One way to get the best candidates to say "YES" to your job offer is by making sure they have a great experience throughout every stage of the hiring process—and this most certainly includes background checks.
Think about it: If a competitor's background check process is impersonal or clunky, but your background check process is friendly and efficient, which way do you think the candidate will lean when the time comes to make a decision? Every advantage helps!
Here's how to WOW your candidates with a better background check process.
1. Make the background check process as quick and efficient as possible.
Offering smoother and better background checks will demonstrate to candidates that you already value their time—something the candidates can wisely assume will continue once they're employed by your organization. One way to improve efficiency is by integrating your applicant tracking system with your background check vendor.
2. Offer an easy way for candidates to get answers to their common background check questions.
Make sure your background check vendor provides prompt and reliable online help to candidates, ideally through an online portal or help center. By anticipating and answering people's questions ahead of time, you instantly create a better background check experience. (See Good Egg's candidate help center here.)
This candidate portal should also include access to real human beings (via email, phone, and/or text), because this will also demonstrate your organization's commitment to effective communication. Candidates will be left thinking "Wow, if the organization is this thorough and communicative before I even get the job, I can just imagine how great the place will be once I'm hired."
3. Use modern communication methods, like text messaging, to kick off background checks and to interact with candidates.
People want to work for forward-thinking companies that "get" them. Text messaging is increasingly becoming the medium of choice (over email and phone calls) when it comes to communicating (among all demographics, but especially Millennials and Gen Z). So it makes sense to offer a text messaging component as part of your background check process. (Hint: check out Good Egg's candidate text messaging feature here.)
4. Choose contemporary screens that show your organization's willingness to see the whole person.
Contemporary screens, like social media background checks, demonstrate that you're committed to seeing the whole person—a complete picture—rather than focusing on a list of employment dates or past legal infractions that don't necessarily reflect who the person is today.
Need help improving your company's background check process?
All of the above improvements will give your organization a competitive edge when candidates are considering multiple offers.
Give us a shout and experience the Good Egg difference today!
