The process of hiring a new employee has changed dramatically over the last ten years. Once upon a time, you could walk into a role with a quick interview, a little bit of on the job training, and that was it. Going into engineering or IT roles didn’t require the fancy qualifications that they do now. Then it became slightly more regulated, with employers wanting to know qualifications and experience, but it still wasn’t essential.

Now we’re at the stage where every little detail is being checked.

Employers want to see the proof of everything that’s said on the application. But it begs the question, how deep should we be digging when hiring a new employee.

Has it now become so strict and regulated, that talent that would suit a company is being missed out on. Well, if you keep on reading, we’ll give our opinion as to how deep you should be digging. Keep on reading to find out more.

Physical & Mental Health

Physical and mental health is becoming more of an important factor when looking at the level of work an employee is going to be capable of achieving. But there is such a fine line between discriminating, and genuinely thinking someone isn’t going to be suitable for the role.

• For example, if the role you’re recruiting for is very physical, you might need to analyse their previous medical history to see if they’re going to be suitable.

Record Retrieval Solutions is just one company who could help you retrieve those medical records to look at. We also think mental health plays a huge role now, with more people becoming aware of the impact it has on working life.

So although you couldn’t necessarily not hire somewhere if they had a mental health disorder, you could consider whether the role would aggravate it. Therefore this would then reduce their quality of life, all in the name of getting a job.Criminal Convictions

Some companies are really bothered about this, some are not so interested. We think this all depends on the role you’re hiring for.

• If you’re hiring for a role whereby the employee will be working with children, an extensive background check should be completed.

However, if the role is more relaxed, it might not be as necessary to delve into their history. Instead, you should focus on how they come across as a person, and if their personality and experience makes them suitable for the role. 

Their Personal Life

For some reason, some employers like to know a lot about someone’s personal life, whereas we don’t think it’s appropriate. What someone gets up to in their personal life shouldn’t influence your decision on hiring them. Again, it’s about seeing what they’re like as a person and how they will fit into your company.

What you should try and find out however, is if they’re dealing with anything that might affect how they work. This can relate back to mental health problems, if they’re heavily pregnant, or anything else that might influence their work.

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