What You Need to Know About Professional Verifications

The basics of professional verifications

Why are professional verifications important?

Professional verifications help organizations validate applicant-provided history directly with authoritative sources. This helps organizations identify inaccuracies, expired qualifications, or potential fraud, enabling informed hiring decisions.

A few key benefits of professional verifications include:

• Risk Reduction – Identifying inaccurate or fraudulent history helps organizations avoid compliance violations, liability concerns, and reputational damage.

• Improved Workforce Quality – Professional verifications help ensure employees possess the skills, education, and experience expected for their roles.

• Regulatory Compliance – Many industries require organizations to validate professional certifications or licenses before allowing individuals to perform work. 

Which professional certifications or licenses are commonly verified?

Professional licenses or certifications that commonly require verification include those that involve advanced education, specialized training, decision-making roles, or those in positions of authority. The specific certifications, licenses, or histories verified often depend on the position's responsibilities and applicable industry requirements. The table below notes several key pieces of documentation and histories that organizations often validate:

What information can professional verifications uncover?

Professional verifications uncover information related to academic and employment histories, licenses and certifications, and professional references. By obtaining information directly from primary sources, organizations can identify discrepancies that may not be apparent through self-reported documentation alone. Here are a few key pieces of information commonly reported in each type:

• Academic History – Degrees earned, dates, and educational institution(s) attended

• Employment History – Dates, title, salary, the reason for leaving, and more

• Professional License Verification – Type and status, number, dates of issue and expiration, and disciplinary actions or restrictions

• Professional Reference – Nature of relationship, conduct in professional environments 

What’s the difference between a professional verification and a background check?

Professional verifications and background checks serve different purposes, although organizations frequently use both as part of a comprehensive screening program. Combining techniques allows organizations to gain a clearer picture of applicants during the hiring process.

Background Checks

Background checks help organizations evaluate information that may affect hiring, credentialing, or placement decisions. This risk-related information often includes criminal records at the county and federal levels, a National Sex Offender Public Registry (NSOPR) check, and drug testing.

Professional Verification

Professional verifications focus on whether a candidate possesses the experience and qualifications required for the role. Conducted by issuing authorities and primary sources, they provide organizations with academic, employment, licensing, and reference information about candidates. 

Compliance and risk management

Are professional verifications required by law?

Many regulated professions require professional verifications by law to meet industry-specific certification and license standards. Here are a few examples:

Academic Verifications

Federally, 42 CFR § 482.12 mandates that governing bodies and administrators of hospitals verify that medical staff are educated and trained accordingly. Academic verifications are also commonly required by boards that govern education, healthcare, and other regulated roles within each state.

Employment History Verifications

In transportation, 49 CFR § 391.23 requires employment history checks for all commercial drivers under Department of Transportation (DOT)-regulated employers.

Professional License Verifications

Strict patient-safety mandates necessitate healthcare providers to perform professional license verifications to maintain state and federal funding. Check out What to Know About Healthcare Background Checks for more information >

Healthcare isn’t the only industry to require checks into professional licenses, either. Organizations within other highly regulated fields like financial services, commercial transportation, and childcare are expected to screen for licensure too. Depending on the industry’s requirements, this may include continuous monitoring as well.

Professional Reference Checks

Testimonials to an individual’s personal and professional character are necessary for childhood and early education providers per 45 CFR § 1302.90. Further, the U.S. Department of Education recently launched an initiative to curb the hiring of individuals with sexual misconduct or abuse allegations through reference checks. Many states also mandate refence checks in long-term care facilities and nursing homes prior to placement. 

How do professional verifications help reduce organizational risk?

Professional verifications help reduce organizational risk by identifying unmet compliance obligations and protecting staff and clients from unqualified individuals. While these responsibilities often differ by industry, catching risk factors early helps to maintain a safe working environment and preserve funding by state or federal agencies.

• Academic verifications validate degrees, diplomas, certifications, and attendance history from one or more previous institutions.

• Employment verifications validate key details of a candidate's professional experience.

• License verifications expose inaccurate, expired, suspended, or fraudulent credentials.

• Reference checks identify strengths and potential concerns that may not appear on a resume or background check. 

Which industries rely most heavily on professional verifications?

Industries that rely heavily on professional verification have heightened compliance obligations and public safety responsibilities. Below is a breakdown of some of these industries and which documentation they verify:

Verification management and monitoring

When should professional verifications be conducted?

Professional verifications are commonly conducted throughout the employment lifecycle. In addition to pre-employment verification, other triggers may elicit a reinvestigation, such as:

• Granting formal privileges or authorizations for specialized duties

• Enlisting contractors, consultants, and third-party workers for regulated labor or access to sensitive environments

• Introducing new responsibilities due to promotion or transferring individuals between locations 

How often should organizations verify professional licenses and certifications?

The frequency with which professional licenses and certifications need verification depends on several elements. Industry regulations, document renewal schedules, and organizational policy all factor into the cadence organizations use to reevaluate professional fitness.

In healthcare, for example, providers accredited by The Joint Commission must re-verify medical staff licenses every three years, as the National Association Medical Staff Services (NAMSS) reports. Industry mandates aside, regular re-checks help employers to stay informed about changes in their staff.

What challenges can affect professional verification results?

Several factors can complicate the verification process. Challenges may delay results, so it’s important that organizations know what to look out for:

• Name changes or discrepancies make record matching more difficult.

• Fraudulent diploma mills can provide candidates with convincing degrees without the required education.

• Strict corporate policies sometimes lead to unhelpful, neutral references for fear of defamation from former team members.

• Fake references and close colleagues may inflate an applicant’s skills and abilities.

Clear policies and regular reviews help organizations minimize the impact of these challenges.