Pre-emplyment screening - any experience please?

Mockingjays

Hello,

I'm going through pre-employment screening and wondered if anyone has experience of how long this takes in reality? It's for an admin job. I was offered the job beginning of January, but didn't receive the forms until 15th January when I completed them. It includes an enhanced DBS (I have been checked before) and the form asked for details of employer and character references. I also had to fill in a separate medical questionnaire.

At this moment in time none of my referees have been contacted yet for references, and my manager will soon be going on a fortnight's leave. Everywhere else I've worked, checks have been done by the HR dept, and so this feels really slow and disorganised. I'd been hoping to start the new job in February but it doesn't look like that's going to happen with the current speed of things.

Anyone have experience of this and timescales? My check is being done by a company called Security Watchdog.

Many thanks.

pmduk

Mockingjays wrote: »

Anyone have experience of this and timescales? My check is being done by a company called Security Watchdog.

I was checked by them before starting a job, they allow the employer to do a pre-screening before the job-offer (don't ask me how - I don't know), Mine was complete within a couple of weeks, though it was less than 12 months since another very thorough screening for a Government job.

Certainly, at that job some candidates were declined because of the pre-screening, others were recruited and started training, subject to screening, only to be asked to leave when the screening results came in.

TELLIT01

I don't know with certainty, but would imagine they would complete DBS checks before requesting references. To get references before knowing the outcome of the DBS check could simply be a waste of time. Many companies only request references when in a position to make a job offer so this would tie in to that scenario.
When I started working at DWP, job offers weren't made until after all necessary checks were made. Later when they had a large intake of 'apprentices' where I worked that process was relaxed which ended up with at least 2 people being removed from the building immediately the results were received. The old process was then put back in place.

Mockingjays

As it is a month since I was offered the job, with no references yet taken, and no idea of start date, presumably I can still apply for other jobs ... I am keen to move on and have no idea how long this employment screening is going to take.

pmduk

What does your prospective employer say?

Mockingjays

I contacted prospective employer about the time the screening is taking. HR guy couldn't tell me whether they do DBS first or average time. I also was only offered job verbally, and even though I asked for email confirmation of provisional job offer I've received nothing. So I'm concerned about the overall situation, and hence why looking for other jobs.

Curiosityneverkilled

Has anyone had to complete an assets and liabilities form as part of screening?

Elinore

I was advised that my pre screening would take about three months to complete. So I'm not looking at any movement on the job front until march'ish.

I have already had stages come back as clear/successful very swiftly but apparently then main checks will take about that long.

So far I've not had anything involving assets.

(edit to mention mine is CS - so this may only apply to that level of screening)

BrassicWoman

Resurrected year old zombie thread