CV selection, to find and hire the perfect job candidate, is a highly demanding task. Recruiters need to evaluate different personalities, often comparing very different experiences and educations to achieve a short list of candidates, rejecting most of them. Some candidates can be problematic, as certain information provided in the CVs may be false, complicating the work of the HR department even more. So how do companies verify CVs to protect themselves from fraudulent hires?
Following the application phase, a HR department staff will have many CVs to filter, and most are now electronic. Verification of CV information is a very important step in the new employee hiring process. Increased competitiveness on the labour market often encourages candidates to exaggerate or even forge some information in their CVs.
“WHITE LIES”
Job candidates often attempt to conceal their lack of professional experience, something they may see as being perfectly acceptable. A CV submitted for recruitment is not considered an official document[1]. Similarly to the covering letter, it is a private document, with no related legal presumption that its content describes any actual state of affairs[2]. This is not the case for the provision of false documents certifying completed studies or training, which we could consider a crime[3].
The 2019 HireRight report on employment analysis showed that 83% of employers found evidence of lies on candidates’ CVs. If the recruiter fails to verify the accuracy of a CV, it may become an extremely costly mistake. If the truth is discovered later, the necessity of repeating the recruitment process might be the least severe consequence[4].
BASIC VERIFICATION METHODS
Of course, no one considering recruitment should be relying on luck. There are at least four very effective methods of verifying what a candidate has written on their CV:
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TELEPHONE CONVERSATION
This is the preliminary stage of candidate verification. During the conversation, we can enquire about any inconsistencies in the CV. At this stage, it is also possible to capture any irregularities in the information presented by the given applicant.
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COMPETENCE TESTS
In order to verify the candidate’s skills and knowledge, we may rely on tests or quizzes to help eliminate people lacking the declared competences and abilities.
Such a test may be applied at the CV sending stage, to automatically exclude many applications. It can also constitute another recruitment stage. For example, we may ask someone applying for a finance-related job to take a test on their knowledge of the Banking Law Act. For a graphic designer, a competence test may involve a design preparation in accordance with our guidelines.
As the tests are based on the candidate’s skills and knowledge, it is difficult for the candidate to prepare for them, so that we are able to establish a clearer opinion of the applicant’s competences[5].
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OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS
We can request the candidate to present official proof of an academic title or certificates of course completion. Likewise, we may ask for references from previous workplaces.
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SOCIAL MEDIA
Recruiters increasingly often seek candidate-related information on their social media profiles. The content published by the candidate in the social media may tell us much more about the reality than the CV and covering letter together. We may also use the information contained there to verify the authenticity of their education, previous workplaces or even their interests[6].
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BACKGROUND SCREENING – CANDIDATE SCREENING
However, these basic verification methods are not always sufficient. Background screening is one of more popular methods chosen to verify the accuracy of information contained on a CV.
This type of service is usually rendered by third-party providers, and is very popular in the United Kingdom and the USA. It arrived in Poland in 2008, and it is becoming increasingly popular with employers[7]. When undertaking candidate screening we do not limit ourselves to traditional types of candidate checks, but include establishing contact with previous employers.
Background screening is usually carried out by specialised agencies at the request of a company that wants to hire an employee. After obtaining the necessary consent of the candidate, the background screening specialists verify the accuracy of their employment record and qualifications. However, this process is very time-consuming and, in most cases, is used only for higher-level positions, or if the position involves confidential information[8].
THE MOST COMMON LIE
The most common irregularities found in CVs concern information on:
- employment dates (58.7%),
- software operation (85%),
- foreign language use (80%),
- scope of duties in the previous job (7%)[9],[10].
In order to meet the needs of recruiters and employers, the Skrivanek language school has created an innovative tool that improves the recruitment process by assessing candidates’ language competences.
The Focus Audit Tool enables you to conduct an online language audit of the candidate. We offer tests in more than 30 languages, checking up to five language competences. You receive the results within 24 or 48 hours. See what we offer, and contact us to get the most optimal solution for your business.
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[1] http://www.orzeczenia-nsa.pl/wyrok/ii-sa-go-652-16/informacja_prasowa/17366d4.html?q=&_symbol=648_6480&_haslo=Informacja+prasowa&_sad=Wojewódzki+Sąd+Administracyjny+w+Gorzowie+Wlkp.&_skarzony=Samorządowe+Kolegium+Odwoławcze&_okres=2016_12
[2] https://www.rp.pl/artykul/589322-Wiarygodne-dokumenty-gwarantuja-wygrana-w-sadzie.html
[3] https://serwisy.gazetaprawna.pl/praca-i-kariera/artykuly/842565,co-grozi-za-klamstwo-w-cv.html
[4] https://www.hireright.com/emea/assets/uploads/files/2019_EMEA_Benchmark_Report_online_FINAL.pdf
[5] https://www.karierawfinansach.pl/artykul/poradnik-kariery/testy-i-zadania-rekrutacyjne-w-finansach-i-bankowosci
[6] https://www.talentlyft.com/en/blog/article/158/hr-tricks-how-to-make-sure-a-candidates-resume-is-truthful
[7] https://www.studiamba.wsb.pl/baza-wiedzy/background-screening-kilka-slow-o-nowoczesnej-rekrutacji
[8] https://www.praca.pl/poradniki/rynek-pracy/background-screening-w-rekrutacji-na-czym-to-polega_pr-3089.html
[9] https://www.karierawfinansach.pl/artykul/poradnik-kariery/bomba-z-opoznionym-zaplonem-klamstwa-w-cv
[10] https://www.talentlyft.com/en/blog/article/158/hr-tricks-how-to-make-sure-a-candidates-resume-is-truthful