Using DBS Checks to Hire the Right People: What Employers Need to Know

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The hiring process can be time-consuming and tiring, but how do you know if you are about to hire the right people from the extensive list of candidates?

Employers might feel overwhelmed and often under pressure of making the right decision, but having some help other than a CV and interview while recruiting definitely helps.

Sometimes, CV and interview might not tell you everything you need to know. There’s always a possibility to learn more about the best candidates using DBS checks.

DBS checks stand for Disclosure and Barring Service which is used to check someone’s criminal record as an employer. Depending on your industry, you might even be required to make DBS checks (for example, healthcare or childcare).

In this post, find out why finding out how every single bit of information is crucial in making the right decision and how DBS checks can be a great business investment.

Information Should Always Come First

Whether you’re doing the interviews yourself or you’ve hired a hiring agency to help you find the best candidate for the role in your company – it’s important to get as much information as possible before making the decision.

It’s hard to know up-front whether the candidate’s past experience and knowledge will prove to be a valuable asset for your business.

Doing a bit of in-depth research and double-checking the information is highly recommended. You might be happy to find a candidate that checks all the boxes from the list of hundreds of candidates.

But this isn’t the time to stop the research – yet it’s the right time to step it up a bit to find out whether the candidate is the right choice for the role.

And since information is so important, other than contacting previous candidate’s employers & references, using a DBS Check service is another great way to find more about your candidates.

But what is a DBS check, how do you get one and do you really need to perform a check for your potential employees? Read on to find out!

What are DBS Checks and How Helpful are They?

A DBS check is a way for employers to check the criminal record of someone who’s applying for a role.

In some situations, a DBS check is even required before you can hire a potential candidate. However, there are 4 different types of DBS checks:

• Basic check– shows unspent convictions & conditional causes
• Standard check– everything from basic check + reprimands and final warnings
• Enhanced check– everything from standard check + any information held by the police that might be relevant for the role
• Enhanced check with barred lists– everything from enhanced check + whether the candidate is on the list of barred people from doing the role

If you’re required to perform a DBS check (for healthcare, childcare, or any other similar industry) before hiring the applicant – you’d want to go with enhanced check with barred lists.

For some businesses, DBS checks might not be available and it also depends on the role you’re offering.

However, there are situations where you aren’t required to perform DBS checks as an employer, but it can be very helpful – such as in the finances sector. Knowing whether the candidate is barred from doing the role can help prevent the damage before it’s done.

DBS Checks are Quick & Affordable Solution

DBS checks can tell you a lot and yet they’re very quick to get and are affordable – which is good news for employers.

UK government recommends choosing a company that specialises in the DBS checks and is listed on the list of responsible organisations. Typically, all you need to get a quick & affordable DBS check is the following information:

• Contact details
• Company details
• Additional details
• Payment details

You can usually expect pretty quick turnaround times of anywhere between 24 to 48 hours.

DBS Checks & Recruitment

When you’re in doubt, having that extra bit of information can always help you make a better decision.

If you’re in a position where you’re required to perform a DBS check on employees you hire – you should think of it as an advantage rather than an expense.

In fact, you should think of introducing a DBS check to your hiring process as DBS checks can often tell you more about the candidate.

And in a worst-case scenario, you might find something the candidate has been trying to hide, so you can prevent the damage rather than repair it.

You may also like: How Employers Should Handle DBS Data