What Causes A Red Flag For Background Check Reports?

Abhijeet Krishna
4 min readOct 5, 2021

In the following blog, we will be talking about the main red flags that are seen for background check reports which companies need to keep an eye out for.

Hiring is one of the most crucial processes for a business. It determines the kind of people that will work in your organization. The people working in your company help determine the workplace environment, the productivity, the equation between the employees as well as employees and the management.

For having the perfect employees working for you and being a part of your company, running background checks on candidates before hiring them is preferred by companies. Employment background check is a process through which the complete history of the employee is made of knowledge to the company. This may include past companies that they have worked in, tenures and designations at each firm and their validity and reliability.

To make a informed and reliable decision it is necessary to be aware of all the possible red flags and make sure to avoid them and hire the best people who would be able to serve your company in the best possible way:

1. Refusal To Get A Background Check

As a normal thought process, when a candidate refuses to get a background check done, it means that they are trying to hide something about themselves. During the course of the interview if the candidate is calm about answering all the questions about his past work history, criminal records, etc. then it is a higher chance of hiring than someone who is defensive, refuses to get a background check or is lying about anything. You need employees that you can trust to have working for you so this becomes an important factor of judgement.

2. Failed Skill Tests

Sometimes it can be noticed that candidates then lie or exaggerate their possession of certain skill sets. This is however, a little harder to verify and know for sure. A good way for the company to know the truth of this is to conduct tests on the spot so they are sure of the accuracy of the candidates skills.

3. Gaps In Employment

Repeated unemployment is one thing that can be a tick off regarding the particular candidate. This can actually mean various things which is why getting it checked is necessary. The candidate may have been laid off and was unable to find another job, he/she may have left the job due to personal reasons and decided to take a break for a while or they may be difficult to work with and hence had a hard time adjusting at jobs. This portrays and highlights the quality of unreliability and needs to be confirmed beforehand.

4. Criminal Records

The most important thing for background checks is to check if a person has any criminal history what-so-ever and does that history affect the position that they are applying for. It is required by the law that any person with a criminal history needs to put it forth right at the beginning and then it’s up to the company to hire. They can’t hire someone who is wanted by the law. This information not being reliable can put the company at risk as well if the person commits any crime being a part of the organisation. Keeping this thorough is essential.

5. Failed Drug Tests

Many companies have a regular and compulsory drug test policy. Each individual is expected to pass it and if they don’t, it just showcases that they cannot be trusted and are not extremely reliable. Especially in jobs like operating machinery, driving, or activities that require the employees to have their full concentration and be free of the influence of any drugs or alcohol. This may cloud the judgement of a person and may result in putting the client, fellow employees as well as the management in jeopardy.

6. Bad References

References are a compulsion on your resume and they are a great way to find out the potential, work ethic, etc. about the candidate. Speaking to the previous employees and employers may provide a great insight into the person’s professional behavior. Some bad reviews may come from a personal grudge but if they keep popping up then it could be a sign of some kind of problem with the candidate itself.

This is an important process which should not be taken lightly at all as it can determine that person’s future in the company. Every company wants long-standing and experienced employees alongside them and this process can ensure in doing so.

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Abhijeet Krishna
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Human Resources Specialist at Proquest Consultancy Services Pvt Ltd