Should background checks be done pre- or post-hire?
Background checks are a necessary expense in any hiring process. However, does your company wish to take on that cost for all applicants you are considering? If you conduct pre-offer background checks, the opportunity to carefully select the right candidate for the position increases immensely, while costs also rise simultaneously.
If your company conducts background investigations post-offer, it can save you a bit of money but simultaneously increase risk and exposure to litigation. By the time the interview process has wound down and an offer has been made, the chances that the employee will actually come onboard is greatly increased. This can mean that your company’s decision to conduct a post-offer background check will be a better investment, in that the hire is more likely to pan out. However, what if a last-minute decision is made to rescind the offer, due to changes in the process, or perhaps other factors that may have nothing to do with the background investigation? How do you rescind the offer? What if there is a candidate who is more qualified that is later determined to be a better fit? You are not “boxed in” to make the hire and create potential discriminatory concerns and litigation.