March 28th, 2022 | Sterling

Why Run Background Checks in the Consulting Industry

The labour market has gone through a dramatic transformation. From an increase to a remote first environment to the “great resignation,” the market has shifted from an employer-driven to a candidate-driven one.  Candidates now have more options to choose from when it comes to selecting their next job. As a result, they are putting stronger emphasis on the candidate experience as they’re going through the recruiting process. Due to this shift, employers are even more concerned with time-to-hire, optimizing the candidate experience, building teams on a foundation of trust and safety, and finding quality candidates that are strong representations of their brand.

The consulting industry has always put strong emphasis on a people-first approach. After all, the number one asset for the industry is consultants. Through the pandemic, resilience and agility is what made consulting firms stand out. Those that quickly pivoted not only survived but emerged stronger. The success of consulting firms strongly depends on being focused on growth and transformation. That also applies to the recruiting and hiring process. Consulting firms must be agile in the processes of hiring employees to secure strong candidates quickly. As such, robust identity and background check services are critical components in the process of vetting the right candidates for firms to build teams.

4 Factors to Consider in Today’s Evolving labour Market

Do you want your organization to thrive during the ‘’great resignation?’’ Be sure to incorporate these 4 factors to elevate your background screening program.

1. The Importance of Background Checks

Background checks can mitigate risk, protect your brand’s reputation, and allow you to hire with confidence. A strong background check provider will deliver a better picture of a candidate’s criminal history as well as their education and employment verification, while still being mindful of turnaround times, accuracy, compliance complexities, and candidate experience. It’s important to keep in mind that not all background checks are created equally, an experienced provider will be able to create a program unique to your organization and industry. When working in a fast-paced industry such as Consulting, it’s imperative that robust and quick background checks are implemented to get the right candidates hired quickly.

2. Social Media Presence

Just as candidates research your company when applying to jobs, more employers are leveraging social media searches to make informed hiring decisions. With so much of our lives broadcasted across social media, there is a plethora of publicly available information that background check providers are utilizing to help minimize the risk of a bad hire. This deep dive uses A.I., language processing, and image recognition to screen for risky behaviour online, and flags problematic posts before they become a part of your company’s culture — or worse, in the headlines. Partnering with a background check provider that runs compliance-driven social media screening can increase your confidence that the people you’re hiring are fit to represent your brand and contribute positively to your company and culture. Social media searches pose no threat to the candidate experience, with no effort required on behalf of the candidate and a fast turnaround time to complete the search.

3. Putting Compliance First

Compliance is constantly evolving. When looking for a background check provider in today’s remote-first world, it’s important to place priority on built-in compliance capabilities that follow regulatory requirements and save you time. The company you partner with should also have a team of compliance experts that keep you informed of current legislative and regulatory changes and offer tools and best practice insights you can leverage to help you meet your compliance obligations.

New labour market realities have made it more important than ever to minimize margin of error, streamline hiring processes, and improve the candidate experience. Partnering with a strong background check provider can help you efficiently and compliantly screen employees and get them to work faster, which is essential in the Consulting industry.

4. Positive Candidate Experience

The experience a candidate has through the interview and onboarding process is the first impression that your potential hire has with your organization. Make it count by utilizing inclusive communications that are simple and easy-to-access. With Millennials becoming the largest generation to enter the Canadian workforce, it is time to provide your candidates with both a desktop and mobile-friendly experience, with simple, online and/or remote ID verification options. It’s essential to not overlook the importance of providing expert help or guidance throughout the hiring process, such as having a dedicated candidate support team to elevate their onboarding experience.

Interested in learning more about Sterling Backcheck’s services for the Consulting industry, or want to brainstorm how our industry-specific background checks can work for you? Our team is here and ready to talk. Click here to start a conversation.

This content is offered for informational purposes only. First Advantage is not a law firm, and this content does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Information in this may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information.

Readers of this content should contact their attorney or lawyer to obtain advice concerning any particular legal matter. No reader, or user of this content, should act or refrain from acting on the basis of information in this content without first seeking legal advice from counsel or lawyers in the relevant jurisdiction. Only your individual attorney or legal advisor can provide assurances that the information contained herein – and your interpretation of it – is applicable or appropriate to your particular situation. Use of, and access to, this content does not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader, or user of this presentation and First Advantage.