Global Trends & Insights
by Region
Unmatched Global Capabilities
At First Advantage, we recently surveyed our customers
on their background screening preferences. By crossreferencing these responses with aggregate data fromour 66+ million annual global searches, we were able toidentify trends and insights driving today’s backgroundscreening industry.
We captured so many insights that we felt it would
benefit readers to release our report in a five-part series,
each focusing on a different categorical trend, including
screening, product, global, vertical and analyticalinsights. This is Part 3 of 5.

1

Why do organizations screen? Our global survey found companies screen for two reasons:
To protect their brand AND to ensure candidates have the right qualifications or skills
for the job. These two responses tied for first place.

2

Many companies are experiencing increased numbers of candidates with abackground outside of their current country. For example, the U.S. has seen a
13% increase over the past year for global screens. In 2018, First Advantage
fulfilled search requests in 200+ countries and territories.

3Where are global candidates from? The top 5 locations include India,Australia, Canada, China and the United Kingdom, per the 66 million
background screens requested from First Advantage.

4Mobile candidate communications clearly affect theability to quickly gather missing information. However,that is only one factor facilitating faster report turnaroundtimes. Other countrywide systemic changes must occur
to facilitate online access to data. First Advantage is aleader in developing technology—including innovative AI
technologies—that help increase data access. We workon your behalf to improve access to local sources
worldwide.

TOPGLOBAL

5

Over 50% of resumes around the worldcontain discrepancies. Curriculum
Vitae (CV) or resume reviews garner thelargest discrepancy rates outside of theU.S. This is partly because both
employment and education verifications
are included in that number, in addition toother elements such as professional
qualifications, memberships and licenses.

TRENDSSURVEY SAYS:

Among HR Professionals, speed is the top priority forbackground screening, followed by risk and cost.
—2018 First Advantage Survey

GLOBAL TRENDS & INSIGHTS BY REGION

2

International Searches Overview
TAT bybyCountryTurnaround Time (TAT)Country

Top Third TAT
Middle Third TATFirst Advantage conducted background searches in 200+ countries and territories last year.
However, we only mapped countries with significant volume for this turnaround comparison.

Bottom Third TAT

Eligibility Rate by Region
Eligibility
Rate by Region

Outside the U.S. Searches

USInternational searches increased 13% from 2017
to 2018.

LATAM
India

Most common countries searched:

CanadaEMEA

30.9% India

APAC
0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Eligibility is calculated based on returned discrepancies
or lack thereof. However, the employer will make theultimate employment decision.

100%

14.4%

Australia

7.2%

Canada

5.9%

China

4.9%

United Kingdom

3.9%

Philippines

1.9%

Singapore

1.7%

New Zealand“Global experience continues to grow in the U.S. In 2018, there was a 15% increasein the number of global candidates screened.”—Suzie Mastrofski, Chief Global Client Officer

GLOBAL TRENDS & INSIGHTS BY REGION

3

Europe, the Middle East & Africa (EMEA)
Trends & Insights
The average discrepancy rate for EMEA was 31.07%.

FUN

FACTThe new First Advantage data center in Amsterdam issurrounded by a moat.

Discrepancy
Rateby Type
Discrepancy Rateby Search
TypeAdditional Info

1.23%

Adverse Media Search

0.05%

Consumer Credit Search (Experian)

1.07%

Criminal Check

0.67%

CV Comparision

50.82%

Directorship Search

17.78%

Education

31.75%

Employment

24.31%

Enhanced Education

0.25%

Financial Records Search

0.95%

Gap in Employment History

0.09%

Professional Qualification

23.37%EMEA Countries with theHighest Discrepancy Rates:

EMEA Countries with theLowest Discrepancy Rates:

18.10% Ireland

3.37% Qatar

15.46%

Portugal

4.14%

Luxemborg

14.29%

Armenia

5.32%Nigeria

13.94%

Czech Republic

5.62%

Bulgaria

13.69%

Netherlands

6.63%

Germany“The 2018 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Disclosure and Barring
Service (DBS) updates have affected either how our customers order or store returned
background reports. First Advantage is committed to helping our clients navigate theselegislative and procedural changes.”—Rolf Bezemer, Managing Director EMEAGLOBAL TRENDS & INSIGHTS BY REGION

4

India Trends & Insights
The average discrepancy rate for India was 9.61%.

Discrepancy Rates byVerification TypeQ4-18

60.1% Employment6.0%

Address

5.4%

Education

28.5% Others
Employment verification consistently has the highest
number of discrepancies compared to address,
education or other verifications.

Discrepancy Rates by Job Category
ASSOCIATE

MIDDLEMANAGEMENTFIRST LEVELMANAGEMENTSENIOR
MANAGEMENT

APPRENTICETRAINEE/INTERN

Q1-18

64%

19%

12%

3%

2%

Q2-18

65%

18%

12%

3%

2%

Q3-18

66%

18%

12%

2%

2%

Q4-18

65%

18%

13%

2%

2%

“We have successfully deployed robotics and process automation aligning Indian
pre-employment screening practices with the best in the world.”—Vivek Khanna, Managing Director India

GLOBAL TRENDS & INSIGHTS BY REGION

5Asia Pacific (APAC) Trends & Insights
The average discrepancy rate for APAC was 26.11%.

Discrepancy
RatebyDiscrepancy Rateby Country
Country

Highest Discrepancy
Rates

Highest Discrepancy Rates
Employment

20%

Education

16%
62%

Resume Check
0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Employment is most common check in APAC with 1.2 checks/order

Highest Third Eligibility Rate

Employment is the most common check in APAC
with 1.2 employment checks performed for eachbackground check order—or, in other words, on
average we are contacting more than one previous
or current employer per candidate.

Middle Third Eligibility Rate
Lowest Third Eligibility Rate

Some APAC Countries with theLowest Discrepancy Rates:

Seasonality
Seasonality - APAC Volume

3.81% China
High Order Volume
Low Order Volume
JFM

A

M

JJASON

D

5.47%

Japan

8.19%

Thailand

8.98%

Hong Kong

9.79%

Indonesia

APAC volume at lowest during Lunar New Year and at highest in middle of year

APAC volume is at its lowest during Lunar New Yearand at its highest in middle of year.

“Candidate experience is paramount for our clients. We want to minimize theapplicant chasing and number of contacts by aggressively reducing missinginformation.”—Erik Schmit, EVP & Managing Director Asia Pacific

GLOBAL TRENDS & INSIGHTS BY REGION

670%

Canada & Latin America (LATAM)
Trends & Insights
SURVEY SAYS:

It’s a Tie! The Number One Reasons to Screen:
To protect your brand or reputation AND to ensure that thecandidates have the right qualifications or skills.
—2018 First Advantage Survey

Canada by the Numbers

LATAM by the Numbers

Missing Information Rate:

21.23%

Missing Information Rate:

18.93%

Unable or Not Allowed to Verify:

7.13%

Unable or Not Allowed to Verify:

6.41%

Average Turnaround Time:

3.3 Days

Average Turnaround Time:2.94 Days

Common Reasons Why Information is Unable or Not Allowed to Be Verified
1. Missing information needed to verify claim such as name of school, employer or dates
2. Candidate requests no verification (for example, they request that we do not contact their present employer)
3. Organization has ceased its operations
4. Records not available (destroyed, not maintained or not able to be disclosed per organizational policy)
5. No response from the source“As mobile candidate data capture is embraced in Canada and Latin America, wefully anticipate missing information rates will lower and facilitate decreased reportturnaround times.”—Rhonda Fairweather, VP Operations Canada, LATAM & EMEAGLOBAL TRENDS & INSIGHTS BY REGION

7

U.S. Trends & Insights
The average discrepancy rate for U.S. is 19.22%.

by State
Turnaround Time by TAT
State

Fastest State:
Utah

Slowest State:
New Hampshire

Fastest Third Turnaround Time
Middle Third Turnaround Time
Slowest Third Turnaround Time

Unable to Verifydecreased by 4%
from 2017 to 2018 in the U.S.

Missing Information
decreased by 6%from 2017 to 2018 in the U.S.

“An increased focus on case-level performance and managing the long tail cases
has resulted in faster turnaround time and continuous improvement.”—Tom Ellis, SVP U.S. Operations

We can help. For more information, contact First Advantage today:
Call: US +1-844-717-0510
Email: solutions@fadv.com
Visit: fadv.com

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