Frequently Asked Questions
Are you licensed Private Investigators?
No. Most companies in New Zealand that offer pre-employment screening are licensed Private Investigators because their core business is private enquiry work (e.g. insurance, theft and fraud claims). This work is to some extent clandestine which is why a licence is required.
There is nothing surreptitious about what we do. There is no need to undertake that type of enquiry (and it is unlawful anyway) because what we are interested in is whether the subject is telling us the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Job applicants feel unfairly treated when a screening provider (like a Private Investigator) goes behind their back to obtain information about them, and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner continues to receive and uphold complaints about such behaviour.
We examine and assess public records, what the candidate tells us, and what their nominated referees and past employers tell us. The subject is fully informed about what we are going to do, knows that what they tell us will be investigated to ascertain its veracity, and must sign a written consent. Should they not wish to engage in the process, we can draw an inference from that decision.
How long does PVL take to complete a verification and prepare an assessment?
Unfortunately, this is dependent on factors outside our control. Most commonly, delay only occurs either in waiting for the results of criminal records enquiries from the Ministry of Justice (currently the Ministry is taking about seven working days to complete criminal records checks), or very ocassionally because referees are not readily available for interview.
We undertake to provide our clients with a professional service and produce a thorough and considered written assessment. Anything less would leave a client exposed to the very risk our process is designed to protect them from. We will not compromise these standards for haste. We do not cut corners and we do not offer a verbal report, we don’t think that’s good enough. But we do what we say we will do, we do give realistic time estimates and we do keep our clients informed as to progress.
Because of the delay in criminal records checks results being returned from the Ministry of Justice, some employers have been tempted to hire a Candidate contingent on the return of a satisfactory criminal record. We don’t condone this practice as it has the potential to expose an employer to litigation if the employee reneges on their agreement and decides to lodge a personal grievance.
However, since 1 March 2009 (under the Employment Relations Amendment Act 2008), if a business employs fewer than 20 people, new employees may be put on trial for up to 90 days. This means that in the circumstances outlined above, it would be possible to employ someone pending a satisfactory verification, without running the risk of a personal grievance for unjustified dismissal. The trial period must be agreed by both parties before employment commences, and be recorded in writing.
Companies employing 20 staff or more are not eligible. For the sake of an extra week or so delay, we would strongly urge them not to employ a Candidate until all the results of our enquiries have been completed and they have our report and assessment.
Incidentally, some employment screening companies claim to be able to offer a quicker return on criminal records checks. This is simply untrue. The Ministry of Justice has a longstanding policy of processing requests strictly in the order it receives them. If a screening company makes such a claim to you, what else are they not being truthful about?
Why should I choose PVL ?
PVL is significantly different from other companies who offer employment screening services.
1. Craig Gubbins
PVL was founded and is operated by a former Manager of the New Zealand Government’s own Security Vetting programme. In choosing PVL for your CV verification requirements you benefit from the wealth of security experience that Craig has developed in his 26 year career in intelligence and analysis with the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service.
2. PVL also offers Response Latency Integrity Analysis
PVL is the only pre-employment screening service in New Zealand able to offer this test to assess personal integrity. In a unique process, the system “learns” about the candidate in real time and tailors the computer-based questions to individually generated responses. It also weighs the responses depending on the applicant’s individual work experience. This means that the more work experience, the more weight is given to past behaviour, the less work experience, the more weight given to implicative questioning.
This test has reached an extremely high level of validity in predicting an applicant's propensity toward dishonesty - 0.92 in comparative testing with a polygraph test on each of the individual constructs examined – theft, bribery, gambling, substance abuse, loyalty and accurate reporting.
This 20 minute test is in use around the world with more 12,000 administered every month for pre employment screening purposes. In New Zealand, this test is only available from PVL.
3. PVL utilises SCAN (Scientific Content Analysis).
Craig is the only certified analyst in New Zealand. By using PVL you gain access to a level of forensic analysis that is not available anywhere else in the country. Since 1999, Craig has been using SCAN to assess the truthfulness of statements made in relation to murder, blackmail, corruption, extortion and employment investigations.
4. PVL conducts face to face interviews
Reference checking has become commonplace. But invariably in-house HR departments, employment agencies and all other New Zealand employment screening providers fulfil this requirement by telephone because it involves little time, effort, cost or skill.
Anyone can be given a set of prepared questions and told to telephone a referee and write down their responses.
Based on our lengthy experience, the only way to obtain useful, meaningful information is to conduct personal interviews of referees, and for it to be undertaken by a trained and skilled professional interviewer, able to elicit information specifically relevant to the candidate and the position under consideration.
PVL’s founder has undertaken more than 900 face-to-face interviews of the public. This type of reference checking does cost more, naturally; but it represents a very considerable enhancement on the perfunctory and generic questioning associated with faceless telephone interviews.
Personal interviews are definitely value for money as referees are inclined to give more considered and thoughtful responses, and this in turn provides employers with more significant information on which to base a hiring decision.
Also, a professionally conducted personal interview by PVL will enhance your company’s reputation and status with the public.
5. PVL only works for employers
PVL is the only pre employment screening company in New Zealand that works exclusively for employers.
We do not undertake so-called “self screening” checks for people who are looking for work, or tenant checks for landlords, or franchise company checks of prospective franchisees.
Our sole focus is in supporting businesses, organisations and agencies to make informed decisions about who they employ.
PVL’s founder has been continuously involved in employee screening assessments since 1996.
Why settle for anything less?
If your question is still left un-answered, please get in contact with us