With access to sensitive data and intellectual property, it’s important to ensure that workers in the technology industry are fully screened to be assured of their honesty and capability.
Whilst there is no universal screening standard set by a regulatory body for the technology industry, Reed Screening’s experts have defined best practice screening packages to cover a variety of roles within the sector, to ensure you’ve got the right technologists joining your business and driving innovation.
Identity and right to work checks
With home working now a permanent fixture for many companies, technology roles in particular often lend themselves to being remote positions. Specialist tech skills can be hard to source within a commutable distance from your company’s offices, and finding the right skillset might mean expanding your search to a wider geographic area. Tech jobs can also be well-suited to freelance or contractor roles, particularly if your company only needs specialist support for a short period of time.
Hiring somebody who’s going to be working outside your office means it’s even more important to ensure that you’re confident they are who they say they are. Remote jobs are more likely to be targeted by those committing identity fraud for the simple reason that there’s likely to be less scrutiny.
Digital identity and right to work checks like Reed’s AssuredID can give you confidence that your remote tech hires are who they say they are, as well as helping you meet your legal obligations to ensure that your employees have the right to work in the United Kingdom.
Referencing and work history checks
Character referencing provides useful information on a candidate’s performance in previous roles, as well as indications of their honesty and any previous issues they may have had.
According to recent data, it’s estimated that 40% of people lie on their CVs.
In a survey of 1000 workers, it was found that:
1% lie about gaps in their CV
4% are willing to lie about salary
9% lie about work experience
4% lie about their previous responsibilities
By carrying out work history checks, you can be sure that the impressive work history your new employee is claiming is in fact the truth.
Qualifications checks
As many roles in the technology industry are reliant on specialist knowledge, it’s important to ensure that the people you hire have gained that knowledge from legitimate, trusted, and reputable institutions.
Qualification fraud is a growing issue, particularly as we digitise the recruitment and hiring process. Many employers aren't meeting candidates face to face as regularly, and original documents and paper documents are often only seen online, which makes validation more challenging.
Additionally, certificates from training organisations are often print-outs, easily forged, and very challenging to validate, while it can be difficult to prove the legitimacy of training organisations, particularly those that are not providing university level qualifications.
Therefore, carrying out thorough checks on qualifications is vital to ensure your new employees are in fact qualified.
Credit and fraud checks
With the value of personal data increasing, employment credit checks are an essential element of mitigating the risk your staff pose to the business, by assuring you that there are no financial factors that could influence their motivations from benign to desperate, or even malicious.
While employment credit checks do not have any bearing on a candidate’s ability to perform a role, they can identify candidates who are in financial duress, and therefore more likely to be motivated, induced or coerced to commit fraud, theft or numerous other crimes that may be of financial benefit.
Credit checks are particularly important for Information security and systems managers, as well as other roles where employees will have access to personal data or sensitive information.
How can Reed Screening help?
Reed Screening provides screening packages designed specifically for the needs of the technology industry, with packages pre-tailored to mitigate risk when hiring for popular roles such as developers, information security, systems managers or chief technology officers. We cover everything from permanent hires and fixed term contractors, to temporary/agency supply chain.
With a minimum of effort on your part, we can provide you with the assurance that all your workers are screened to the high standard you need to ensure that your business is operating safely, efficiently and with appropriately qualified, responsible and reliable staff.