When there is strong competition in the job market, too often candidates are tempted to stretch the truth on their resumes. Sometimes, they’ve been looking for work for a long time and are desperate to get an edge on other candidates. Sometimes, people want to advance their careers more quickly. How can you avoid those candidates who commit resume fraud?

Yes, it’s fraud. By definition, resume fraud refers to “any act that involves providing fictitious, exaggerated, or otherwise misleading information on a job application or resume in hopes of persuading a potential employer to hire an applicant for a job they may be unqualified for or less qualified than other applicants.”

What are the top “white lies” found on resumes?

• false education credentials
• boosted job titles
• hidden employment gaps
• inflated current compensation
• overstated accomplishments

You can do the extensive legwork of calling universities to verify degrees earned, contacting previous employers to confirm dates and making sure the references listed are the correct people to talk to. However, we all know how time-consuming this can be.

If you can’t fact-check every detail of every candidate’s background, look for these red flags on his resume:

• Listing a university, but no degree. When you come across this omission, be sure to question the candidate about it in your initial phone screening. This will force the candidate to disclose whether or not they completed the program and have the right credentials for the job.
• Employment dates only listed in years. If a potential candidate looks good on paper, except for this, don’t hesitate to ask for a more detailed work history before interviewing.
• Exaggerating job titles. When reviewing a resume, make sure the progression of job titles seems natural. For example, if an applicant’s work experience progresses from an assistant-level position at their previous job, to a director or VP in their next in a very short amount of time, it’s important to take a closer look at what their roles and responsibilities actually were. Double-check with previous employers if something looks suspicious.
• Overstating accomplishments. While many applicants are honest and have won awards in previous work, some may be purchasing phony award certificates online. If there are more than two or three awards from organizations you’ve never heard of, take a few seconds to Google them.

Won’t a background check uncover this information?

Yes, but a background check usually isn’t conducted until late in the hiring process. By this time you’ve already invested time and energy in interviewing the candidate. It is always better to eliminate an unqualified candidate early in the process.

Another great way to eliminate the risk of resume fraud is to work with a reputable staffing agency like Staffers. We recruit and screen candidates who have the skills, experience and personality traits to be successful in your work environment. And our temp-to-hire placement option will even let you try out an employee before making a final hiring decision. Contact us to learn more!