Employment Screening Today – Are Online Database Searches Enough?

Written by Thomas C. Lawson


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Case in point. A well-known HMO recently settled out of court with a group of families, two of whom sufferedrepparttar loss of their mothers because a psychopathic orderly took it upon himself to call patients and tell them that they had cancer. Two women committed suicide and fourteen others sought serious psychiatric help to get them throughrepparttar 136060 problems that didn’t really exist.

Yes,repparttar 136061 HMO did indeed do a background check – one that was low-cost and was ordered on a computer screen. No record was found, andrepparttar 136062 candidate was hired. No one tookrepparttar 136063 time to learn that this individual had just been released from prison in Massachusetts one year before for doingrepparttar 136064 same thing at a Boston-area hospital. In this case,repparttar 136065 HMO saved a few dollars onrepparttar 136066 background, butrepparttar 136067 result was a $14 million settlement!

When hiring a background check firm, look for stability, longevity, a good track record, and one that isn’t afraid to refer you to any of its clients. Look for professional memberships, and above all, find out how they do their criminal conviction research. If they do it by database or computer, you could be better off if you stay away.



Thomas C. Lawson, CFE, CII is President and Founder of APSCREEN International, the world’s leading full service Consumer Reporting Agency since 1980. Lawson is called “one of the real pros” as he has helped to reshape laws including those for employment screening, permissible credit reporting, asset discovery and fraud examination. Tom is a Life Member of: ACFE, ASIS, SHRM, PIHRA, PNRRA, PRRN, CII, WAD, WIN, FCAOC and OCEMA.


Managing Praise and Criticism

Written by Arthuur Cooper


Continued from page 1

Don’t fall intorepparttar trap of constantly giving praise forrepparttar 136059 smallest little thing. Don’t be effusive over work that should be part of normal day-to-day expectations. This just devaluesrepparttar 136060 praise that you give. After all, you are not dealing with children who need to be encouraged at every step but with adults paid to produce a certain expected minimum performance. Save praise for something outstanding.

But don’t go torepparttar 136061 other extreme of constantly finding fault and systematically criticising evenrepparttar 136062 smallest little error or shortcoming. Most people are aware of and regret their occasional minor mistakes and will do their best to avoid repeating them. They don’t need to be reminded of them. If all you ever do is criticise, then your staff will eventually come torepparttar 136063 conclusion that whatever they do will not be good enough. They will stop trying.

If job performance really falls short ofrepparttar 136064 requirement then of course you must say so. Criticiserepparttar 136065 work whilst staying calm and analytical. Base your comments on facts rather than opinions. Be specific. Don’t get angry and don’t make personal attacks. Emphasise how important it is to getrepparttar 136066 job done correctly. Always bear in mind thatrepparttar 136067 purpose of criticism is to get things done better inrepparttar 136068 future.

Whatever you do, don’t letrepparttar 136069 occasion become a monologue. Use it to establish a two-way exchange of views. Criticism on its own is not enough. Find outrepparttar 136070 causes. The meeting should be aimed at finding a solution forrepparttar 136071 present and an improvement forrepparttar 136072 future. Getrepparttar 136073 individual concerned to acknowledge his past mistake and to agree onrepparttar 136074 actions to take to avoid its repetition.

Always try to endrepparttar 136075 interview on a lighter note. If you can, refer to some other work byrepparttar 136076 same person that was well done. Praise that piece of work in order to softenrepparttar 136077 blow of your earlier criticism and to demonstrate that good work is appreciated.

In conclusion, remember thatrepparttar 136078 worst thing you can do to any member of your staff is to ignore them. The worst thing you can do is to let weeks go by without a comment of any sort. The worst feeling anyone can experience is to be ignored, forgotten, taken for granted, and undervalued. Show them that you care – one way or another – and praise or criticise as appropriate.

Arthur Cooper is a business consultant, writer and publisher. For his mini-course ‘Better Management’ go to: http://www.barrel-publishing.com/better_management.shtml


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