When I say the words “background check” what do you think of? I imagine most people just think a background check is simply a criminal record check or possibly a verification of past employment. That’s true, but there’s a lot more to it.

One definition, found at www.businessdictionary.com, defines a background check as, “The act of reviewing both confidential and public information to investigate a person or entity's history. Background checks are commonly performed by employers to ensure that: (1) an employee is who he or she says they are, (2) to determine that the individual does not have a damaging history (such as criminal activity) that may reflect poorly on the company, (3) to confirm information that an applicant included on their application for employment. Extensive background checks can be quite expensive mainly because of the time and effort necessary to explore every item in a person or entity's history. The federal government commonly uses background check to provide security clearances that some federal positions require.”

That’s a long definition, but it covers a lot. I’d like to highlight one of the sentences: “Extensive background checks can be quite expensive mainly because of the time and effort necessary to explore every item in a person or entity’s history.” It resonates with me because I’ve been doing this for a long time and I hear the following question all the time: “How much does a background check cost?” My answer to that question is always, “it depends.”

When you go to the doctor, you need to explain your symptoms so that he can diagnose what is wrong and develop a treatment plan. He doesn’t know what the cost of the treatment will be when you first walk in – will you be cured with a prescription or will you need surgery?

Background screening is similar. You need to tell us your needs (or symptoms, in the doctor analogy). What industry are you in? What type of people are you hiring? What are the current processes you have in place? We’ll facilitate the process by asking the appropriate questions, but you have to provide the pertinent details so that we can develop a background screening program appropriate to your business needs. That’s when we can accurately address the cost of a background check. Corporate Screening offers a unique offering that we call Screening Program Assessment, or SPA, where we review and evaluate an organization’s background screening program, looking for vulnerabilities that have a direct business impact.

Does your background screening program address everything you need it to do? To learn more about Corporate Screening's free SPA evaluation of your program, click here. We’ll measure your program against industry standards, best practices and legal compliance and identify vulnerabilities so that you can implement solutions to ensure a sound background screening program. Call us at 800-229-8606 (option 2) or visit www.CorporateScreening.com

Dennis Drellishak Sr. is recognized as a leading authority in the business information services industry with more than 30 years of experience in high-level business investigations, pre-employment screenings and loss prevention programs. His talent for combining innovative technology with superior customer service has resulted in the development of ground-breaking client tools and services.

Under Dennis’s leadership, Corporate Screening (www.CorporateScreening.com) has been named one of the top screening firms in the country, has been repeatedly recognized as one of the Weatherhead 100 fastest-growing companies in Northeast Ohio, and has received many other awards. Corporate Screening is a founding member of NAPBS (National Association of Professional Background Screeners).