, there are some basic tips that can help you.

Verify information on resumes. Some job candidates appear to try and make their resume their “great American novel”, complete with literary license to pad, inflate or even lie on their resume. After all, they are not signing the document like they would an application; therefore they do not feel like they are practicing any type of deception. One way to mitigate any deception on the resume is to have a disclaimer on the application where the applicant signs, attesting that the information on their resume is accurate and true to the best of their knowledge.

Follow up on employment and reference verifications. If an applicant asked you not to call a particular employer or reference because it could affect the current employment, make sure to follow through after an offer has been made. Contact those people to be sure that there weren’t any discrepancies that the applicant reported on his application or resume.

Keep your background checks consistent. If you are going to screen a sales person, make sure that the screening procedure you use and the information you verify is uniform with any other sales person you have done a background check on. Many companies that perform background checks will allow you to select various “packages” that you can pick depending on the position that you are screening a candidate for.

The most important piece of advice is to screen the applicant. Don’t go by word of mouth alone, or the fact that someone who knows someone else recommend the applicant. Do the criminal check, the reference check and the rest of the history. The best defense you have against any type of negligent hiring lawsuit is the ability to show you as an organization are proactive.

Filtration & Separations Recruiter - Background Checks and Company Security

Lisa Sprowls
Filtration Recruiter
Recruiter Solutions International
8850 Tyler Blvd.
Mentor, OH 44060
800-992-3875 ext. 313
lisa@rsipeople.com



Filtration Recruiter, Water Recruiter, Wastewater Recruiter, Environmental Recruiter, Fluid Power Recruiter. As an executive recruiter/headhunter dedicated to serving the search and recruitment needs in both large and small manufacturers and distributors. Specializes in the search and placement of sales, engineering, management and upper level management positions. Keywords: Filtration Recruiter, Water Recruiter, Wastewater Recruiter, Pumps, Filters, Microfiltration, Water, Oil, Gas, Air, Industrial, Cartridge, Filtration & Separation, Membrane, Reverse Osmosis, Filtration Equipment, Filter Media, Filtration Supplies, Wastewater, Fuel, Environmental, Storm Water, Dewatering Equipment, Woven, Non Woven, Ultrafiltration, Recruiter Solutions International, RSI, Lisa Sprowls, Headhunter Filtration, Filtration Headhunter, Filtration Industry Recruiter, Wastewater and Filtration, Water Treatment, Wastewater

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Filtration Recruiter - Resume Tips #2

My name is Lisa Sprowls and I am a Filtration Recruiter. I work on many sales/ engineering/executive/ and management level positions serving the search and recruitment needs of both large and small manufacturers and distributors in the Filtration/Water & Wastewater/ Separations/and Environmental Industries.

With each and every finalist candidate that we present to our clients, we also provide a complete background check. Our background checks are provided by our parent company, BackTrack Inc., www.backtracker.com. All reports provided include employment verification, education verification, social security trace report, motor vehicle report, reference checking and criminal records searches.

Today, more than any other time in our industry, more and more employers are requesting completed background checks prior to extending an offer to a potential candidate. With this in mind, it is very important that you, the candidate, provide a very clear and honest picture of your background to a potential new employer.

As with many situations, preparation is the key to success. The job market is very competitive and you probably will not be the only qualified candidate for a position. The deciding factor may simply be your background check. One minor exaggeration are dates of employment or degree, may remove you from the running. As a Filtration Recruiter, I have seen candidates not be considered for positions by what has been verified or not verified on their background check.

Tips & Techniques #2
In my previous post, I commented on the importance of education verification. Now let’s turn our attention to employment.

Most verification companies will stay away from contacting your current employer as not to jeopardize your employment. They will however contact past employers provided on your resume. It is important to note that with the advent of the internet along with verification services data housed through the Work Number or any other verification line will be returned and entered into the report, providing even more data to the prospective employer. Keeping this in mind, it is important that you provide all of the places where you have been employed, even for just a short time.

You may also choose to provide employment dates on your resume that have been exaggerated so as to not show a gap in employment. This will also come to light during the employment verification process. It is important not to have gaps in employment, but employers understand that from time to time this may occur. If it does, it is up to you to be honest and upfront about the reasons why, not to try and hide it. People leave employers for a number of reasons: layoffs occur, company closures, as do family/personal reasons. People also get terminated, though most hope this never happens to them. Again, when writing your resume, it is important to be upfront and honest. Employers want to know the circumstances surrounding your reasons for leaving. If it is due to termination, let them know; if it is to better yourself, let them know. For most employers they like to see a steady trend of improvement in your career. If you are no longer employed because the company closed, it’s always a good idea to supply the employer with a reference that could verify your position.

It is important not to have too many employers showing that you have jumped from job to job. This puts up a red flag to an employer who may think you are not the type of person to stay in one place for too long. Also, concerns potentially arise if you have been at your same employer in the same position for 15+ years. Employers are looking for people that are motivated to better themselves and being stuck in one place for a long time does not portray that type of person.

When providing information regarding your current or past compensation is important to provide the correct amount. More and more, employers are requesting a copy of your W-2 to verify that the compensation you have reported is correct.

Now I realize that there are many times that you have sent your resume in for a specific position, knowing full well you are capable of doing the job but never getting an interview. I understand how frustrating it is, but this should not cause you to lie on your resume or exaggerate the truth. It is better to be upfront and honest, then to get hired under false pretenses only to get terminated a short time later because you have misrepresented yourself.

Employment is the most important part of any person. Unless you are a self-made millionaire and do not need to work like the rest of us, we need a job. Your employment career is just as important as your credit report. In order to secure a better position with better income, your past employment needs to show that you are worth the risk. Even if you have had issues in the past, it’s never too late to correct them for the future. Just know that with more and more companies conducting background screens, it’s important to provide this potential new employer with an honest look of your background. If anything comes back, that you have omitted or stretched the truth, it may be a red flag to the employer as to your integrity.

Come back often to view more interview tips and techniques that will assist you in your interviewing process. To learn more about our organization or what positions we may have that you may have an interest in, please contact me at 800-992-3875 ext. 313.

Lisa Sprowls
Filtration Recruiter
Recruiter Solutions International
8850 Tyler Blvd.
Mentor, OH 44060
800-992-3875 ext. 313
lisa@rsipeople.com

Filtration Recruiter Resume Tips

Filtration Recruiter Resume Tips