Most hiring decisions are based on a blend of factors. Some employers prioritize professional experience, while others focus on stellar references or the minimum licensure.

Then, there are factors like social media presence, driving record, and criminal background. Employers verify many of these items by way of pre-employment screening.

Background checks have become the norm here in Texas and nationwide. Education verification is a solid place to start.

What Does Education Verification Look Like?

Education verification is designed to verify that the candidate has the education they claim to have. The goal is for hiring managers to make better decisions by vetting the applicant more thoroughly.

Specifically, employers use education verification to confirm the applicant is being truthful and accurate. In addition to making sure the candidate has the degree listed on their resume or application, they also look at timeframes and even the school itself.

These are the items that generally come up during the education verification process:

• The degree the candidate received
• The institution(s) the candidate attended
• The candidate’s dates of attendance and graduation year(s)
• The candidate’s GPA or other honors information

To verify an applicant’s education, the employer or third-party screening provider will source the candidate’s transcripts and other academic records.

The process is fairly straightforward. That said, it’s important to recognize that the results may show certain discrepancies like name variations, GPA omissions, or the rare clerical error. Employers should always feel free to bring the results up with the candidate for clarification before making a final decision.

Why Verify a Job Candidate’s Education?

The benefits of education verification are extensive. Here are just some of the reasons employers may include this vital service in their background screening program:

• Assess the candidate’s character.

Chances are you want to hire honest people. An effective way to make sure the applicant has strong morals is to confirm they were truthful on their application. Since you want to work with transparent, ethically-sound people, verifying a candidate’s education can help you weed out those who lie or embellish their background.

• Make a more informed decision.

A challenging part of the hiring process is that there may be more than one qualified person for a single job opening. If two people seem equally-eligible for a position, their educational achievements can factor into the final decision. Education verification will ensure you extend an offer based on complete and accurate information.

• Tailor your compensation package.

Many employers are willing to pay more money—or be more flexible during negotiations—when their preferred candidate has an impressive educational background. A company may offer a higher salary to a candidate who either graduated from a highly-ranked school or earned a more advanced degree, for example. Verifying each candidate’s academic information is essential.

Also of note is the fact that many education and government positions have rigid salary tiers based on the applicant’s education and experience. Employers working in these sectors almost always verify their preferred candidates’ information in order to place the potential new hire in the appropriate tier.

Strengthen Your Workforce with Education Verification

Employers in Texas cities like San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and Austin can save money and build a better workforce with an expert third-party screening provider by their side. At Redstar Backgrounds, our team will guide you through every step of conducting a comprehensive education verification check.

We promise to craft the exact screening solution you need—focusing on what matters while staying compliant with the law.

Please contact us for details, or to set up a free consultation. For more information on our screening services, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.