BACKGROUND CHECKS – HAVE YOU DONE YOUR HOMEWORK?

In this day and age the importance of background checks on prospective job seekers cannot be emphasised sufficiently. The demand by businesses for background screening has increased by 11% over the last five years and it is interesting to note that of over 470 000 Qualification Checks conducted by MIE in 2015 more than 70 000 qualifications were found to be negative, inconsistent, fraudulent or tampered with. It is becoming more critical that companies should be conducting background checks before making offers of employment.

While qualification fraud has remained consistently high in South Africa, at 16% for two consecutive years, there are circumstances where candidates are not the ones to blame and have been scammed into thinking that their qualifications are legitimate.

For students therefore choosing an institution, do your research online looking for accredited institutions, attend career days such as the Career Indaba and Student Expo and ask questions about their accreditation status.  Once you find an institution that appeals to you ask an accredited qualification checking company about their accreditation status in relation to your chosen course.

Human Alliance offers a full range of MIE background checks covering South Africa, Africa and Internationally. Among the checks that are available are Qualification, CCMA Awards, Directorships, Foreign Nationals, Credit, Criminal as well as I. D. number match.  We are finding that we are doing more checks of Foreign Nationals than in the past.

Should you wish for us to conduct your background checks please contact Michele on 021 671 5190 or email her at mhenderson@humanalliance.co.za.

By Michele Henderson – Recruitment Consultant