Better data means better decisions. It’s that simple.
Every high-volume hiring team we talk to wants the same things: hire faster, spend less, reduce risk, and make the process easier to manage. For them, that feels impossible. But it usually feels that way because they’re working with incomplete information.
Most don’t realize the problem isn’t their process or their people, it’s their data. Or, more accurately, it’s the data they’re not getting from their background check provider.
Why metrics are missing from most providers
Most background check providers will show you data about your screening process, like how many reports you’ve ordered or how long they take to complete. That information helps, but it barely scratches the surface. The problem is that providers rarely give you data about your hiring process, and that is the most useful data for hiring teams.
Hiring data isn’t difficult for providers to build into their technology. They just don’t want to. Because once you have it, you can spend smarter. And that means spending less with them.
Over time, they’ve trained the industry not to expect this level of visibility or even think to ask for it.
So, while most providers talk up their dashboards and analytics, the truth is they’re built to keep you focused on the wrong things. You get numbers that look impressive, but the data that could truly improve your program is missing. And that’s by design.
The metrics you should get from your provider
The right data from your background check provider fits into two categories: hiring funnel metrics and hiring cost metrics. Both are needed to have a complete view of how well your process is performing.
Hiring funnel metrics
Hiring funnel metrics show how candidates move through your process. The most important metric here is your hirable rate, how many candidates actually meet your qualifications. Knowing this helps you target stronger candidates from the start, waste less time on unqualified ones, and avoid spending money on people who will never start.
Other key metrics, like conversion rate and duration to convert, show how engaged your candidates are and how effective your recruiting approach really is.
Hiring cost metrics
Hiring cost metrics give you a clear look at what you’re actually spending. Start with cost per candidate. Many providers use package pricing that hides the cost per candidate behind extra or unclear fees. Once you know your true cost per candidate, you can calculate real ROI, plan your budget, and make better decisions about where to spend.
You should also have visibility into state-by-state costs and pass-through fee breakdowns. These details show which geographies have a higher return for you. It also exposes one of the most common pricing tricks in the industry: providers that add extra charges designed to look like pass-through fees when they’re not.
How companies use these metrics
When companies switch to Yardstik, one of the first things they tell us is how much visibility they’d been missing with their old provider. For the first time, they can see how their background check spend connects to real outcomes.
And once they have that data, their hiring programs change fast.
They start tightening up budgets and focusing their dollars where they actually make a difference.
“Being able to see that the money we’re spending for background checks is actually going to converted hires and onboarded candidates is big.”
– Zack R., HUNGRY
That visibility also helps teams move faster. They can spot bottlenecks, adjust communication, and learn which recruiting sources bring in stronger candidates. The result is fewer candidates falling out of the funnel.
“Projecting costs month to month has become less of a guessing game since moving to Yardstik. With our previous provider, we were never really sure what that bill would look like.”
– Brett Gallo, Bellhop
Jyve saw it too. After switching to Yardstik, they cut background check–related support tickets by 75%.
When you finally have this kind of data, hiring becomes predictable, efficient, and easier to control.
How to get these metrics from your background check provider
If your background check provider doesn’t already give you these metrics, you’ll always be at a disadvantage. Without it, you’re left making decisions with partial information while costs rise and candidates drop off.
This kind of visibility has to be built into the technology. If it’s not there, no amount of reporting requests or dashboard add-ons will make up for it.
That’s where Yardstik comes in. Our platform gives you real-time hiring data built to help you act fast, spend smarter, and continuously improve your program.Want to see how it works? Talk to us today.