The entire recruitment process involves several steps, one of the most crucial of which is to verify the background of candidates before making a final decision. Through this, companies ensure that their would-be employees have a history of being trustworthy, as well as meeting compliance requirements.
One of the most common questions of candidates and recruiters, though, is: how long does it take?
The answer depends on various factors, including the kind of check, industrial standards, and the efficacy of the system to be used. A regular screening, however, ranges from a few hours to several weeks depending on the number of components being considered and analyzed.
This guide offers insight into the timeframe that can be typically expected for the various checks and some reasons why some might take longer than anticipated. Finally, it will provide a few ways to speed up the hiring process.
Types of Background Screening Processes and Timeframes
Not all screenings are the same. Some require just a simple identity check, while some demand a very intensive investigation. Based on the most common types of screening, including the time it usually takes, check these out:
1. Identity & Right to Work Verification (Instant to 2 Days)
Before hiring a new candidate, an organization should ascertain the identity of the person and his rights to work. This would usually involve:
- Government ID checks (passport, driver’s license)
- Cross-reference social security or tax records
- Verification of work eligibility using checks such as Right to Work Check from the UK and U.S. E-Verify Code.
This check is done by sophisticated digital verification tools within minutes. Moreover, there are chances for delays to occur since such documents might need to be reviewed manually.
2. Employment History Verification (2 to 7 Days)
By contacting past and present employers, his job history can be verified along with the posted duties associated with it. The employers check the applicant’s records for the following purposes:
- Job Title and Responsibilities
- Dates Employed
- Reason for Exit
Sometimes this can take a while if an employer is unresponsive to inquiries or requires written authorization beforehand. BS7858 checks usually take about a few days to more than a week before results can start rolling in.
3. Education and Certificate Verifications (2 to 10 days)
These are checking with universities or certification bodies in the case of a mandatory degree or license required in a role. Some respond promptly, while some will take over a week, especially when archival records will be retrieved manually.
4. Criminal Background Screening (1 to 5 weeks)
Criminal record checks ensure that applicants do not have grievous offenses that could get a company into trouble. The time it takes varies according to the jurisdiction:
- DBS Basic Check (UK) – 24 to 48 hours
- DBS Standard or Enhanced Check (UK) – 1 to 3 weeks
- FBI/State Checks (U.S.)—1 to 4 weeks
- International Checks—up to 5 weeks
International screenings take longer because of the language barrier, differences in processing, and legal restrictions in some countries.
5. Credit and Financial History Checks (1 to 5 Days)
Employers will check credit scores, bankruptcies, and debts for positions in which work involves financial transactions. Reports can be retrieved instantly, but processing will take much longer when consent is needed.
6. Reference Checks (3 to 7 Days)
References, whether personal or professional, could be used by potential or actual employers to evaluate a candidate’s personality. The time frame would be from a few days to about a week, depending on the swiftness of references.
7. Drug Test (From 24 Hours to a Week)
Drug tests conducted in areas where the industry requires drug testing are done within one to three days. However, positive confirmations from the lab may take a while for the results to be read and would not be included in these timelines.
Factors Delaying Background Screening Citations
Although most checks can be done swiftly, some problems can extend that time significantly:
1. Incomplete / Incorrect Information
Any discrepancy regarding the details, especially about the candidate’s age. Not just the date or year of birth but also false employment records can incur the re-verification and add days or weeks more on the process to completion.
2. Non-Responsive Employers and Institutions
Today, even past employers or schools may take forever, so long as they require formal written requests or are caught up in the heavy backlog of processing.
3. Background Check Outside the Country
Checking data for a candidate who has been living or working abroad can take several weeks due to differences in the regulations governing record-keeping or data privacy laws.
4. Industry-Specific Compliances
These industries require more extensive vetting than others, such as healthcare, finance, and security, where fingerprint-based background checks are required at least, or further due diligence for compliance. Thus, longer waiting times are inevitable.
5. Holidays & Office Closures
No process can speed up processing during holiday times when government offices, universities, and businesses have taken a break.
How Employers Can Speed Up the Process?
Employers can adopt some steps in the wait-cutting activities:
1. Employ an Automated Screening Platform
Organizational resources should establish an AI-based system that verifies, source-cross-checks multiple outputs, and provides immediate reports instead of doing it manually through redundancy of paperwork.
2. Request Early Consent
Most of the delays that result from candidates not giving timely authorization usually could have been avoided if employers had asked for it long before any attempts were made at background checks.
3. Confirm Vital Facts Before Submission
By confirming most of the details, such as employment dates, legal names, and contact details, the applicants can avoid some of the long back-and-forth verification requests.
4. Form Direct Partnerships with Verification Agencies
Correct background check providers speed up the process by simply having direct access to databases and priority communication with educational institutions and previous employers. Therefore, these should have accredited associations with property verification agencies.
5. Have Clear Expectations from the Candidate
Let them know the expectations are pretty clear about the screening process. So that they prepare in case of delays that take place during the screening process. This would reduce anxiety and miscommunication.
How Long Does It Take for a Background Check?
For Employers:
Employers should follow up with their service provider as to any possible bottlenecks if employee background screening takes longer than expected. Most screening processes should take about 5-10 business days.
For Job Seekers:
Candidates are advised to wait at least a week before inquiring about an apparent delay in the hiring process. In case the delay goes beyond the expected time frame, it is recommended to contact the recruiter for updates.
Final Thoughts
An efficient and speedy vetting process is central to acquiring talent without undue delays. While timelines vary according to the checks required, organizations can greatly cut the time taken by investing in automated solutions.
For organizations hiring high-risk roles that are rigorous about compliance checks, an additional layer of assurance is conferred by using a BS7858-standard-compliant screening system to ensure thorough due diligence has been performed.
Smart Workforce has a cutting-edge pre-employment background verification platform designed to help organizations speed up hiring, remain compliant, and enhance workforce security.
Book a demo today to learn how Smart Workforce supports your organization by simplifying pre-employment screening processes!