Is your next employee reliable?

by Joe Iannarelli
Business First

In every industry, employers strive for a common goal; filling positions with qualified, ethical people. Good work experience just isn't enough to ensure a productive employee. Employers need to take the guesswork out of hiring and utilize pre-employment background and security checks to do so.

Antisocial character traits can disrupt the workplace, and lead to discipline and other issues that can lose time and money for companies. Screening out undesirable applicants at the pre-employment stage is easier than dealing with them after they have been hired.

That's where SearchLink comes in.

What's going on: The company specializes in background checks and security screenings for employment. Employers may hand over the applicant's entire application to verify all the information. SearchLink checks for any felony or misdemeanor convictions. The company also does tenant screening for rental companies, checking for everything from judgments, liens and lawsuits either for or against potential renters. Wholesale mortgage retrieval, document and title searches are also performed.

"Whatever information we obtain is purely legal," says John Pecoraro , SearchLink president. "We receive most of our information through the Freedom of Information Act."

Employees: Seven Clients: Attorneys, temporary employment agencies, supermarkets and wholesale clients. A majority of SearchLink's customers are from out of state.

How it works: Employers can order criminal background checks directly from SearchLink. Orders are obtained via e-mail or directly through the company's Web site. Orders can also be faxed. The order includes the applicant's name, Social Security number and date of birth. Depending on what information is needed, SearchLink goes back at least seven years but can check up to 20 years. The results are returned to the employer within two business days in the form of a synopsis of what was found.

"Because of our place in the industry, we are able to do things faster and cheaper than all of our competitors," Pecoraro says. "Insurance companies offer lower premiums to employers for this type of service so there is a benefit for having this done."

Founded: 1992 History: The company was started by Nina Juncewicz. After becoming an attorney, Juncewicz sold the business to Pecoraro to avoid any conflict of interest with her law firm. At that time, Pecoraro was owner of Ristorante Grano, a fine dining establishment in Clarence.

"I saw the potential for growth in the industry despite fierce competition from other companies outside of the state," he says. "We expanded our services to include mortgage and title services to stay one step ahead of my competitors."

When Pecoraro purchased the company, he handled 120 to 140 orders a week. His staff now handles 1,200 to 1,400 orders a week, charging $10 to $15.

Revenues: Up 75 percent from last year Challenges in the industry: New York state taxes and state-run criminal searches.

"The taxes New York small businesses are forced to pay are detrimental not to mention that the state is starting to do its own criminal searches," Pecoraro says. "The state charges $52 and has locked my company and others in this industry out of certain counties forcing us to charge more expensive searches in other parts of the state."

Biggest accomplishment within the last year: Fatherhood.

Pecoraro and his wife Francesca have two children. Anthony is 3-years old and Caterina is 11-months old.

"It's changed my whole perspective on life and business," he says. "Not only am I working to help support my children but I am helping my staff members provide for their families as well."

Easiest part of the job: Sales.

"Customer service is in my blood and sales just come naturally," Pecoraro says. "I've been in it for so long, it's just something that I find easy to do, especially with the services my company offers."

Toughest part of the job: The pressures of managing a successful business.

"My family depends on me to be successful and so do my employees," he says. "For myself and the people I have gathered to work with me, this is our chance to succeed. I have to go the extra mile for myself and my employees. They need me to come through for them. Failure is not an option."

Interesting fact: Pecoraro's family ran the food and beverage operations at the Statler Hilton in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

"My brother and I bused tables for 25 cents as kids," he says. "I learned about hard work and dedication from an early age."