Four basic checks that should be completed for employee screening

1. Character reference checks, one personal and one business. These should, for preference, be written, but a substitute might be a signed and dated detailed note of a telephone reference given by a nominated third party to a competent (ie experienced in carrying out telephone reference checks) member of the organization’s staff.

2. A completeness and accuracy check of the employee’s curriculum vitae; this is usually carried out by means of written references supplied by previous employers or third-party organizations, and most employers will already have standard documents that are sent out to guide these third parties in replying. It is critical that the employer is methodical in ensuring that all facts are corroborated and that all forms are returned, duly completed, by previous employers. Where they are not returned within a defined time period (which should be short – perhaps 10 days at the outside), the organization should arrange to complete the form by means of a telephone interview with the previous employer.

3. Confirmation of claimed academic and professional qualifications, either by means of obtaining from the candidate copies of the certificates or other statement of qualification or through an independent CV checking service. These firms can, for a nominal sum, carry out detailed CV checks (including the checking of academic and other qualifications) that would satisfy the requirements of both point 2 above and point 3.

4. There should be an independent identity check against a passport or similar document that shows a photograph of the employee.