So where have all the home owners gone? The answer, according to Bostic is simple: “a lot have now gone into the rental market.”

US Housing Market Trends

If the global economic recession has taught us one thing, it’s that the real estate market can be a ruthless game. The financial institutes and the US public are waiting to take the plunge into home loans until the housing market settles and there is more than enough in the bank.

Although buyers are now warier about purchasing their own homes, this does not mean that home buying has stopped all together. Coast to coast buyers are still borrowing 6 times their income and only putting down 3% on their new homes. The banks suggest a safe mortgage should be a maximum of 3 times a buyer’s income with a 20% down payment. What this means is that people are still falling short and could be paying the consequences down the road.

Real estate agents have been promising “rock bottom” prices for several months now but the housing market is still not quite there. Furthermore, they suggest that now, when interest rates are low, is the best time to buy. However, this is not necessarily the case. Many people have done their research and discovered that buying when interest rates are low can actually hurt them down the road. After all, interest rates have nowhere to go but up and this will normally happen during the worst times.

Renters Market on the Rise

Until the housing market makes a drastic change, many people will stick to the renters’ market. Renting is a cheaper, less stressful and less constraining option which is something many people need in a still-shaky economy. The US unemployment rate in November 2009 tipped the scales at 9.4%. With more and more people losing their jobs every day, renting simply seems like the safer option. Furthermore, renting comes with only one payment, usually on a monthly basis, while buying a home comes with property tax, maintenance and upkeep expenses.

So what does this mean for landlords across America?

Essentially, it means that landlords are able to afford to be picky in their selection.

With so many people in the rental market, it can be hard to determine who is the right person for a vacancy. Landlords admit that choosing the wrong tenant is one of the biggest problems they face every day. Almost 75% of landlords face renter’s arrears in recent times. Furthermore, the Residential Landlords Association reports that 150,000 tenants will face legal action by the end of 2010 due to problems surrounding rental agreements. The biggest issues include outstanding rent, disturbing neighbors and problems surrounding the deposit check.

“Right now from every 10 applications, we turned down nine,” Yazgul Odekova, a property manager in Alexandria, Virginia admits. Furthermore, of those who are accepted, many turn out to be the wrong person for the place. Pelletaire suggests that “today you need multiple minimum wage jobs to be able to afford a two bedroom apartment.” Many people are simply unable to make the payments each month and create an unstable situation for both themselves and their landlords.

Choosing Wisely in a Flourishing Market

Being thorough during the interviewing process is one way to battle against bad tenants. Another option, as many landlords have discovered, is to perform a tenant background check with every potential applicant. Tenant background checks provide landlords with access to previous evictions, credit reports, social security verification and criminal histories. Although this information will not guarantee that the tenant will behave and pay every month, it does provide assurance that the person has not been evicted in the past, does not have poor credit, has a steady stream of income and does not have numerous sex offender convictions to his name.

Tenant background checks can help assess the tenant before it’s too late. A blooming renters’ market means landlords have more choices, both good and bad. It’s important to sift through the bad in order to profit in this industry. “It’s not just because people are dishonest. Sometimes people have big medical bills, sometimes people have bankruptcy, sometimes they suddenly become sick and don’t have health insurance,” a property manager in Alexandria states. All of these can drastically affect the chance that they will make rent each month.

Until the housing market reaches that promised ‘rock bottom’ and until the economy returns to a steadier reality, people are finding salvation in the renting market. For landlords from coast to coast, this means it’s more important than ever to do the research and choose the right tenant. Tenant background checks can make that happen.

Large retail outlets such as Target, Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Best Bay and Big Y Foods have all felt the crunch of employee theft in the past. Employee theft accounts for ten times the value of street crimes losses in the United States and retailers are often the hardest hit. In fact, the Department of Justice reports that nearly one third of all employees will commit some degree of employee theft during their working time. Furthermore, 75% of those who have stolen or committed a white collar crime will do so again. Of these drastic numbers, only one in 28 employees will be apprehended for employee theft, according to a study done by Jack L. Hayes International.

Large companies, retail and otherwise, take extreme precautions against shoplifting and burglary with locked display cases, bullet proof glass, alarm cords, concave mirrors, security videos and professional guards. But what are they doing to protect their business from theft that occurs from within these closed doors?

Indications of Petty Theft and White Collar Crimes

Minor employee theft includes a wide variety of activity, from stealing old fruit from the back of the store to ‘forgetting’ to scan an item through the grocery till. All of these petty crimes will add up for business owners. The US Chamber of Commerce reports that employee theft will cost businesses over $50 billion annually in losses. Furthermore, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners reports that the average organization will lose nearly $10 per day, per employee due to employee theft. Often this loss will be passed on to the customers in increased prices and fees. In larger corporations white collar criminal behavior including embezzlement, bribery and insider trading can set companies back hundreds of thousands of dollars every time.

Dr. Richard Hollinger, a professor of criminology at the University of Florida, reports that employee theft acts like “a big faucet that drips day in and day out.” Large companies are often the easiest targets because there are simply too many employees and too many other important issues to deal with on a daily basis, especially during the busy sales season. Boxing Day Sales and January Sales mean more and more people will flock to the larger chain stores to stock up on discounted 2009 items. However, employee theft will continue throughout the year.

Protecting your Business

One of the main ways business owners are protecting their businesses from the inside is through video monitoring. Although video cameras will keep an eye on employees, they also run the risk of causing information overload. Grocery stores and large retail chains will monitor their employees at the checkout and in the back rooms; however, according to Malay Kundu, a security expert and entrepreneur, “less than 1 percent of video ever gets looked at by anyone.” There is simply not enough time to analyze video input day in and day out. Many companies are also investing in security software to catch insider criminals. But is it enough?

Your browser may not support display of this image. Your browser may not support display of this image. Your browser may not support display of this image. Your browser may not support display of this image. Of course, employee theft does not just hit the big retail outlets, even though during the busy shopping seasons they are often more at risk. Employee theft and white collar criminal activities, such as fraud, embezzlement and bribery can take place in all industries from small corner stores to large financial institutions. The banking industry is the hardest hit with $1 billion losses annually due to white collar criminal activity. However, the truth of the matter is, no company, no matter how big or small, is completely safe from employee theft.

The reason is simple – most business owners do not know every single little detail about their employees’ histories. During the hiring process, most business owners will conduct a quick interview discussing employment history, goals, education and reasons for wanting to work, followed by a reference check and then make a decision about hiring a potential employee. The entire process is quick but is it effective? When looking at the rate of white collar activities across the United States, it would appear the answer is ‘no.’

Solutions for 2010 – Employment Background Checks

Many large corporations and small companies are now focusing on a triple attack when it comes to the hiring process – the interview and the reference check, followed by an employment background check. An employment background check is a way for employers to access a person’s criminal record, credit report and social security identification to ensure that he or she is clean. Although conducting an employment background check and discovering that a potential employer is clean as a whistle will not guarantee that he will be the perfect fit for the position, it does add a level of security in knowing that he has not been charged with theft, embezzlement or other crimes that could jeopardize the future of a company.

The biggest problem with employee related crimes is that they usually come as such a shock to the company. No business owner wants to believe that his most trusted employee could be capable of theft. Employment background checks cannot offer 100% security that a company will be protected from employee related criminal behavior but it can drastically reduce this chance. And, with the bad after taste of the recession of 2009 still fresh in our mouths, can any business owner really take this risk for 2010?

Under Qualified Staff  

One look at the ‘work experience’ and ‘education’ sections of a resume and you should be able to tell if an employee will be qualified for the position. However, this is actually not the case at all. Applicants will often beef up their resume in order to get the job and then fake their way through the interview. Unless you have specific tests in place to determine the skill levels of your applicants, there is a good possibility that your potential employee is not as qualified as his resume suggests. You then have to go through the hassle of training him in the basics that he should already know. This can be time consuming and frustrating for any company manager.  

One of the best ways to ensure that you are not caught by the false-resume trap is to perform a social security verification check. A social security verification check will list the detailed information of your applicant including his past jobs, according to his tax records. What this means is you can compare his ‘work experience’ to reality and determine if he is actually as qualified as he has documented.  

Personality Clashes in the Workplace 

There will always be personality clashes between people in the office. While these clashes are often played out humorously on television, they are not so funny in real life, especially when you are caught in the middle. These office politics often cause serious work production issues and you may find yourself mediating rather than actually getting anything done.  

The best way to deal with personality clashes in the workplace is by doing a thorough inspection of a potential employee during the interview process. Know the different personality
types that exist in the office and try to find someone who will fit into the mould. If you like to be in charge and prefer your workers to be passive rather than argumentative, look for someone who has a similar personality during the interview. Ask circumstantial questions to see how the applicants react to the situation. Although you will
never be able to eliminate all clashes in the office, performing a meticulous interview may help you decide who will fit best with your already-established staff.  

Employee Theft  

It might be hard to believe but employee theft occurs in 30% of all businesses and is one of the reasons that many businesses fail. The Department of Justice reports that nearly one third of all employees will commit some degree of employee theft during their working careers. Employee theft can include petty crimes such as stealing chocolate bars from the back room or rummaging through the lost and found bins. However, even these small crimes add up. Common employee theft related crimes include stealing money from a cash register, voiding receipts to pocket the money and stealing stock and office equipment. However, there are some employee-related crimes, such as accounting schemes, embezzlement and insider trading that could end up costing your company hundreds of thousands of dollars.  

So how can you stop employee theft before it happens? Three words: criminal background checks. A criminal background check will allow you to see if your potential employee has any previous convictions. Look for white collar criminal convictions, shoplifting and other theft convictions. If the employee background check comes out clean, then you can feel a lot better about hiring him. However, keep in mind that just because an employee has a clean criminal record check does not necessarily mean he is 100% trustworthy. Invest in internal surveillance measures to keep track of what’s really happening behind closed doors.  

Employee Flakiness  

Are your employees constantly calling in sick, citing every excuse in the book? If so, you are not alone. While not all employees will make use of the numerous sick days offered, many employees will take these days off to their full advantage. Furthermore, many others will take advantage of worker’s compensation and other personal injury claims. Some illnesses cannot be prevented or predicted; however, many employees will call in sick on a Monday after a long weekend of hard partying, or take Friday off simply because
they feel like it. These cases of employee flakiness will end up costing you more money and effort than its worth, especially if it means replacing the employee with someone else. You might find yourself spending more
time on the phone trying to find replacement staff than actually managing your business.  

The best way to determine the flakiness of your potential employee is to ask for a number of references, especially from past employers. If your applicant does not submit names
and numbers of recent employers, then a social security verification check can help out. All it takes is a simple phone call to find out how well the applicant performed at his past job. If the old employer admits that the employee took a lot of sick days and personal leave, then there is a good chance that he will do the same for you.  

Sometimes the best way to avoid potential office problems is to do your research. Checking references, performing a thorough interview, obtaining a social security verification check and using the services of employee background checks will all help you eliminate office problems, boost company morale and improve your business’ production.

1. The Resume

Reading through a resume and cover letter is the first step in the hiring process. Most employers will make sure the applicant has the proper education and work experience. An excellent resume will be eloquent, error-free and will paint an accurate professional image of the person it represents. Once you have gone through the resumes and categorized them into “yes” and “no” piles, it’s time to uncover the truth behind those words.

2. A Social Security Verification Check

In addition to a resume, a social security verification check can provide you with the assurance that your employee has the experience you are looking for. A social security verification check will tell you the basis details of a potential employee, including name, address and previous jobs held according to his tax records. What this means is you can compare what is written on his resume to what is actually true. You may discover that those five years your potential employee said he worked as a bank manager were actually five years spent on the cash register at McDonalds. According to a recent study, 30% of applications contain false material. If your potential employee is lying about his education/experience in the industry,
then what else is he prepared to lie about? Employee screening services will provide you with this information before you make a big mistake and hire someone who is under qualified and dishonest. 

3. The Interview

The interview process is often the most time consuming, most tedious, and most important factor in hiring the right employee. After all, this is the time where you actually meet your potential employee face to face and uncover the truth about his personality. Most employees will be somewhat nervous during the interview process but you should still be able to assess his character and his personality during the interview. Is he shy or outgoing? Is he rude or polite? Is he dressed appropriately? Is he prepared? Does he possess the people skills required for the position? All of these small factors can help you decide the big picture – who your next employee will be.  

4. The References

During the interview process, it is important to ask for a list of references from your applicant. These references are often people he has worked with in the past, people who know him well and people who will give him a positive recommendation. It is a good idea to also contact the applicant’s previous workplace and speak to the managers, regardless of whether these names are included as references. The reason is because you will find out the truth about an applicant’s work ethic through an old boss or manager. You will also be able to uncover if the applicant left on poor terms and why. If the problem is related to something serious such as employee theft or sexual harassment, you might want to think twice about letting him
on the payroll.  

5. The Criminal Background Check

The criminal background check is often the missing piece in your employee search puzzle.  A criminal background check will check your potential employee’s criminal record
to determine if he has had any convictions in the past. Most of the time a criminal record check simply provides the assurance that you are hiring the right employee. Although a background check is standard in certain jobs, such as government careers and teaching positions, all employers can benefit from this employee screening service.  

But what happens if you do find something amiss? What happens if your employee’s criminal background check reveals a misdemeanor or felony offense from the past? What you
decide to do with this information is completely up to you. Many employers will look at the facts surrounding the arrest and conviction. When did it occur? If the arrest occurred over fifteen years ago, then it could have been a one-time mistake. However, if there are numerous criminal convictions over the past five years, then this is something different. Furthermore, what was the crime committed? Theft, white collar crime, assault, murder, homicide, arson, criminal sexual conduct or any other felony-related crimes should act as a red flag, especially if the job entails working around money, important documentation or other people.  

There is one final factor you need to consider when choosing your next employee and that is your own intuition. You should always go with the person you feel confident with and who not only has what it takes on paper, but also has that extra something that matches your company. Never underestimate the power of your instincts. However, take the cautionary road by including the interview, the social security verification, the reference check and the criminal background check in your employee hiring process.

If you employ any type of driver, then an employee driving record is something that should not be missed. This goes for those who are employed to drive schools buses, tour buses,
taxis, limousines, delivery trucks and so forth. However, there are several careers where driving may not be the main job criterion but where driving is most certainly necessary. Furthermore, if you are offering
a company vehicle to your employees, then you are not only putting other drivers at risk by not checking an employee’s driving record, but you are also putting your company’s name and reputation on the line
as well.  

Client- Based Companies and Employment Screening Driving Reports  

There are certain careers where client satisfaction is of utmost importance and where good people skills will drive your business forward. This is true in the real estate industry
and any other sales-related field. Very often this client interaction does not occur just in the comforts of the office. In the case of real estate, client interactions also take place on the road as a realtor navigates through the streets showing houses to potential buyers. If you discover through an employment driving report that your new realtor
is also a speed demon on the road, you might not feel comfortable letting him drive a company car filled with potential clients (and, racing down the freeway at 40 miles over the speed limit, these clients are most
likely not at ease either). Furthermore, it will be embarrassing not only for the driver, but also for you as the business owner, when your company car is pulled over on the side of the highway for speeding or
drunk driving. There is no catchy slogan that will help your company in this situation.  

If you own any type of client-based business where driving to and from work, or driving around throughout the day is part of the job description, then it may be a good idea to
check the driving records of your potential employees.   

Safety and Driving Reports 

Another industry where a driving report should be essential when choosing employees is in the construction and earth moving industry. Operating heavy machinery not only requires
a certain ticket and license, but should also involve an employer check into a potential employees’ driving backgrounds to make sure they have not made a lot of mistakes on the road. Careless highway driving
can often lead to careless heavy vehicle driving as well. And, when you are on a job site, safety always comes first. Any heavy machinery operators from pavers to dozer drivers, from heavy duty mechanics to
backhoe drivers, should not only have the experience and the qualifications needed to drive these machines, but also have a clean, or near clean, employee driving record. After all, in most instances, it’s your company
name that is on the machines and your men working in the field, so you want to protect both your reputation and your workers from any unsafe situation.

Careers with Children and Employee Driving Records

With a career that is, in any way, children-orientated, there are a number of employment record checks that should be included in the hiring process. Most government agencies
and schools require not only certification, but also a criminal background check and social security verification for anyone wanting to work around children. However, a driving report is also an important document to
check. This should be required for teachers, day care workers or nannies to name a few. Teachers often drive students to extra-curricular activities, such as basketball games, especially if they happen to be the coach.
Furthermore, many childcare workers will drive on field trips and many daycares offer a pick-up/drop-off service for busy moms. Nannies are often given access to a vehicle to drive the children to the library,
school and other places throughout the day. If your potential child care worker has three DWI offenses, then you might think twice about putting her behind the wheel of your daycare van. You need to put the
protection of the children first and this means hiring only the most experienced and safest people to work on your team.  

There are a number of careers where driving is the main criterion; however, there are even more occupations where driving may not be the most important aspect of the job description, but is necessary on a daily basis. Regardless of whether you own a trucking company or a child care business, it is important to look into potential employees’ driving records and other employment background services before handing out the job. It is not only your company’s reputation that is on the line – it is also the safety of clients, workers, children and other drivers on the road. A driving report can give you that extra protection both on and off the road to help you make the best decision about your next employee.

1. Consider all Possibilities of Employee Theft.

Many companies do not realize how many different crimes constitute employee theft and how these petty offenses can actually add up. Consider the following ways in which an
employee can steal from your company (and what is this doing to your reputation and your business?) 

Employee theft can include:  

• Corporate crimes, including embezzlement, extortion, insider trading, racketeering, money laundering, bribery and blackmail. These are often referred to as white-collar
  crimes and, if the employee is caught, he/she faces felony convictions, hefty fines and time in prison. However, many white-collar crimes go undetected, especially in multi-million dollar corporations. Furthermore,
  even if the employee is caught, you may still lose out on hundreds of thousands of dollars in theft.

• Petty theft crimes include stealing money directly from the cash register, stealing goods from the store or the back of the store and switching price tags on
  items. Many employees will take an extra $20 from the cash register every once in a while and, odds are, you, the owner, won’t even realize it. However, $20 dollars here, $50 dollars there, can all add up and
  negativity impact your business. It is important to be aware of every cent that comes in and goes out.

• Fraud crimes include forging receipts in order to pocket the money, creating false accounts and pocketing the money, accounting scams, shipping and billing scams
  and voiding receipts to pocket the money. Fraud crimes are often hard to detect because they go on behind closed doors and often involve your most trusted employees.

• Additional employee theft schemes include stealing office equipment, stealing gift cards, or pocketing ‘lost and found’ items. Sure, these crimes may seem
  petty in comparison to some of the other employee theft crimes discussed, but they can still negatively impact your company.

• Insurance crime includes such things as claiming worker’s compensation for a false injury. This is something that occurs more often than most employers realize, especially in labor-intensive industries.

2. Invest in Internal Security Measures

Many businesses will have video cameras, mirrors and even security guards set up throughout the store and in the parking lots. However, what about in the back? It might be
a good idea to install a security camera in the back room as well as in the front of the store just to be sure that everyone is behaving. Some larger companies will include an internal security department on
the payroll. These specialists are responsible for auditing and monitoring how employees are spending their time, and the company’s money. They will investigate any leaks in the system and ensure that all finances
are 100% accounted for.  

Of course, the amount of internal security you invest in will depend on your financial budget, the risks involved and the size of your business. Companies with hundreds of employees
or financial institutes will most certainly benefit from internal surveillance while a small corner store may look into additional methods of monitoring employees. One of the best ways to avoid employee theft is to stop it
before it can happen. This brings us to the third point and where employment background checks come in handy.  

3. Know Who You Are Hiring

Once you are aware of the different employee theft crimes that may be going on behind closed doors, it is important that you uncover the truth about your employees or any potential
employees. 45% of all potential employees will have a criminal record, poor driving record, poor credit report or a worker’s compensation claim. What this means is you could be risking hiring the wrong person
without even realizing it.  

Knowing your potential employee’s background through employment background checks is a great way to eliminate the chances of being a victim of employee theft. Red flags on an employee background check include any shoplifting or white collar crimes convictions
on the criminal background check, any unusual worker’s compensation claims on a credit report, or any problematic debts on a credit report. Although these factors will not necessarily predict that an employee
will cause problems and steal from your company, they do separate this employee from someone who has a clean employment background check and high credit rating.  

There is no way to 100% guarantee that your business will not be caught up in an employee theft scheme at one point or another. The best ways to prevent employee theft before
it happens is to simply be informed, be aware and be prepared with the right knowledge, the right internal surveillance equipment and the right employment screening services.  
 
 

• 40% of information
  on a resume is misrepresented while 30% of applications contain false
  material/information.
• 45% of all potential
  employees either have a criminal record, a bad driving record, worker’s
  compensation claim or a bad credit history.
• 95% of all companies
  are victims of theft yet only 10% ever discover it.
• 40% of American
  drivers have a violation on their driving record. Furthermore, 25% do
  not have insurance at all.

But what can be done? Apart
from only hiring those you know, love and trust (and committing nepotism
in the process), is there any way to protect your company from these
scary numbers? Many employers are choosing employment-screening services
as a way to ensure they know exactly whom they are hiring and thus protecting
their business from these shocking statistics.

The Meaning Behind the
Statistics

Let’s look at these numbers
closely and see what the statistics actually mean for any regular Joe
employer. Regardless of whether you are the owner of a large corporation
or the manager of a small retail store, these statistics can affect
you if you do not take the necessary precautions. 

• 40% of information
  on a resume is misrepresented while 30% of applications contain false
  material/information.

A resume is the gateway for
all potential employees and, most often, the first impression an employer
will get. A nicely typed resume brimming with successful job positions,
dotting references and high caliber credentials will leave any employer
impressed and wanting to learn more. However, often the information
you just read is actually not true. Employees will falsify information
about previous work experience, job titles and education. It can be
fairly easy to add a few job titles to the “Work Experience” section
to try and beef up your resume. Furthermore, a year from Harvard has
a much nicer ring than the truth, which could be that the education
received was from an insignificant community college (and the applicant
dropped out after two semesters). Unfortunately, many employers are
none the wiser until they have already hired the person and discovered
that he is not the expert his resume suggests. One of the ways to eliminate
this risk is to perform an employment screening background check, focusing
on the social security verification of the employee. Employers will
receive a list of previous work experience related to the employer’s
social security number so they can see separate fact from fiction when
searching through resumes.  
 

• 45% of all potential
  employees either have a criminal record, a bad driving record, worker’s
  compensation claim or a bad credit history.

This is an appalling statistic
that no employer wants to hear. Out of the 20 people you just interviewed
in the past week, 9 of them have a secret past that could negatively
impact the future of your company. And, you most likely would be none
the wiser based on the information received through the interview and
application process. The only way to know for sure what skeletons are
in a potential employee’s closet is to perform a criminal background
search, a driving record search and a credit report. These three employment
screening searches can help you filter the good apples from the bad.  

• 95% of all companies
  are victims of theft yet only 10% ever discover it.

There are so many different
ways an employee can take advantage of a company. While some employees
who commit employee theft will use traditional theft methods such as
stealing directly from the cash register or taking stock from the back
room, others have employee theft down to a science. Some employees will
even work together to commit white-collar crimes that could end up costing
you hundreds of thousands of dollars. You cannot afford to watch over
every single employee every single day, but you can insure your company
against employee theft crimes by checking a potential employee’s criminal
background record. If there are instances of shoplifting, theft, fraud,
larceny or other white-collar crimes on the criminal background record,
then this could be an indication to continue your search for your next
top employee elsewhere.  

• 40% of American
  drivers have a violation on their driving record. Furthermore, 25% do
  not have insurance at all.

But what does this have to
do with your company? In some instances, it won’t matter what kind
of driving record a potential employee has. However, in many cases,
it will. If your employee will have access to a company vehicle, then
all of a sudden your name could easily be tarnished if the employee
happens to get in an accident. Furthermore, if driving is part of the
job description (for example, bus drivers, taxi drivers, real estate
agents, delivery truck drivers, service workers, laborers, etc), then
you could be not only endangering your company’s reputation, but also
others on the road or at the job site.  Just because a potential
employee has two previous DWI offenses on his record does not necessarily
mean he will commit another drinking and driving offense. However, are
you willing to put your company at risk on these odds?  

Playing it Safe with Employment
Screening 

Employment screening is not
necessary in every instance; however, more and more employers refuse
to risk it and are including employee screening as a routine part of
the hiring process. Perhaps the next decade will bring these appalling
employee statistics down. But, until then, it’s a good idea to protect
your business now to avoid becoming just another statistic in the future.  

Why Criminal Background Checks? Landlord Protection

It may seem a little much but a criminal background check is actually quite necessary in certain situations. Below are some main reasons why landlords opt for a criminal background check before leasing their apartment, house or loft to just anyone:

• “It provides me with the security that my other tenants are safe”

In some instances, a criminal background check can reveal that your perfect tenant is actually a convicted criminal. If your tenant has been recently convicted for sexual conduct, child pornography, rape, murder or any of the other serious convictions, your other tenants especially those with young children, have a right to be protected. Furthermore, a black tick mark for break and enter or car theft may suggest that your prospective tenant is not the right fit for your building.

• “It assures me that I will get paid on time and every month.”

You may think twice about having a tenant that has a criminal conviction for tax fraud, welfare fraud or any other type of fraud or theft. A clean criminal background check can give you the assurance that your landlord will pay on time, every time and has never been in trouble with financial convictions before.

When you are looking for a tenant you should also consider a few other factors apart from just how they fair on their criminal background check. Additional factors to consider may include:

• How they will fit in with what you are looking for – a quick interview is often the best way to determine what potential tenant will fit in with your current tenants and the building code of conduct.
• Their lifestyle – you might want to consider their working hours, their late night partying ethics and their relationship status. Those who want to party all night may not be the most suitable candidate for a small family-friendly building.
• Their employment history and current income – you want to make sure your tenant will be okay with rent every month and a steady job is often your best indication of this.
• References from previous landlords – previous landlords can often provide you with the extra information and truth that the interview process can often not pick up.

These additional factors, combined with a criminal background check provided by Quick Background Checks, can ensure you the most success in finding the right tenant for your empty apartment.

Criminal Background Checks for Employer Safety

Your business is a big part of your life which is why it is essential to hire only the best employees. A criminal background check is not the only thing you should look into when it comes to the hiring process but it can definitely provide you with the relief and assurance that you are making the right decision about who you put on your payroll:

• “I can trust my employee at all times“

There are a number of factors that need to be considered when it comes to hiring an employee for your company. Regardless of whether you run a multimillion dollar corporation or a simple shop on the corner, you need to be sure that your employee can be trusted by himself. A criminal conviction for shoplifting or internal employee theft may provide you with enough concern to think twice about hiring that certain employee.

• “I know who I am working with.”

A serious criminal conviction is something that you will most likely want to avoid in an employee. Something such an embezzlement, bribery and other white collar criminal convictions could suggest that your potential employee is not who you thought he was. This is something you will want to know before it’s too late.

• “I don’t have to spend my time worrying about my decision”

Running a business is hard enough work without being preoccupied with worrying about what your employees are doing behind closed doors. Although many companies will invest in internal security measures to monitor for theft and additional corporate crimes, you do not want to spend your time (and money) worrying about these internal concerns. With a clean criminal background check, you will be assured that there is no need for constant surveillance on your employee. You can focus on the external affairs required to run a successful business.

Make sure you combine your criminal background check with the additional employee screens:

• The interview – an interview is a quick way to get to know your employee personality wise and see if he is a good fit with your company. You will be able to learn about his previous education, experience and background which can help you make the right decision.
• References from past employers – apart from the interview process, it is a good idea to contact references, including past employees to see what others have to say about your potential employee. After all, your interview can only tell you so much.
• Credit and employee history check – an employee and credit check, which can also be performed by Quick Background Checks, will provide you with the assurance that your employee is doing okay financially and that he is telling the truth about his previous employment history. This trust is important when choosing the right employee for any business.

Quick Background Checks Can Help

Quick Background Checks can provide you with anyone’s criminal record for a low onetime fee of $18.00 to $29.95 depending on the level of search you require. There are no monthly fees, no membership payments and no long-term contracts. You get the information you request without the hassles that usually come with attaining a criminal background check. Quick Background Checks is your one-stop shop for any landlord or employer looking to protect their business and obtain the most suitable candidates for the open position or apartment.

Obtaining a Driving Record

There are a number of reasons to obtain a driving record from Quick Background Checks. Many individuals will request their driving record as a way to be sure that all the information is accurate and up to date. No company is perfect and thus some driving records may come back with a few errors. These errors could negatively impact your insurance rating. You want to make sure your driving record is 100% accurate in order to get the best discounts possible.

Many people will assume that obtaining a driving record check is one of those annoying processes that take time and effort. This is actually not the case when using Quick Background Checks. In fact, Quick Background Checks can provide you with anyone’s personal driving record in a matter of seconds for a small one-time fee of $19.95. There is no muss, no fuss and the report only takes around 30 seconds – you will get exactly what you are looking for at the click of your mouse.

Driving Record Security for Employers

Many employers, especially those who require a driver, will obtain a driving record as part of the hiring process. There are a number of positions that require an employee to be on the road. Truck drivers, taxi drivers, bus drivers, mail men and delivery drivers will spend most of their day driving but there are many other positions that require a clean record. Maintenance workers, city workers, real estate agents, construction workers, plumbers, electricians and thousands of other careers will require driving the busy streets on a daily basis. Furthermore many of these drivers will have access to a company vehicle which means you need to be extra careful about who you put behind the wheel. After all, it is not only the reputation of the employee on the line- it is also your company that could be negatively impacted if a traffic incident occurs.

A driving record check is a fast and easy way to get information about anyone’s past driving record and can provide you with the assurance that you are hiring the right person for the job. Although three driving while intoxicated convictions does not necessarily mean your potential employee will drink and drive again, it is probably a wiser decision to choose someone for the position that has a clean driving record.

You should be on the lookout for some of these potential problems on a driving record:

• DWI/DUI arrests or convictions. Driving while intoxicated is a serious offense that can come with serious consequences for those driving the vehicle and for others on the road. Driving while intoxicated laws also apply to recreation vehicles such as boats, ATV’s and snowmobiles. A clean DWI record is a good indication that your potential employee knows when to call a cab which can suggest he is responsible both on and off the roads.

• Speeding Reports – although we all have been known to speed once and a while, if your potential employee is constantly caught speeding on the roads, there is a good chance that he will also be racing to, from and during work hours as well. You want an employee who is efficient but not at the risk of speeding on the dangerous roads. Furthermore, many people on the roads will report dangerous driving activity to the authorities. If your company’s name is on the vehicle, then your company’s reputation could be at stake.

• Number of car accidents in the past – a poor car accident driving record could be due to a string of bad luck on the roads, or it could be an indication that your potential driver is not as cautious as you would have hoped.

• Unpaid parking tickets – sure, unpaid parking tickets are really nothing to get worked up over, it can be problematic if your employer is constantly parking your company vehicle in the wrong spot.

• Additional driving offenses – ‘whisky plates’ as well as license revocation, vehicle impoundment or license suspension can also be warning signs that your potential employer may not be the right candidate for the job.

Quick Background Checks and Driving Records

Keep in mind that obtaining a driving record check is not the only way to ensure that you are hiring the best employee. It is important to also conduct an interview with your potential employers to make sure they are a good fit with your company’s structure and style. You may also want to perform a criminal background check, an employment history check and a credit check, all of which can be done with Quick Background Checks. These three checks will provide you with the assurance that your potential employee is financially stable, has been honest about his past employment and does not have any previous criminal convictions that could impact his ability to work for you.

Don’t risk choosing the wrong person – skip the confusion and the worrying by obtaining a driving record check today.

Employers and Business Owners

There are a number of different services available for employers and business owners who are looking for a smarter way to ensure they are hiring the right person. Employment screening services include social security verification, credit checks, criminal record checks and driving records to name a few. All of these can be useful for business owners who want to learn a little more about their potential employee.

Social security verification checks will give you access to your potential employee’s employment history so you can check his resume against the truth. It’s a good idea to know that your potential employee does really have 5 years of experience in journalism (like his resume suggests) before hiring him as one of your top reporters.  For those who run a transportation business or for those who need an employee to drive here, there and everywhere, a driving report can ensure that your potential employee is not a convicted felon charged with multiple DUI offenses.

Any employer and business owner can benefit from criminal background checks, especially when they discover that their potential financial analyst has been recently convicted of fraud. This is something you want to know before you put an employee on the payroll. After all, not knowing this information could end up costing you hundreds of thousands of dollars in insider corporate crimes down the road.

Landlords

Landlords have a responsibility not only to themselves, but also to their other tenants, to ensure that their choice in tenant is the right one. Tenant background checks provide landlords with the confidence that they are renting their apartments out to the right people. A criminal background check will confirm your potential tenant is free of any criminal behavior including sex crimes and terrorist crimes. This will provide your other tenants, especially those with small children, with an additonal level of comfort. A credit report can establish a level of trust that your tenant will be able to pay the rent on time, every time. Excessive debt and penalty fees for outstanding payments might suggest that your tenant will have trouble coming up with the rent each month.

Additonal government background check services that are useful to landlords include the eviction search, which allows you to see potential tenants’ previous renting histories. If they have been evicted on numerous occasions, then perhaps you should keep looking. Landlords can also benefit from employment background checks, as it will provide them with the assurance that their tenants are actively employed and thus able to make the rent each month.

There is nothing worse than discovering that your ‘perfect’ tenant is a party-loving, unemployed, rent-skipping deadbeat. Government background checks can help you avoid these tenants before they move in down the hall.

Parents with Small Children

When children are involved, it’s always a good idea to take advantage of government background check services. Parents will conduct background checks on babysitters, nannies or care givers as a way to ensure that their children are not being left in the hands of a convicted criminal. A criminal search is a great way to identify sex offenders in the area. Parents may also want to check up on neighbors, teachers, counselors, instructors and other adults that their children spend a lot of time with. After all, you just never know and, when it comes to your children, you can never be too safe.

Important Business Transactions and Personal Decisions

For those looking into buying a business, government background checks can provide you with the assurance that the person you are buying the business from, as well as the business itself, is up to par. A background check, such as a credit report, will be able to identify the various strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that you could be facing down the road. If you are considering doing any type of business, it is always a good idea to look into a criminal background check or credit report for your own security.

Many people who are considering marriage will also look into government background check services before walking down the aisle. Why?  Because you have a right to know exactly who you are marrying. We’ve all heard horror stories about people discovering their spouses are not who they thought after the papers have been signed. It’s best to know that you are not committing to a life with a convicted murderer or promising to support someone with a mountain of overwhelming debt. You need to look out for your best interests and often a government background check will provide you with the added incentive to take the plunge and get down on one knee.

For Litigation Purposes

If you are currently involved in any type of legal filing, then government background checks often provide you with the ammunition you need to win your case. A background check can reveal the truth, and nothing but the truth, about people. Often when someone lies about their credit report, their driving history, or their employment history, they are also lying about other aspects of their life as well. Proving the truth with government documented background checks can be used to attack their credibility where it counts – in a court of law.

Government background checks can provide anyone with information about friends, family members, neighbors, teachers, lovers, employees, landlords and so forth. In the above five instances, knowing this information can help avoid any serious errors in judgment and provide you with the knowledge needed to make the right decision.