Things That Commonly Delay a Background Check (and How to Avoid Them)
Background screenings are often the last step in completing the hiring process, and a delayed check can feel like a black box to teams trying to move fast on a candidate. By understanding what's happening behind the scenes, you'll be better equipped to handle delays if they occur.
Incomplete or incorrect candidate info
One of the most common triggers for a screening delay is simply misspelled names, wrong SSNs, and incomplete address history. The search systems match against identifying info, so any error can cause a missed match that then needs manual resolution. Advise the candidate to confirm spelling against an ID (not a resume), standardize intake forms, and double-check before submission. Any inconsistency can trigger a full recheck, which delays report completion.
County jurisdiction court delays
No matter how efficient the screening technology is, record delays can happen because many county court records aren't fully digitized yet, and clerk's offices can be understaffed. When the required records aren't digitized, you need a direct courthouse pull, which moves at the courthouse's pace, not the screening system's. At Authentica, we receive weekly updates from our vendor on which county jurisdictions are currently delayed and why. We post these updates directly in our ordering system so clients can see them in real time, which sets clear expectations around potential delays. If you know a role touches a jurisdiction with a history of or current delays, building in a little extra time upfront can help you set realistic expectations with your team and/or the individual being screened.
Common Name Issues
While we would all like to believe that we have a unique identity, there are many common names that can cause delays during the screening process. A name like Michael Smith or Mary Smith can return hundreds of records, which a system may not be able to auto-distinguish. This creates a need to manually review every record and rule the records in or out. To help narrow things down, the individual being screened can provide a middle name, or even just a middle initial, which can scale back the total records in the pool before manual review starts. More is more in this situation.
At Authentica, we pride ourselves on our standard 48hr time frame, but delays do happen. Background screening uses real records that need real verification; the process isn't broken. Knowing how to plan around these delays makes all the difference, and that starts with working alongside a real human team that can spot and explain them quickly.
Looking to discuss your screening needs with a team of real humans? Reach out to Dominic Oliveri at Dominic.Oliver@Authentica.us or 585-256-4628.