Think resume checking and candidate background checking are a poor use of your time? Think again. During times of economic challenge, checking the background and credentials of your potential employee becomes even more important.
Fraud is rampant. Job searchers are desperate. Employers are being duped. Why not find out those less than stellar facts about your favorite candidate before you've come to own him, love him, train him, and integrate him into your company, only to find out later that his credentials are fraudulent?
Yahoo CEO's Credential Problem
Think that you are immune from fraudulent claims by potential employees? There is a long history of even CEOs claiming degrees and other credentials they don't have. Take the current uproar over Yahoo Chief Executive Scott Thompson's claim to a degree in accounting and computer science. Sounds possible. But, the college from which he graduated confirms the accounting and business degree but didn't start a computer science program until several years after he graduated.
Will Yahoo fire Mr. Thompson? It depends on their written policies and how the erroneous information came about. Did Mr. Thompson willfully mislead the hiring team? I don't have insider information, but you want to avoid dilemmas like this one when you offer a new employee a job.
Fraud Rampant in Application Materials
Do you know who you are hiring? Recent studies by various firms, indicate that most candidates mislead, exaggerate, embellish, and / or outright lie on their application materials including resumes, cover letters, and job applications.
One firm found that 64% of candidates overstate accomplishments, while 71% misrepresent the number of years they have held a position. Others found that over half of their applicants misrepresented their employment history.
So, what's an employer to do? These tips will help you avoid the consequences of hiring candidates who have misrepresented any aspect of their employment or academic history. Recent high profile cases say that it can happen to you. With comprehensive candidate background checking, you can increase your chances of knowing exactly who you are hiring.
Image Copyright Steve Cole / Getty Images
More About Candidate Background Checking
- Background Checks: Five Keys to Pre-Screening Potential Employees
- Reference Checking Format
- Who Owns Reference Checking?
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