You’re a hiring manager at a food distribution company looking for a new bookkeeper.
As part of your hiring process, you will be conducting record checks on the candidates you meet with. A record check is a search of police records on an individual that will show whether they have been charged or convicted of a crime.
You have two candidates that you’re interviewing for the position.
The record check results show that the first candidate has a criminal record.
Would you still consider them for the job?
According to our surveys, over 50% of Canadians agree with you that this candidate should be considered for the job, no matter what type of record they might have, and 69% of hiring managers agree with you too.
According to our surveys, even though this candidate has a criminal record, more than 50% of Canadians would still consider them for the job and close to 70% of hiring managers would too.
After reviewing the record check results, you see that the candidate was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance.
With this new information, would you consider them for the job?
75% of Canadians agree with you that this candidate should be considered for the job and 84% of hiring managers do too.
Even though this candidate was convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance, 75% of Canadians would still consider them for the job and 84% of hiring managers would too.
While speaking to the candidate, they explain they were convicted of simple possession of cannabis at a house party after police responded to a noise complaint.
Caught with cannabis in front of the house, they were charged with personal possession.
Even though cannabis is now legal, they have yet to apply for a record suspension.
With this new information, would you consider them for the job?
More than 80% of Canadians agree with you that this candidate should be considered for the job and almost 90% of hiring managers do too.
Even though this candidate was convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance, more than 80% of Canadians would still consider them for the job and close to 90% of hiring managers would too.
Even though it has been legalized, approximately a quarter of a million Canadians have convictions for simple possession of cannabis.
And these charges stay on their record unless they are able to have their record suspended.
But context is important.
Asking follow-up questions can shed light on the circumstances of a charge and help you learn more about a candidate.
Let’s move on to the next job candidate.