At least a couple of companies, neither too well known yet, have a different take on a background check: they’re having job candidates take a turn in the driver’s seat when it comes to the whole process.
First there’s eKnowID. Candidates use it to “conduct a comprehensive and thorough HR self-background check prior to the scrutiny of a prospective employer.” One advantage for candidates is they can challenge something that’s wrong before an employer does the check and mistakenly thinks the employee has a red flag in their past.
The company is a division of KENTECH Consulting, a Chicago background check technology company.
Another firm that’s pretty new is Acertiv (whose advisors include HireVue’s Chip Luman and the ubiquitous China Gorman). Acertiv, which is angel funded, has something called a ProofSheet (see my embed, below). Candidates can upload documents or otherwise provide citations for their various accomplishments.