Blog
The latest in background screening
Featured Articles
How Background Check Companies Sneak in Hidden Fees (And How to Spot Them)
September 12, 2024
Background checks should be simple, right? You run the report, pay the fee, and get the results. But some background check companies have a different playbook. Instead of putting you first, they’re finding creative ways to pad their profits—hello, hidden fees and confusing invoices! Let’s look at the main culprit […]
Read More
Sequential Screening: A Secret Legacy Vendors Won't Reveal
April 25, 2024
“I’m so tired of paying $100+ for every candidate whether or not I end up hiring them.” We hear this often from people before they switch to Yardstik. The screening vendors of yesterday want you to believe there is only one workflow for vetting candidates—their workflow. It’s an intentionally expensive […]
Read More
A Background Screening Dashboard Built for Strategic Decision-Making
March 19, 2024
“Why is this cost so high?” Ever heard this from your CFO before? Pretty sure we all have. And after your blood pressure levels out and your heart rate returns to normal, we often realize it’s a pretty fair question to ask. Especially for companies who are hyper-focused on cost […]
Read More
Additional Articles
Speed vs. Accuracy in Background Checks: How to Get the Right Balance
You’ve got candidates waiting to start. Your customers are asking when roles will be filled. And somewhere in between is a background check dragging its feet. Most providers make you choose. Speed comes at the cost of accuracy, and vice versa. It’s a tradeoff baked…
Good vs. Bad Background Check Integrations: How to Spot Them
Background check integrations are supposed to make life easier. Emphasis on supposed to. Ever had to chase a candidate down because they didn’t finish their background check? Or had your team bouncing between browser tabs, trying to figure out where a report even…
How to Stop Your Background Check Provider from Increasing Prices
You just got hit with a huge price increase. You didn’t see it coming. And with no time to switch providers, you feel like you have no choice but to renew. So, what now? Before we talk about how to stop these price hikes, let’s get real about why they happen in the…
What is an Adverse Action? Definition, Process, and Best Practices
When a background check turns up something that makes you reconsider hiring a candidate, you can’t just ghost them and move on. There’s a process you’re legally required to follow. That process is called adverse action. This guide breaks down what adverse action is,…
What Is an SSN Trace? Everything You Need to Know About Social Security Number Background Checks
If you’ve ever run a criminal background check, chances are you’ve run a Social Security Number (SSN) trace—whether you realized it or not. It’s the first thing most screening providers do once you hit “order.” And for good reason. Skipping an SSN trace in a…
How Background Screening Technology Has Evolved in the Last 10 Years… And What’s Next in 2025
Background screening has changed completely in the last decade. What used to take days—or even weeks—now happens in minutes. Go back 20 years, and the process was painfully manual. If you needed a criminal record, someone had to physically go to a courthouse, find a…
Lookback Periods in Background Checks: Definition, Options, and Which to Choose
Background checks are all about understanding the past to reduce risk in hiring. But how far back should you look? That’s where lookback periods come in. They define how much history is fair game in your screening process. You might think it’s as simple as picking a…
Am I Running Unnecessary Screens? How to Tell
The background screening industry has a dirty little secret: most companies are paying for screens they don’t need, by no fault of their own. And we’re not talking pennies here—these “extras” are bleeding businesses like yours out of thousands of dollars. Sorry,…
Top 10 Blog Posts You Couldn’t Stop Reading in 2024
You clicked, you scrolled, you shared—and these ten posts won the popularity contest. From breaking down jargon to exposing industry nonsense, these reads turned complicated into crystal clear. Here are our top 10 blog posts of 2024, decided by you. 1. Background…
County, State, National & Federal Background Checks: Where they Differ
Background checks can feel complicated. County, state, national, federal—what do these have to do with screening? And why does it matter? If you’re not sure how these pieces fit together, don’t worry—we’re about to make it simple. By the end of this, you’ll know…
LET’S EVOLVE YOUR WORKFORCE VISIBILITY
Get an end-to-end view of risk across your entire workforce.
