The Limitations of Third-Party Verification Companies: An Investigator’s Perspective

Hello, fellow background investigators and industry professionals! Today, let’s delve into the challenges we face when ascertaining an employee’s suitability due to the prevalence of third-party verification companies used by former employers. While these systems may offer convenience, they can create obstacles in our quest to conduct comprehensive evaluations, especially for law enforcement candidates. Here’s a closer look at the issues we encounter:

• Lack of Detailed Information: Third-party verification companies often provide limited information, offering a standardized approach that fails to capture the nuances and intricacies of a candidate’s employment history and performance. We need to understand the candidate’s character, work ethic, skills and gain insight into the candidate’s aptness for a particular job. As investigators, we rely on comprehensive and specific data to assess an individual’s suitability for a particular role. The lack of in-depth information from these systems can hinder our ability to make informed judgments.
• Absence of Contextual Insight: As background investigators, we understand that every candidate has a unique story. However, third-party verification systems cannot often provide crucial contextual insights into an employee’s past performance, achievements, or challenges. Without this information, we are left with an incomplete picture and struggle to understand the circumstances surrounding an individual’s professional experiences.
• Incomplete Employment Verification: Employment history verification is critical to background investigations. Unfortunately, relying solely on third-party verification companies can lead to incomplete or inaccurate results. These systems may not have access to up-to-date records, fail to verify specific job responsibilities or overlook important details that could impact a candidate’s suitability for a role. As investigators, we need comprehensive and accurate employment verification to make informed judgments.
• Limited Communication Channels: Building connections and engaging in direct conversations with former employers is essential to our investigative process. However, third-party verification systems often act as intermediaries, making establishing direct communication with past employers challenging. The lack of direct contact limits our ability to gain valuable insights and clarification about a candidate’s performance, character, and suitability.

Help your employers to make the best hiring decisions

As background investigators, we aim to provide accurate and comprehensive evaluations that help employers make informed hiring decisions. We must work hand-in-hand with employers, encouraging them to provide detailed information beyond what third-party verification systems offer. By fostering a collaborative approach, we can overcome the limitations and create a more thorough and accurate assessment of a candidate’s suitability for a specific role.

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