For hiring managers, the world over, dealing with job applicants who lie about their qualifications can be a difficult and time-consuming experience. But as the great Michael Scott of The Office once said, “Fool me once, strike one. Fool me twice, strike three.”

Fortunately, finding the right company to provide trusted background screenings on potential hires can help a company build a truly great team of trustworthy employees. Here are just a few reasons to seek out top-tier background screening services today, and why the effort might just save you a headache in the future!

1. It’s Not Always Easy to Verify Application Materials

Without a good background check, it isn’t always easy to discover inconsistencies in an individual’s application materials. How an applicant appears on paper can be a very creative interpretation of how they conduct themselves in a work environment, for example, and in industries that handle sensitive information, a misread on an applicant’s character can be disastrous. While a gentleman thief on the order of David Niven’s “Raffles” character may be charming at office social events, it will be no fun dealing with the fallout when confidential client information or company funds go missing after such a person is hired.

2. Criminal History and Reference Checks Take Time and Divert Resources from Other Pressing Matters

One of the best reasons to hire a firm experienced with trusted background screenings undoubtedly lies in the sheer time it takes to run criminal history and reference checks on a large number of job applicants. By outsourcing these assignments to a quality firm, your company will save time and effort needed for more pressing matters in the office. Knowing you’re in good hands will help make an otherwise stressful hiring process a breeze, and that will make you a more relaxed and better leader.

3. Quality Reference Checks Act as Insurance Policies Against Future Harm

While firing an employee who has lied about their experience may seem like an easy process, the truth is that an unqualified employee can do serious damage to the infrastructure of a company in a very short amount of time. If money is stolen on company premises or clients are offended by bad behavior on the part of an incompetent worker, for example, a company can’t always recover their reputation. This is why quality background checks are so essential to a company’s well-being: By avoiding the wrong hire, you’ll be investing in your company’s future. Truly, that is business at its best!

For these reasons, hiring a company to conduct thorough background screenings on job applicants can be one of the best long-term decisions that business leaders can make. When you can rest easy at night secure in the knowledge that you’ve hired the right person for the job, you’ll have more energy to devote to achieving your goals. And that is hiring done right!