November 15th, 2021 | Sterling

Why Run Background Checks in the Media and Advertising Industry?

We have witnessed drastic changes to the labour market, most notably the shift from an employer-driven market to a candidate-driven one. Many employees are beginning to re-prioritise what they value in the workplace due to the majority of workers wanting flexible working options, increased learning and development, and new ways to measure productivity. In this candidate-driven market, employers are even more concerned with time-to-hire, optimising the candidate experience, building teams on a foundation of trust and safety, and finding quality candidates that are strong representations of their brand.

We previously spoke about Privacy and Security Implications of a Remote Workforce, and the Media and Advertising industry, which represents sectors like film, radio, television, and print, is often in the spotlight due to its public nature. With the 24-hour news cycle, expansive reach of the internet, and increasing consumption of digital content, it’s important that Media and Advertising companies maintain their integrity and have trustworthy employees that embody and represent their brand. And with candidates driving the hiring trends, these companies must be agile in hiring and monitoring employees to secure strong candidates quickly. Robust background checks are an important first step in the process of vetting the right candidates for your organisation and helping you build your teams on a foundation of trust and safety.

Factors to Consider in Today’s Evolving Labour Market

1. The Importance of Background Checks

Pre-employment and reference checks can mitigate risk, protect your brand’s reputation, and allow you to hire with confidence. A strong background check provider will deliver a better picture of a candidate’s criminal history while still mindful of turnaround times, accuracy, compliance complexities, and candidate experience. When working in a fast-paced industry such as Media and Advertising, robust and quick background checks must be implemented to get the right candidates hired quickly.

2. Social Media Presence

Just as candidates research your company when applying to jobs, more employers leverage social media searches to make informed hiring decisions. With so much of our lives broadcasting across social media, especially in the Media and Advertising industry, there is a plethora of publicly-available information that background check providers are utilising to help minimise the risk of a bad hire. This deep dive uses A.I., language processing, and image recognition to screen for risky behaviour online and flags problematic posts before they become a part of your company’s culture — or worse, in the headlines. Partnering with a background check provider that runs compliant-driven social media screening can increase your confidence that the people you’re hiring are fit to represent your brand and contribute positively to your company and culture. Social media searches pose no threat to the candidate experience, with no effort required on behalf of the candidate and a fast turnaround time to complete the search.

3. Putting Compliance First

Compliance is constantly evolving. When looking for a background check provider in today’s remote-first world, it’s important to prioritise built-in compliance capabilities that follow regulatory requirements and save you time. The company you partner with should also have a team of compliance experts that keep you informed of current legislative and regulatory changes and offer tools and best practice insights you can leverage to help you meet your compliance obligations.

New labour market realities have made it more important than ever to minimise the margin of error, streamline hiring processes, and improve the candidate experience. Partnering with a strong background check provider can help you efficiently and compliantly screen employees and get them to work faster, which is essential in the Media and Advertising industry.

Interested in learning more about Sterling ’s services for the Media and Advertising industry, or want to brainstorm how our industry-specific background checks can work for you? Our team is here and ready to talk. Contact us here to start a conversation.

Sterling is not a law firm. This publication is for informational purposes only, and nothing contained in it should be construed as legal advice. We expressly disclaim any warranty or responsibility for damages arising from this information. We encourage you to consult with legal counsel regarding your specific needs. We do not undertake any duty to update previously posted materials.

This content is offered for informational purposes only. First Advantage is not a law firm, and this content does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice.  Information in this may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information.

Readers of this content should contact their attorney or lawyer to obtain advice concerning any particular legal matter.  No reader, or user of this content, should act or refrain from acting on the basis of information in this content without first seeking legal advice from counsel or lawyers in the relevant jurisdiction.  Only your individual attorney or legal advisor can provide assurances that the information contained herein – and your interpretation of it – is applicable or appropriate to your particular situation.  Use of, and access to, this content does not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader, or user of this presentation and First Advantage.