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Can You Recognize Resume Fraud? Stop Lying Job Seekers in their Tracks

August 29th, 2014

Job seekers can and will do everything possible to acquire a job interview and an offer of employment today that they might even tell tiny lies on their resumes. Some job seekers go as far as lying about their previous jobs on applications and even on their resumes. This is a major no-no in the business world and can cause a job seeker to struggle finding a new job in the future because their reputation will take a hit.

Yet, job seekers, desperate enough to take this chance still continue to lie on their resumes and get caught. According to a recent survey, conducted by CareerBuilder in 2014, 58% of hiring managers have caught someone lying on their resume about an important factor. The most common fibs to be found on resumes included:

  • Skillsets embellished
  • Career responsibilities in past jobs
  • Dates of employment altered
  • Enhanced job titles
  • Degrees or certifications falsified

The good news is that there are ways to protect your company and catch resume liars at their own game. Here’s how to recognize and stop resume fraud.

Conduct a Background Check
The first thing you must do in order to spot resume fraud is to pay for a background check. This will help you learn the true background of the job seeker and whether or not he or she has lied on their resume or job application. Even though this seems like an obvious task, some companies continue to save money by not conducting background checks. This check will help you verify the authenticity of the applicant’s diplomas and determine if the companies named on the resume are actually real.

Look at Job Title Names
The next thing you can do is look at the names of the job titles on the candidate’s resume. One of the most common lies on resumes is that of the inflated job title. There are some companies out there that have inflated job titles, but for the most part, inflated job titles on resumes are lies. If a candidate went from entry level to manager or director in less than a couple of years, more than likely they are lying on their resume.

Check the Skills
Employers should also check the skills listed on the candidate’s resume. If the candidate has exactly all of the skills that you require for the job, then it could be a fraudulent resume. It is not impossible for this to happen, but it is very much improbable. When a candidate has all of the skills you require for the open job, it is likely that he or she will also have additional skills and not just the ones required for the job.

Use Help When Hiring
Make it a point to enlist help when hiring for open positions at your company. Even if you get to make the ultimate decision, you should not hire in a vacuum. When you enlist as much help as possible for the interview process, you will be able to catch resume fraud quicker and before the candidate is actually hired for the job.

Test Candidate’s Technical Skills
One of the most important tips in detecting resume fraud is to test the candidate’s technical skills. Instead of asking him or her if they can use specific software, have them perform a couple of difficult tasks using that software to determine if he or she can actually use it.

Resume fraud is common these days, especially with so many people looking for jobs, which is why your company needs to be vigilant in identifying the most common issues found on resumes.

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