Dishonest Job Applicants Should Not Be Hired.

A recent study uncovered that 85% of individuals in the market for new employment opportunities are dishonest job applicants. The percentage of job applicants that fabricate the information on their resumes these days is higher than the 66% statistic that was reported five years ago. Due to record low unemployment rates, there should be a seemingly lower rate of applicants that feel the need to lie on their resumes in contrast with the formerly aggressive job market that was seen 10 years ago.

Here are three reasons why dishonest job applicants may be misrepresenting the truth:

Applicant tracking system (ATS) algorithms creates panic.

The majority of today’s employers utilize an applicant tracking system (ATS). This software automates and streamlines the entire application process that job applicants undergo. The organization’s ATS has the capability to sort through thousands of applications and filtering for certain matches or key words. These matches are based on qualifications of the position such as education and employment history. As a result of this, applicants tend to bend the truth in order to get through the ATS selection barrier.

Prospective candidates do not think employers will verify educational history.

In our changing economy, more and more employers are requiring advanced skills, relevant work experience, and most importantly, academic degrees to fill their positions. This is why both education and credential experience are becoming more commonly falsified by dishonest job applicants on resumes as well as employment applications. When conducting background checks on higher level applicants where a certain certification or degree is considered a qualification, it is best to verify with the registrar directly to confirm that the applicant actually possesses the certifications and/or degrees in which they are attesting to.

Employers do not conduct any form of a background check.

In this case, something is better than nothing. The majority of the time, an employer must experience the pain of hiring a less than desirable applicant before they see the value in implementing employment background checks. It is very simple for your organization to align itself with a reputable third party background screening vendor with the knowledge to conduct compliant background checks that best fits your organization’s individual needs.