Greenhouse is one of the most popular applicant tracking systems (ATS) for growing companies, known for its structured hiring approach and powerful integrations. If your recruiting team uses Greenhouse and your hiring process includes criminal record checks, you can now automate that step entirely. With Fastkey and Zapier, a criminal record check is automatically sent every time a candidate is hired in Greenhouse.
How It Works
This integration connects Greenhouse to Fastkey through Zapier:
- Trigger: A candidate is hired in Greenhouse (their status changes to "Hired")
- Action: Fastkey automatically sends the candidate a criminal record check request via email
- The candidate completes the verification through Fastkey's secure online process
- Results are delivered — the completed RCMP criminal record check report appears in your Fastkey dashboard
The screening kicks off at the exact right moment — when you've made the hiring decision. No one on your team has to remember to submit the request, and the candidate gets started on the background check immediately.
Why Automate at the Hiring Stage?
Greenhouse is built around structured hiring — scorecards, interview kits, approval workflows. But once a candidate is marked as hired, the pre-boarding steps often fall back on manual processes. Background checks are one of the most common bottlenecks.
Without automation:
- A recruiter or HR coordinator has to notice the hire in Greenhouse
- They copy the candidate's details into a screening platform
- They submit the request and track it separately
- If they're busy or the hire happens on a Friday afternoon, the check might not go out until the following week
With this Zap, the criminal record check request goes out the moment the candidate is marked as hired. The delay drops from days to minutes.
What Is a Criminal Record Check?
A standard criminal record check is a name-based search of the RCMP National Repository of Criminal Records. It checks whether any criminal records exist matching the person's name and date of birth. Fastkey processes these checks digitally — the candidate verifies their identity online and results are typically delivered within days.
Understanding the Results
When a criminal record check is completed, you'll receive one of three results:
Negative: No criminal records were identified matching the candidate's name and date of birth. This is the most common result and means the search came back clear.
Incomplete: The search could not be completed based on the information provided. The candidate may need to submit fingerprints to the RCMP for positive identification. This doesn't mean they have a record — it means more information is needed.
Confirmation: A possible match to a criminal record was found. This is based on name and date of birth only — an absolute confirmation requires fingerprint comparison.
Who Uses Greenhouse + Fastkey?
Technology Companies
Fast-growing tech companies using Greenhouse often hire in bursts — multiple roles across engineering, product, and operations. Automating criminal record checks ensures every hire is screened consistently, even during high-volume hiring sprints.
Professional Services
Consulting firms, agencies, and professional services companies that hire client-facing roles need to screen employees before they're placed on client engagements. Automated screening means the check starts the moment the offer is accepted.
Healthcare and Life Sciences
Companies in healthcare, biotech, and pharmaceuticals that use Greenhouse for recruiting can ensure every hire is screened as required by industry regulations and provincial law.
Financial Services
Banks, fintech companies, and financial institutions need to screen employees who will handle sensitive financial data. Automating the process through Greenhouse ensures compliance with industry requirements.
Non-Profits and Education
Organizations that work with vulnerable populations — children, the elderly, patients — need criminal record checks for every employee. Connecting Greenhouse to Fastkey ensures no hire starts without being screened.
Setting It Up
- Create a Fastkey account at fastkey.com/register (Business account required)
- Search for "Fastkey" and "Greenhouse" on Zapier to find the template
- Connect your Greenhouse account — Zapier will ask for your Greenhouse API key (generated in Greenhouse under Configure > Dev Center > API Credential Management)
- Connect your Fastkey account — enter your Fastkey email and password
- Map the fields — match the candidate's name, email, and phone from Greenhouse to Fastkey's verification request fields
- Turn on your Zap — every newly hired candidate will be automatically screened
Completing the Workflow
Once the criminal record check results are ready, add more Zaps to handle the next steps:
- Save the PDF report to Google Drive — keep a copy alongside the employee's hiring file
- Log the result in Google Sheets — build a screening tracker that updates in real time
- Send a Slack notification — alert the recruiter or HR coordinator when results are in
- Email the report — send the completed check to the hiring manager or compliance team
Fits Right into Structured Hiring
Greenhouse is all about making hiring repeatable and consistent. Adding automated criminal record checks through Fastkey extends that philosophy into pre-boarding. Every hire goes through the same process, at the same time, with the same level of diligence — regardless of which recruiter made the hire or how busy the team is.
Get Started
Automate criminal record checks for every candidate hired in Greenhouse. Connect Greenhouse to Fastkey through Zapier and make background screening a seamless part of your hiring process. Visit our Zapier integration page for setup instructions and more workflow ideas.