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Resume Fraud

Resume Fraud May Increase As The Economy Worsens

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In a story in today’s Wall Street Journal experts warn that the prevalence of resume fraud may increase as the economy worsens. As more people search for jobs — and become increasingly desperate to land them — hiring managers should be on guard.

Key Points From The Article:

  • Executive candidates most frequently lie about reasons for leaving a previous post, results and accomplishments, and past job responsibilities, a 2004 survey of consultants at executive recruiter Korn/Ferry International found.
  • Academic credentials were the fifth-most frequently exaggerated type of information seen by executive recruiters.
  • Executives who have been caught with inflated credentials often turn out to have embellished their records early in their careers. For example, people may claim degrees from universities they attended, but from which they never graduated.
  • A job seeker may say he served as chief executive of a company where he worked for four years; that doesn’t necessarily mean he was CEO for all four years.
  • One mistake companies make is not ascertaining how much vetting their executive recruiters do. Most search firms attempt to verify some executive credentials, but some “take a very hands-off approach,” says Jenifer DeLoach, who oversees background checks for corporate clients at Kroll. “They find the candidate, and a background search … is the responsibility of the client.”

To learn more about resume fraud and employee screening, read my recent post 4 Common Lies Told By Job Candidates and an article Employer’s 5-Step Guide to Employee Screening.

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Photo Credit: Dan Ancona

4 Common Lies Told By Job Candidates

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Recent estimates suggest that over 50% of job applicants lie on their resumes. And when asked, nearly 70% of college graduates claim they would consider lying in order to get a job. For employers, this should be a major concern. At best, hiring an employee who lied on her resume wastes valuable time and resources. At worst, it can lead to workplace violence, theft, and negligent hiring lawsuits.

As applicants become increasingly comfortable with lying to potential employers, screening and background checks have never been more important. Today, I’ll expose 4 of the most common lies told by job candidates.

Lie #1: “Yes, I Earned That Degree”

Applicants lie about the degrees they’ve earned all the time. In some cases, they may have attended the school, but never finished their coursework. In other cases, they may have never attended the school in the first place. It’s a common lie because employers often fail to verify the information.

Lie #2: “I Don’t Have A Criminal Record”

Sometimes, applicants will lie outright about their criminal past. Other times, they’ll change small details such as how their name is spelled, the date they were born, or the cities in which they’ve lived. This can be a major hiring issue and employers need to carefully validate what they’re being told.

Lie #3: “I’ve Been Steadily Employed”

A lot of applicants realize that a gap in their employment history raises eyebrows. From an employer’s perspective, the gap may imply that the applicant spent in prison. So, candidates will lie about it, disguising gaps by changing dates or even creating jobs from thin air.

Lie #4: “My Salary At My Previous Job Was…”

Potential hires often inflate their salaries to give them more leverage over future salary negotiations. Offering a compensation package based upon misleading salary information can cost an employer tens of thousands of dollars.

Finding The Truth

Hiring an employee who has lied on their resume or application has become a significant problem for employers. But, the lies can be easily exposed by your hiring staff or an employee screening service. By doing extensive background checks on applicants, you can discover the truth. And that can make your business less vulnerable to a bad hire.

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Tags: Workplace Violence,  Negligent Hiring Lawsuits, Gaps in Employment, Employment Background Checks

Photo Credit: ktylerconk