7 Strategies for Better Background Checks to Accelerate Your Hiring Process

1. Implement a Digital Disclosure and Authorization Process

Automating your candidate’s approval for a pre-employment background check makes it user-friendly, enhances compliance, and saves time. Many places now have specific rules about disclosures and consent forms.

Using digital disclosure and consent in an applicant system ensures candidates complete the proper documents based on their address and work location.

The best applicant systems are mobile-friendly, allowing users to complete the background screening application and consent documents on a tablet, phone, or computer, even when moving. It speeds up candidate engagement and shortens the hiring process.

2. Supply All Necessary Documents to Your Background Check Provider

The speed of a background check employment process heavily depends on the accuracy and completeness of the applicant’s information. Employers should ensure that all essential details are submitted upfront, including:

• Full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number
• Driver’s license or professional license details (if applicable)
• Passport number for international screenings
• Previous employment details for verification

Providing complete and accurate information prevents unnecessary screening delays and ensures better background checks with quicker results.

3. Make Use of Online Data Collection

Starting an employment verification background check, ensuring applicants complete the necessary forms, and collecting their information doesn’t have to be a hassle for hiring professionals.

Technology-savvy consumer reporting agencies (CRAs) offer web-based applicant platforms for electronic data collection and secure document uploads. These platforms can integrate with your ATS to streamline workflows and speed hiring.

These mobile-friendly platforms make it easy for applicants to complete the process on their phones or tablets. After the employer initiates the background check, applicants receive a link through email or text to enter their data and complete consent forms electronically.

4. Offer User-Friendly Solution With Progress Tracking

Modern job applicants value transparency and control over their hiring process. Employers who provide clear progress tracking for background checks create a better candidate experience and build patience and trust throughout the hiring process.

Employers that prioritize better background checks allow candidates to:

• Enter and review their background check details
• Electronically sign disclosure and consent documents
• Monitor the progress of their screening in real-time
• Download completed reports for reference

This not only reduces candidate inquiries but also improves engagement during the screening process.

5. Act Early in the Day

Submitting requests for employment background checks early in the day has several benefits. It allows in-person court searches to include your file on the same day and helps applicants schedule drug screen collections. Collection facilities typically stop collecting specimens in the afternoon to send them to the testing lab.

If your applicant is in an earlier time zone, a noon submission could result in a one-day delay in processing. Be mindful of holidays and Friday afternoons when processing background checks, as courts and collection facilities may have limited hours or be closed.

6. Automate the Adverse Action Process

Employers are legally obligated to follow specific guidelines when deciding not to hire a candidate based on their pre-employment background check report.

This process begins with sending the candidate a pre-adverse action notice, which should include the name and contact information of the company that prepared the report, mention that the report’s findings could affect their job application, and provide a copy of the report along with instructions for disputing any inaccurate information.

7. Select the Right Screening Provider

Not all background check providers offer the same level of speed and accuracy. Employers should prioritize screening providers that:

• Offer fast turnaround times
• Follow state and federal hiring regulations
• Use secure and accurate verification processes

Some providers outsource work overseas, leading to longer turnaround times due to language barriers and unfamiliarity with U.S. legal systems. Choosing a provider with a proven track record ensures better background checks and a more efficient hiring process.

Faster Background Checks = Faster Hiring Decisions

By implementing these strategies for better background checks, companies can reduce unnecessary delays, improve hiring efficiency, and prevent losing top candidates to competitors. A streamlined background check process ensures a faster, more reliable hiring experience for both employers and job seekers.