Need-to-Know: 4 Ways Your HR Department Can Properly Vet New Employees

Many people can make it past a job interview only for the company to realize they aren’t a good fit. Vetting candidates ensures that the experience, background and person the new employee has presented fits what they put on their resume. Finding someone who not only suits the company culture but is also competent and qualified for the position takes time, but it will ultimately reduce greater risk and save more time in the future.
If you want to make sure new hires are the perfect fit for the job, here are four ways the HR department can properly vet employees.

Start With the Essentials

Get background and education checks out of the way first. These are the easiest to verify. Make sure that you apply your vetting process uniformly to each new hire and that state and federal employment standards are upheld at all times.
Make sure you ask the following questions:

• Has this process been just and fair in providing equal employment opportunity to every hire?
• Does the candidate pass the background check requirements laid out by the company?
• Has the candidate’s educational background and any certifications been verified?
• Does the candidate present themselves in a manner that corresponds with their application and the interview notes?

Ask Targeted Questions

When you speak to the new employee, ask them questions that directly draw from the responsibilities of the position. Rather than listing them off and letting the new hire nod their head in agreement, ask them questions about previous work experience to see if their answer corresponds with the new position.
If they struggle to answer, is the reason simply nerves or do they not have as much experience or education as they claimed? What skill gaps does the new employee possess, and how quickly could these be closed? More importantly, is the candidate open about any skills they need to develop and willing to take initiative and undergo training to perform their job to the best of their abilities?

Find a Good Connection

Check LinkedIn and reach out to a previous coworker or employer of the candidate. Ask if they have some time to talk about the new employee’s performance. Through messaging, you can gain valuable insight as well as confirmation of their work history listed on their resume.

Check Social Media

Up to 70 percent of employers use social media to screen candidates. When you search a person’s name on Google, you can find their personal profiles that present a completely different side of them. There are even services you can use to find alternate spellings and nicknames of online personas for your potential employees called fuzzy name matching tools. Be sure to do plenty of research to ensure your new hires are top notch online as well as in person.
Remember to consider your company’s culture, the position and each employee as a person. It’s natural for someone in HR to develop a “formula” of sorts when it comes to screening, but taking the time to carefully vet each candidate individually will ensure that your company gets the right fit each time.