5 Pre-employment Screening Mistakes That Cost You Time, Talent and Trust

From prolonged clearance delays to missed hires and poor candidate communication, many organisations don’t realise just how much is going wrong behind the scenes. And when screening is treated as a tick-box admin task or left to automated black-box systems, it’s not just candidates who lose confidence - it’s your projects, your timelines, and your brand. We sat down with Jayne Lee, Head of Candidate Services at Rullion, to uncover the five most common screening mistakes she sees every week. Plus, what a better, faster, human-led approach really looks like. Why Screening Is More Than a Tick-Box Exercise Too many employers treat pre-employment screening as a box-ticking chore, something to be automated, outsourced on the cheap, or buried within already-stretched HR functions. But the stakes are far higher than most realise. "Candidates are left hanging for 40 days, sometimes six months. Clients can’t get people on-site. Everyone’s frustrated, and nobody wins." — Jayne Lee Screening is not just about compliance. It’s about trust, operational readiness, and safeguarding your organisation’s brand. When mishandled, it can stall entire projects, drive away top talent, and leave teams critically understaffed. What Happens When Screening Goes Wrong In Jayne’s world, horror stories abound: candidates ghosted by automated systems, clients left to chase their own references, and six-month clearance times that sabotage even the best-laid hiring plans. From a compliance perspective, that’s risky enough. But the real cost comes in the form of: Delays to mobilisation and project timelines Lost candidates, who accept faster offers elsewhere Frustrated hiring managers, stuck in limbo Reputational damage, as candidate experience deteriorates Jayne describes a common tale: a company chooses a low-cost provider based purely on price. Within a year, they get burned by red-amber-green status updates and incomplete checks, but still charged full fees. It’s a classic example of how lower-cost options can lead to higher costs over time. What seems cheaper upfront often results in greater expense later. — Jayne Lee Top 5 Screening Mistakes to Avoid Choosing a provider based purely on price Relying on automated systems with no human oversight Treating screening as an afterthought in the hiring process Failing to update candidates during delays Underestimating the reputational cost of poor candidate experience The Four Pillars of a Good Screening Process So what does good look like? According to Jayne, the best pre-employment screening services share four key traits: 1. Speed Rullion averages just 7–8 days for full clearances. That’s no accident. It’s the result of a dedicated team, proactive communication, and structured workflows. 2. Accuracy Accuracy isn’t negotiable. Cutting corners increases risk and invites compliance breaches. 3. Candidate Experience Each candidate is assigned an advisor who guides them through the process, no faceless systems or ticket queues. This human-led approach builds trust and keeps things moving. 4. Compliance Especially in safety-sensitive sectors, clearances like BPSS must be handled to exacting standards. "Our advisors don’t just send emails - they know who to call, when to push, and how to escalate." — Jayne Lee Trends and Challenges in Screening Today Screening is evolving, and fast. Jayne highlights three major shifts: Growing regulation: in sectors like nuclear, utilities, and transport Automation that helps: but can’t replace - human expertise Rising candidate expectations: for fast, clear communication Many organisations are entering regulated sectors for the first time, unaware of what secure screening services really involve. Others rely on overburdened HR teams, hoping for the best. "Screening is often a homeless task. Nobody owns it, and it bounces from admin to HR until something breaks." — Jayne Lee How to Choose the Right Screening Partner If you’re in a high-stakes environment, the right screening partner isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s essential. Here’s what to look for: Specialist knowledge: of your sector and its compliance demands Technology that supports: not replaces, human interaction Transparent processes: clear SLAs, and real-time tracking Full ownership: so you’re never left to finish an incomplete check And most importantly, speed and service shouldn’t be trade-offs. Jayne’s team delivers both. "When I speak to ops teams, they get it immediately - they’re living the nightmare. Procurement? Not always." — Jayne Lee Screening Is a Strategic Advantage Screening isn’t a formality. It’s the critical bridge between offer and start date. It’s one that protects your operations, ensures compliance, and strengthens your brand. As Jayne says, when done right, pre-employment screening isn't just faster and safer, it’s smarter. So if you're still stuck in the red-amber-green trap, it might be time to rethink your approach.

From Yellow Pages to Digital ID: the Future of Screening

From Yellow Pages packs to digital-first Step into the office of a background screener in 2014 and you’d see a very different world. Printers churning non-stop, fax machines whirring, and stacks of paper files piled high on desks. “When I started, the screening packs were as thick as the Yellow Pages,” recalls Phil Bell, Candidate Services Team Leader at Rullion. “Printers were constantly running, scanners were working overtime, and every single page had to be put in the right order for approval. Then you’d have to scan the whole lot again, convert it into a PDF, and email it across. And still keep the hard copies in case of audit.” It was slow and manual labour. Fast forward a decade, and most pre-employment screening journeys are now completed digitally through secure portals. But as Phil suggests, just because you can automate, doesn’t always mean you should. Why not everything should be automated Automation has streamlined many tasks in background screening services, but over-reliance can backfire. For tasks like Right to Work checks and DBS checks, automation speeds things up. But when it comes to employment reference checks, removing people from the process often slows things down instead of speeding them up. “Sometimes a phone call is better than another email,” Phil says. “If I call a referee, I can explain what we need, answer their questions, and build a connection. A single conversation can cut through weeks of delay.” The lesson? Automation should support, not replace, human judgement. Referees and candidates value clarity and reassurance, and that’s not something a chaser email can deliver. The promise of rapid employment verification One that stands out for him is rapid employment verification: a tool that connects directly to HMRC, payroll, and open banking records (with candidate consent). “Instead of spending weeks chasing down referees, the system can instantly verify where someone has worked and for how long,” Phil explains. “That cuts out admin, reduces errors, and gets candidates cleared much quicker.” The benefits are clear: Faster onboarding for clients in time-critical projects. Less frustration for candidates who just want to start work. Efficiency gains for screening teams, freeing up time to focus on problem cases. But Phil is also realistic about the challenges. Consent will always be critical, candidates must feel comfortable with how their data is being used, and clients need to be ready to embrace the technology. Until both sides are confident, adoption will remain limited. Still, as improvements are rolled out, Phil believes rapid verification has the potential to transform how employment reference checks are managed, cutting down on delays and eliminating much of the manual chasing that slows the process today. This echoes what we’ve seen first-hand on major projects like Hinkley Point C where speed and compliance must go hand in hand. Read more in How Rullion Delivers Screening Success at Hinkley Point C. Smarter, not colder: the role of AI Phil also sees a clear role for artificial intelligence in pre-employment screening. For him, it’s not about replacing people but about making processes more reliable. At present, portals depend on candidates entering every detail correctly - but even something as small as a mistyped referee email address can cause the whole process to grind to a halt. This is where AI could add real value. Smart systems could flag incorrect information at the point of entry, ask intelligent follow-up questions, or even validate data against public sources. By catching errors early, the process becomes smoother for candidates, referees, and clients alike. Phil sums it up: “AI won’t replace advisors, but it can help us eliminate mistakes earlier and get people cleared faster. It’s about making the process smarter, not colder.” From science fiction to reality: digital ID When asked whether screening could ever become instantaneous, with each person carrying a unique identifier, like a cryptocurrency token - Phil admits it once felt like science fiction. Yet within a short amount of time of this interview, the UK Government announced its plans for digital ID cards, bringing the concept closer to reality. Across Europe, adoption is already well underway: Estonia’s e-ID has been in place for nearly 20 years, saving citizens an average of five working days each year, while Denmark’s MitID is now used by over 90% of the population. The EU has also committed to launching a Digital Identity Wallet by 2026, giving all citizens a secure, standardised way to prove who they are. He reflects: “Every worker already has a National Insurance number, and government gateways already give access to some records. So, a seamless digital ID isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds.” These global examples show that the debate is no longer about whether digital ID will arrive, but how it will be implemented and trusted. Linking records into a universal digital identity system could drastically reduce the time and effort involved in screening. Done well, it would give candidates more control over their information and employers greater confidence in its accuracy. Action points for employers Phil’s reflections don’t just highlight how far the industry has come, they also point to practical steps organisations can take now: Audit your processes: Identify where automation helps and where it hinders. For tasks like Right to Work checks and DBS checks, automation saves time; for references, human contact may still be best. Prepare for rapid verification: Start conversations with candidates about consent and data-sharing, so you’re ready to adopt new tools quickly. Invest in data quality: Choose systems that help catch errors early and reduce reliance on manual corrections. Keep the human touch: Balance is key. A process that relies entirely on automation risks losing candidates, but too much manual intervention creates delays. Getting this mix right is what keeps projects moving. Why balance wins Phil’s perspective is clear: the future of screening isn’t about choosing between people and technology but combining both. Tools like rapid employment verification and AI will undoubtedly shape the industry, but they work best when paired with real advisors who understand the needs of candidates and clients. “At the end of the day, candidates just want to get cleared quickly so they can start work. Clients want the same: people on site as soon as possible,” he says. “By blending technology with genuine human support, we can deliver speed, compliance, and a better experience for everyone.” It’s this combination, smart automation with real human guidance, that defines Rullion’s approach to background screening services. It means clients in critical infrastructure sectors like nuclear, transport and rail, and utilities can get the best of both worlds: the speed of automation with the reassurance of people who care.

BPSS Clearance: A Smarter Approach to Background Screening

“What exactly is BPSS clearance, and why is it such a big deal for places like Hinkley Point C or Sizewell C?” Sibel asked at the start of our latest Confessions of a Screening Expert conversation. It’s a good question. For many businesses stepping into regulated environments for the first time, Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks can feel like a maze of acronyms and requirements. But for Jayne Lee, Candidate Services at Rullion, BPSS is the baseline that keeps projects moving, and people safe. What BPSS Clearance Involves BPSS is the government framework for initial background screening. Jayne describes it as “the baseline of where people need to be cleared to.” It includes: Right to Work check Identity verification Criminal record check (DBS checks) Three years of employment referencing “People sometimes call it the ‘RICE’ model,” Jayne adds. “Right to Work, Identity, Criminal record, and Employment history. It’s a clear structure, and it’s widely recognised as the entry-level clearance for high-security roles.” From there, some roles may require higher levels of clearance (like SC or DV), but BPSS is always the starting point. And while it’s critical at nuclear sites like Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, BPSS clearance is increasingly required across other regulated sectors too, including rail, energy, and utilities. The Challenge: Speed Without Compromise At projects like Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, every worker - from engineers to ground staff - must hold valid BPSS clearance before stepping on site. Delays here can stall entire workstreams. The industry norm for completing BPSS checks is often 30–40 days. For major infrastructure projects, that’s simply not sustainable. Rullion’s solution: Jayne’s team achieves an average of 7.5 days per clearance. In exceptional cases, they’ve turned around a check in just 24-hours. But it’s not just about speed for speed’s sake. “When you scale up, challenges appear,” Jayne explains. “Last summer we onboarded over 1,000 international workers in one intake. International criminal record checks can push timelines out, but even then, our average was around 15 days — still significantly faster than sector norms.” Read how we deliver screening success at Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C › and see how our approach to BPSS clearance is keeping projects on track while reducing delays across complex supply chains. More Than a System: People First 'Where does this speed come from?' asks Sibel. According to Jayne, it’s the human-led approach that makes the real difference. Before any link or form is sent, every candidate receives a call from a named advisor. “That first call is golden,” says Jayne. “We introduce ourselves, explain the process step by step, and make sure candidates know what documents they’ll need. If they’ve got everything ready, the process sails through.” This proactive support avoids delays caused by missing documents or incomplete forms. And it doesn’t end there: Candidates have a direct phone number and email for their advisor. Clients get weekly catch-up calls to resolve issues quickly. No one is left waiting on a generic helpdesk or traffic-light status update. “It’s not just about compliance,” Jayne adds. “It’s about building trust and momentum.” Where Technology Fits In It’s not all down to people. Smart technology underpins the process, helping keep everything secure, visible, and moving at pace. For candidates, that means a smoother journey with less waiting around. For clients, it means instant oversight of their workforce, so they know exactly where things stand. “It’s the combination that works,” Jayne explains. “Automation helps with speed, but human oversight ensures accuracy, engagement, and problem-solving along the way.” Common Challenges, Clear Solutions Every project has its hurdles. This approach balances governance, compliance, and candidate experience all without sacrificing speed. Jayne outlines a few common ones, and how her team resolves them: Challenge Solution Candidates are slow to provide documents. Early preparation calls mean candidates know exactly what to have ready. International workers require overseas checks. Dedicated advisors manage timelines and keep clients informed, so expectations are clear. Clients worry about visibility. The portal and weekly calls ensure full transparency at every stage. Final Word from the Screening Expert Jayne has spent over 13 years in background screening. Her verdict? “BPSS clearance isn’t just a box to tick. Done right, it’s what keeps projects moving and candidates engaged. It’s about being quick, yes - but also accurate, compliant, and supportive. That’s where the human element really matters.” For organisations, the key takeaway is clear: background screening services are most effective when they combine smart technology with a human touch. This article is part of the Confessions of a Screening Expert series, where Sibel Akel, Marketing Director at Rullion, speaks with Jayne Lee and other industry leaders about the realities of screening in regulated sectors.