Susan Wilson, Vice President of APA, has been conducting pre-employment screening and background checks for over 20 years. During this time, Ms. Wilson has witnessed dramatic changes within the industry. Prior to 1997, pre-employment screening was a loosely regulated industry, whereas now it is highly regulated. In-person interviews have, in many instances, been replaced by telephone interviews and online services. Previously, there were a limited number of companies offering screening services, and now there are a plethora of individuals and companies offering such services.
Prior to joining APA, Ms. Wilson had a 20-year background in the legal field, having worked primarily as a corporate paralegal and in law firm administration. Ms. Wilson was actively involved in the Association of Legal Administrators for many years. She has written a number of articles on pre-employment screening topics and spoken to various human resources groups. Ms. Wilson attended Gulf Park College in Gulfport, Mississippi.
There are multiple reasons why employers use pre-employment screening companies/vendors. There are also multiple reasons why some pre-employment screening companies/vendors should not be used. It's not as simple as going online and selecting a vendor at random. There are a myriad of questions that should be asked of any potential vendor.
Regulation violations of the Fair Credit Report Act (FCRA) are increasing every year resulting in multi-million dollar lawsuits filed against companies of every size and industry. Now, more than ever, it is vital that companies be diligent in their selection of a pre-employment screening company. Just as one interviews an applicant and asks questions to learn more about the individual, it is just as important to ask questions to assist in choosing a pre-employment screening company. But do you know what questions to ask? For many businesses, the only question asked is how much will it cost. Even with budgetary constraints, that should not be the primary question.