If you’ve been a recruiter, you would’ve experienced it: a resume that shines, an interview that radiates confidence, and intuition that you’ve found your candidate, only to find out the hire is a miss. Whether it be: 

A previously undisclosed criminal record, 

An inflated job history, 

Or a fabricated credential. 

This one miss can also negatively influence team morale, jeopardize client confidence, or even worse, set off legal liabilities in your organization. 

That’s why Level 3 background checks are growing in adoption by HR professionals, especially in high-trust industries. Such checks can provide a deeper look at a candidate’s trustworthiness. Beyond a surface check, they provide a deeper lens into the candidate’s history of integrity, behaviour, and eligibility, which are all essential to decision-making.

If you are currently using basic screening, you need to take it to the next level.

Here are reasons why these background checks are your new best friend in the screening of employees. And how you can implement them into a comprehensive employee background screening strategy. 

What Is a Level 3 Background Check?

A Level 3 background check is a comprehensive vetting process that typically includes: 

• Identity verification 
• Criminal history (local, national, and sometimes international) 
• Employment history 
• Education verification 
• Address history 
• Credit checks (for financial roles) 
• Right to work and professional licenses 
• BS7858 checks (for roles requiring compliance with UK security standards)

This level of investigation is specifically designed to itemize red flags in the candidate that could bring a risk with or against your hire. Thus, it offers much better reliability than a typical background check. 

How It Supports Better Staff Vetting

When you’re vetting candidates for positions of trust—say, a security guard with access to sensitive locations or an IT technician with access to data systems—you can’t afford guesswork. Staff vetting through a Level 3 check allows employers to:

• Confirm the authenticity of personal and professional history 
• Manage inconsistencies that may later turn into liabilities 
• Legal compliance related to regulatory standards (for instance, BS7858)
• Protect client, assets, and brand image

These checks would also be equally fair and, in the case of hiring decisions, land on verified facts instead of assumptions.

What Makes Level 3 Checks Different from Basic Checks?

This deeper approach uncovers not just whether someone has worked, but how they worked, whether there were any disciplinary issues, and whether they can be trusted in a high-risk environment. 

The Role of BS7858 Checks in Security Hiring

The BS7858 standard is the UK’s code of practice for the security screening of individuals employed in a security environment. It mandates specific procedures for:

• 5-year employment verification 
• Criminal background checks 
• Right to work 
• Gap analysis in employment history 

If your company is in an industry related to public safety, infrastructure, or private security, performing BS7858 vetting is not only good practice—it’s often contractual and a legal requirement. 

Level 3 checks incorporate BS7858 requirements into the process, simplifying it and ensuring compliance for your organization.

Top Background Check Questions to Ask During Screening

While information in documents and databases is useful, selective background check questions can uncover even more when interviewing previous employers or referees. These are a couple of examples: 

1. What were the most important duties of the candidate, and how were they accomplished? 
2. Were disciplinary measures enforced with the candidate? 
3. Would you hire this individual again if you had the option? 
4. How did the candidate respond to stress or conflict within the workplace? 
5. Was the candidate ever involved in any incident that needed to be internally investigated? 

These questions not only confirm the candidate’s record but also provide qualitative data that can reveal behavioural red flags or validate a strong work ethic. 

Averted Risk with a Level 3 Check

Let’s consider a real-world scenario. 

A private security organization in Scotland was hiring new guards for an executive housing development contract. One candidate had an excellent CV and interview. But background checks found a prior conviction for theft from a past security job. This was a red flag that did not show up in a basic nationwide check. 

This sort of in-depth screening saved the company from an embarrassing hire that would have damaged its reputation and trust with the client. 

Why This Matters More Than Ever

In today’s fast-moving workforce and remote hiring environment, resumes can be faked, identities can be stolen, and references can be fabricated. Without a solid employee background check, a business assumes the risk of employing an individual that isn’t who they say they are. 

In addition, in industries that work under legal regulations or client contracts, your company will need proof of due diligence. Skipping background checks or the employment vetting process could leave your business open to potential compliance or contract violations, which can be costly, either from a financial or reputational standpoint. 

Level 3 checks provide your HR and security teams with the data they need to make confident and compliant hiring decisions. 

Final Thoughts

Hiring employees is one of the most expensive things a business will ever do, not just by salary, but also by time, onboarding, and potential mistakes. A level 3 background check is not just a filter; it is an investment in providing a safe, trustworthy, and progressive workplace.

With the background check questions, advanced background checks, and BS7858 checks, your organization has every possibility of making a smart and safe hire every time.

Let’s Strengthen Your Hiring Process!

Smart Workforce offers BS7858 screening assessment in addition to checking for the employment references, criminal history, and other checks, all in one smooth, seamless process.  

No more risking pennies to find a hire today; you will be confidently recruiting again.

Try Smart Workforce and start vetting efficiently!