A recent survey from a national hiring firm found that a whopping 85 percent of employers have caught applicants lying on their resumes or applications. Even with other studies putting that figure at 50 percent, it still means every other applicant is either embellishing or fraudulently lying to you about the information you require to make a hiring decision.
Some of these might be harmless fibs, but others could be costly lies. You could be bringing someone on board who can’t do the work, or you might hire someone who is a terrible fit and causes upheaval and morale problems among your staff.
Since it’s expensive and inconvenient to replace a bad hire, it’s better to take the necessary steps to prevent one in the first place. Here are some of the lies to watch out for:
- listing achievements that never happened;
- doctoring employment dates to hide gaps;
- making up references;
- exaggerating job titles; and
- falsifying degrees and other credentials.
These are just a handful of the distortions you might encounter. How do you protect yourself from being hoodwinked?
Review Resumes Carefully
Many times, you can catch something that looks sketchy on a resume. When you do, question the candidate about it in the prescreening phone call or during the first interview.
If the candidate lists skills you want to verify, consider administering a test or quiz to determine if the skills are real. Also, ask your candidate to provide you with proof of any degrees in the form of transcripts or diplomas sent directly to you from the college or university.
Conduct a Background Check
Before you make an offer of employment, do a background check. The research will serve as verification of the information the applicant has given you, and it can reveal certain facts that were hidden. Candidates who know you do background checks are less likely to give you false information when they apply.
You can do a background check internally, but be careful you follow the law. It often makes more sense to hire an independent professional screening service that is up to date on the latest federal and local legal requirements.
Don’t Look the Other Way
You must challenge anything that looks fraudulent. You don’t want to set a precedent by looking the other way when applicants start out by lying to you. It’s not fair to your company or to the other honest individuals who already work for you.
Are you looking for more top employees?
Let us help you find them. Contact Pro Resources for the light industrial or technical/professional help you need. We’ve been in business for over 30 years, so we will use our expertise to help you find your next top-notch worker.