The background investigation is the unavoidable bottleneck of public safety hiring. It is thorough, invasive, and time-consuming. It frequently takes 3 to 6 months, sometimes longer.
There is very little an agency can do to speed up the actual investigation without cutting corners on standards. However, there is a lot you can do to stop losing great candidates during the wait.
The problem isn’t the length of time; it’s the silence. When a candidate submits their packet and hears nothing for eight weeks, they assume they failed or that you aren’t interested. They take other jobs.
Marketing Doesn’t Stop When the Background Starts
You spent effort marketing to get them to apply; you need to keep marketing to keep them interested.
This is where marketing automation software is essential. Your investigators are too busy to send “just checking in” emails. But software can do it automatically.
The “Keep Warm” Drip Campaign
Once a candidate enters the background phase, they should be placed into an automated email and text drip campaign designed for the long haul.
- Week 2: “Update: Your file is with an investigator. No action needed from you right now. Thanks for your patience.”
- Week 6: “Still working on it! In the meantime, check out this video about our FTO program so you know what to expect when you start.”
- Week 10: “Just checking in. Are you still interested in joining our team? Reply YES to confirm.”
Transparency Reduces Anxiety
Be brutally honest about timelines on your website and in initial communications. If the average wait is four months, tell them that on day one.
By setting realistic expectations and then providing regular, automated touchpoints that share helpful content about the agency, you turn an agonizing wait into a period of engaged preparation.
Don’t let your background process become a black hole for talent. Safeguard Recruiting’s automation software keeps candidates warm during the long wait so they are still there when you are ready to hire.
Schedule a demo to see our “keep warm” features.
