by JQ Adams

Created on: April 15, 2009

Hiring the right people to work with your company is one of the most essential parts of running a successful business of any size. Hiring people to staff your small business, especially when you have been operating on your own or with a very small crew, for an extended period of time can be very time consuming and stressful.

When you finally find someone who seems to have the skills that you need who also seems to be a good fit for your organization, it's tempting to make a job offer on the spot. However, finding a suitable candidate is really just the beginning of the hiring process. Before you make a job offer to anyone, it's vital to conduct a thorough background check of the individual you are thinking about adding to your staff.

Many small business owners make the mistake of thinking that their companies are too small to have to worry about conducting formal background screenings on new hires. Often, small business owners feel that they can't afford to run background checks on people they are thinking about hiring. Both of these objections to conducting applicant background screenings are dangerous errors based on faulty logic.

When you own a small business, there is a good chance that you have invested an enormous amount of time and money getting the business of the ground. The fact that you reach a point where you need to add employees is an accomplishment to be applauded. However, it's important to stop and think about the consequences of bringing the wrong person into your company.

Think about the flawed reasoning that leads entrepreneurs to talk themselves out of spending a few dollars to conduct pre-employment background screenings. First of all, how is it possible for a company to be too small to run background checks on employees? Is it less likely to matter if a small company hires someone with a history of committing violent crimes that for a large company? Is a sexual predator less likely to strike again if he works for a tiny business than a multinational conglomerate?

When it comes to looking at the costs involved in conducting background checks. Costs for background screenings vary depending on the types of screenings you use to make hiring decisions. When you're running a small business, of course it's important to watch every penny you spend. However, you need to stop and consider what it can cost you in the long run if you fail to check out the people you put on your payroll before doing so.

If you find yourself facing a negligent hiring lawsuit because you hired an individual with an issue that you should have known about prior to hiring the person, you'll learn the hard way why spending money on background checks prior to hiring is an essential expense that is well worth the nominal cost.

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