1.
vistage.co.uk
10 Top Tips
Checking Out
Future Employees

2.
Hiring the right people is essential
for running a successful business. In
order to avoid unsuitable hires who
can cost your business money, time
and reputation, your recruitment
process needs to be thorough.
By carefully screening prospective
employees and applying the following
ten tips to your recruitment strategy,
you can minimise the risk involved:
vistage.co.uk

3.
1. Ask for the
original copies of
qualifications
In some industries, such as finance,
qualifications are necessary to
demonstrate the skills of your potential
employee. Original copies act as
verification.
vistage.co.uk

4.
2. Check CVs carefully
for inconsistencies or
breaks in employment
It’s estimated that upward of 50% of all CVs
contain exaggerated or misleading information
so it’s important that you don’t make a decision
based on a skim read.
vistage.co.uk

5.
3. Ask for and
follow up on
references
References can deliver useful
character information about
your potential employee and
deter them from providing false
information. Make it clear to
candidates when references will
be taken, and make sure you get
their permission.
vistage.co.uk

6.
4. Fulfil your
obligation
of checking if
an individual
has the right to
work in the UK
It’s a requirement for‘every person,
every time’– doing it selectively could
land you with a discrimination claim!
vistage.co.uk

7.
5. Use your
right to check
a candidate’s
criminal record
If you’re recruiting for positions based
with children or vulnerable adults
you can check for suitability using the
Disclosure and Barring Service.
vistage.co.uk

8.
6. Use one of
the specialist
employee
vetting services
for critical posts
A robust screening programme can
minimise the risk of inappropriate
recruitment decisions. Make it clear to
candidates that these services will be
used, and to what extent.
vistage.co.uk

9.
7. Act
appropriately
and accordingly
when it comes
to social media
searches
Information you gather about candidates
needs to be relevant to the post and not
kept any longer than necessary.
vistage.co.uk

10.
8. Don’t ask
pre-employment
medical screening
questions
Only ask for this personal information
when it is necessary to ensure that the
candidate can carry out a function that is
intrinsic to the job.
vistage.co.uk

11.
9. Create a
well-planned
selection
process
Move beyond the CV, think about
selection tasks, simulation and
plan specific probing questions that
will deliver the insights you need to
make a decision.
vistage.co.uk

12.
10. Make sure that an
offer of employment
is clearly subject to
any checks made being
satisfactory to you
Even if a check is unsatisfactory, it’s always good
practice to give the candidate the opportunity to
explain their side of the story – you otherwise may
miss a star employee!
vistage.co.uk

13.
vistage.co.uk
Almost half of employers (45 percent)
said that the time taken to fill open positions has grown since 2014, which could potentially
lead to a skills gap for some businesses. Despite this, it’s important that your recruitment
process is careful, thorough and fair. Waiting for a star employee is not necessarily a bad thing.
Source:
10 Top Tips for Checking Out Your Future Employees - Ken Allison (Vistage blog)

14.
vistage.co.uk
Takeaways:
If you’re going to carry out any
vetting, disclosure checks, or ask
for references, make sure you let
your prospective employee know.
Investing time in the recruitment
and selection process can save
your business time, money, and
reputation further down the line.
It’s important that any new hires
are a good fit for your business
goals and company culture.

15.
vistage.co.uk
DOWNLOAD NOW!
Fine-Tune Your People Skills and Transform Your Business. Download:
The Business Leadership Toolkit