The term ‘resume fraud’ describes any time someone intentionally provides false information on their résumé in an attempt to appeal more to their desired position. Unfortunately, resume fraud is far more common than expected. 58% of managers have caught applicants falsifying their resumes by performing Background Checks, verify work histories and credentials. Industries like financial services, leisure and hospitality, IT, health care, and retail are most at-risk to resume fraud. So, what do applicants fabricate on their resume?
Applicants commonly misinform their employers on…
Skill Set
Responsibilities
Education History
Previous Employment
The most common component for applicants to lie is on their skill set. Candidates often fear their lack of skills will make them ineligible for a position. This is a major inconvenience for employers who hire someone under the impression that they are more skilled than they really are. If someone’s documented skills appear more advanced than their education or experience would allow, there is a chance the information is not true.
Hiring someone who lies about their history in management can lead to major issues. 55% of employers have caught applicants lying about previous job responsibilities. When contacting references, the applicant provided on their resume, you should verify the information. On a rare occasion, an employee may even give you a fake reference. They may give you the number of a friend, claiming it’s their former boss.
Imagine a candidate claims to have a bachelor’s degree when they dropped out halfway through their senior year. Many jobs require the applicant to have certain educational credentials. Lying in that situation may seem appealing to someone desperate for the position, therefore it is important to verify their education credentials through official transcripts or confirmation with the school.
Most jobs require the applicant to have previous experience in the same field. For example, a teaching job would require you to have experience working with children. An employee who lies about their employment history wastes valuable time and money that could be put to use on someone more qualified.
Although fraudulent resumes can pose a threat to your business, there are ways to keep it from affecting your company. While calling references and interviewing your applicants is useful, you can have confidence in making better hiring decisions by conducting a thorough background screening of your candidates.
Performing a Pre-employment Background Checks for
Employment Verification
Criminal Records
Education Confirmation
… and more to ensure you will find the best hire possible. Performing a Background Check will save your company time and money by verifying your candidate’s resume.