Final answer:
In recruitment, background checks refer to validating a candidate's employment history and other verifiable information to ensure they are a suitable fit for the job. They are an essential step in mitigating the risk of hiring an unsuitable employee and are different from other forms of candidate evaluations like psychological or aptitude testing.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of recruitment, background checks typically refer to the verification of a candidate's employment history. Background checks include various activities such as checking a prospective employee's academic credentials, work history, criminal records, and sometimes credit history to assess their suitability for a job. Crucially, such checks aim to avoid the risk of hiring a 'lemon,' or a poor-quality employee, by validating the information provided by the candidate. While psychological testing, social media screening, and aptitude testing can be parts of the overall candidate analysis and testing process, they are not specifically considered as background checks. Psychological testing, such as personality tests, is meant to match candidate traits with job requirements. However, its efficacy in predicting job performance can be complex. Aptitude and physical tests, including IQ and integrity tests, are other forms of candidate evaluation, whereas social media screening is a way to understand a candidate's conduct and character.