Do you Have an Effective Pre-Employment Screening Policy for New Teachers?

It is estimated that in 2010, a massive 90% of companies performed some kind of background check during their hiring process. This figure, Susan McCullah suggests, broadly encompasses criminal, drug, assessment testing, and education and employment verification.

For pre-employment screening of prospective teachers to be effective, however, employers must evaluate the following questions;

1: Is our pre-employment screening policy telling us what we need to know?

2: Is the test structured to fit the job the teacher is being screened to fill?

3: Does the test provide protection against individuals who may be unqualified, unfit, or violent?

4: Have we made sure it is fair and does not discriminate against certain protected classes?

It’s important to make certain the employment screening fits well within these perimeters in order to effectively screen your potential employees.

It’s a cold hard fact that about half of all resumes and job applications contain a mistruth.

I have included a step by step list to help you create your pre-employment screening policy so that you are able to recruit the best teachers for your school:

A: Be consistent

Decide who you want to screen, what you need to know about each job applicant, and which tests or verifications you will order on each person. Have a pre-employment screening policy written down that outlines this plan.

B. Be suspicious

It’s a cold hard fact that about half of all resumes and job applications contain a mistruth. They can range from lying about a criminal history to fudging dates of employment to creating fictitious references. Look at resumes with a critical eye and verify all the information that that is relevant to the position.

C. Make it relevant

A person who is applying as a heavy machinery driver may not need a credit check, but he would need a Motor Vehicle Records check and a drug test. Setting perimeters in place for each position in your company goes a long way toward maintaining practices that are not discriminatory and protecting the workplace.

D: Make it complete

The cost of hiring the wrong person and then letting them go is conservatively estimated at 25% of their annual salary. Conducting a comprehensive background check and verifying all their information can be a big return on investment in protecting the company from a bad hire.

E. Make it accurate.

Remember, the information retrieved on the teacher candidate is only as accurate as the person who found it for you. Do not try to have someone in your admin staff perform the background check. Hiring an experienced background screening company to handle this for you should be a top priority in establishing an effective policy. Choose a company that has been in business for a long time, that is a member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS), and that has private investigators on staff.

An effective pre-employment screening policy is an integral part of a safe and successful hiring process. It’s important to have a set standard in place, and revisit the policy periodically to maintain its positive impact on the workplace. Having a set background screening policy in place is a strong stepping stone toward a safe and secure workplace.

About the author

Susan McCullah is the Product Development Director of Data Facts, Inc, a 22 year old Memphis based company.

Data Facts is a leading nationwide provider of mortgage product and pre-employment screening solutions. www.datafacts.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/dfempscreening