International Background Checks Prevent Bad Hires

The time has come when more and more companies around the world are hiring international employees.  It is a small world after all.  Contrary to the old days, these international employees represent a new type of work force and are often cost effective solutions and sharp talent acquisitions for hiring companies.  However, such international recruiting and hiring is risk inherent by nature, and carries substantially more risk than domestic hires.  Verifying if a person is who he or she claims to be can be a difficult process when you’re dealing with global hires.

At a glimpse, the internet offers a great way to quickly locate and recruit international talent.  Resumes for India and China and Malaysia professionals, for example, can quickly and easily be viewed online.  What you don’t know is if that resume or CV is accurate, if the subject is who he claims to be, and what his past may be.  Searching criminal records alone is a negligent method to mitigate risk, and is certainly not a background check investigation.  Now, when dealing with an international candidate, searching criminal records alone would be extremely reckless.  For all international hires, a professional and complete background investigation is advised.  To obtain a real background check investigation, you’ll need to contact a reputable investigation firm.

From your headquarters in New York or Chicago or Hong Kong, it can be tempting to check a few references and make the hire.  After all, the resume seems perfect, and you checked a couple references.  What could go wrong?  It’s too expensive you say to have the candidate properly verified?  These are the thoughts that cost companies major financial losses and can put an entire organization at risk.  A bad hire can be a major and costly mistake that is best avoided in the hiring process by proper verification and investigation screening.  This protects the whole company.  Think of an international background check as a way to be protected from fraud and problems.

Whether you’re dealing with a Philippines call center, Malaysia technology provider, West Africa manufacturing company, India IT support or Mexico City based consultant, it’s essential to verify all international hires and representatives.  It can be hard to know who you’re dealing with at home, let alone when you’re dealing with a separate country, culture and language.

Professional background check investigations can reduce risk for your company, your employees and save you money in the long run.  They can also help you hire the best talent for the job.  Be safe and search abroad responsibly.  Be skeptical.  Verify first, and then decide.

All the best,

S. Birch

© 2012 S. Birch