How Candidates Cheat On Background Checks
According to a statistic reported by CNBC, 78% of job seekers lie during the hiring process. This shows the desperate measures that some will take to land the job.
Comprehensive background checks are a critical tool in filtering out the deceptions. But even this is not foolproof, since many job seekers will go so far as to “cheat” on their pre-employment screenings.
But how is this even possible? And what can you do to prevent it?
Here are some common cheating methods used by job seekers, and how to beat them.
Hidden Criminal Background History
Candidates with a criminal history may go to great lengths to keep it hidden under the assumption that such a record will disqualify them from the position. (A study published at UCLA found that people with a history of incarceration are four to six times more likely to be unemployed.)
A common way to hide a criminal record is providing a fake date of birth, leading to an inaccurate report. This can be an effective strategy since criminal records are filed by name and date of birth.
The best way to avoid this deception is by asking the applicant to provide a physical driver’s license at the time of application. This makes it impossible for an applicant to lie about their date of birth without your awareness of it.
Fake Employers
Candidates who were dismissed from a previous job for disciplinary reasons may be eager to hide their employment history. In some cases, applicants will simply leave a previous place of employment out of their resume, leaving that period of time blank or “stretching” the periods before and after it to cover it up. However, a few will take more extreme measures by purchasing an employment history from fake employers known as “employment mills.” These services will provide bogus company names, job titles, and even professional references.
Employment Gaps
Gaps in employment are not always a red flag. In some cases, these may be perfectly legitimate if a candidate took a sabbatical or time off to care for young children. However, if the candidate does not give any good reason for a significant employment gap, you should be wary. This often indicates that they do not trust the previous employer to provide a good reference. It could also mean that the candidate does not have enough experience to qualify them for the position.
Incomplete Or Fake Degree
If you’re hiring for a position that requires a college degree, some candidates will try to misrepresent their level of education. The most common way to do this is by purchasing a fake diploma from an unaccredited institution known as a “diploma mill.” In other cases, they may just falsely list a degree earned from a college institution which they never attended or claim that they were enrolled there for the length of time it would take to earn a degree. The best way to detect such misrepresentations is by using a background check company like Veriswift which can verify educational information by searching the National Student Clearinghouse.
It can be daunting for busy employers and hiring managers to do all the work necessary to verify the information on a background check. Fortunately, Veriswift can take on those tasks so you don’t have to.