Despite the economic downturn of the pandemic measures that Russia has overtaken, companies have started to turn their eyes again to Russia either for business growth or in search for Russian candidates for their remote working positions.

The new global market scenario has brought employers with the opportunity to find the best talent regardless of where they live or come from. But this trend has its own challenges too. Human resources and recruiting officers know the domestic regulations, how to verify someone and what are the right places to look for information in their own country. But a candidate from Moscow is a whole different thing. An employment screening in Russia requires a local investigator as most foreign HR and recruiting teams are not prepared to verify someone who comes from a different country.

How do you know your candidate is not a fraud?

There are many terrible scenarios with a bad hire. It can go from an employee not having the education and experience they claim to have and failing in their work role, to people who can take a business down with fraud, neglection, illegal activities, etc. In Russia, where leaking and stealing business data is a way of living for many, the risks is even higher, which is why it’s important to make sure the person you hire is who they claim to be, and has a good set of references to support their good job.

Identity verification is number one always. If you have no evidence to support your candidate is who they claim to be, then your chances of being deceived are high. This is the first critical step of an employment background check investigation in Russia, and it is especially important in a high risk country for fraud.

To properly verify, Russian private investigators will need some basic information to start with. Request your candidates for a good copy of an official ID, and a resume. This is the starting point for an investigator to confirm whether the claims are real and honest, or made up.

Secondly, criminal and court records need to be searched in government offices to be able to obtain reliable evidence directly from the source of information. No employer wants to miss a criminal past because they didn’t have access to the information, which is why you’ll need a professional with boots on the ground who speaks Russian and knows how to access the data. Unfortunately, some employers often resort to quick database searches to verify criminal records, but this is useless in Russia. Skipping a professional screening for the sake of economy or time will not help on the long run to your hiring goals.

Once the information has been confirmed, checking for references is equally important, as talking to previous employers and co-workers can paint a better picture about the candidate’s character. Some people may not have a criminal record, but they also don’t have the best references. A thorough investigation will help you find out if there is something in a candidate that can make you pull off the deal.

Russian professionals are very esteemed in many different countries and throughout many different industries, but do not choose to ignore the risks. A good hire is the best asset an employer can have. Contact Russia PI for a free quote if you are in need of employment background checks in Russia.

C. Wright
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