Verifying Past Employment of Applicants

Human resources and hiring managers are among the most important assets in any company. Even the greatest and most well-regarded companies will experience staff turnover. These managers must work hard to find quality employees who will contribute to the overall success of the business. They must be meticulous and leave no stone unturned during candidate evaluations. Hiring managers will use criminal background checks, credit checks, references and more to help paint a picture of these potential employees.

Résumé Fraud

Résumé fraud is another problem that hiring managers have to combat. Candidates will often pump up their résumé with anything from embellishments to outright lies. The reasoning for this is to attract enough attention to get an interview. Knowing that they are competing with numerous other candidates, they assume that their résumé will only be looked at briefly. They may add in embellishments, hoping to catch the eye of the evaluator. One of the most common forms of résumé fraud is in the employment section. Past employment is one of the biggest indicators used in the hiring process. An applicant may have been a low-level cog at their previous job, but make it seem like their position was much more valuable. They may take credit for an accomplishment, but their involvement was minimal. These are just some of the potential landmines you may face.

HR

Human resources departments, payroll departments or a third-party service are typically charged with verifying past employment. When conducting these reviews, there are a few things to look for. If the applicant emphasized certain aspects in their résumé and cover letter, inquire about it to their past supervisor. By speaking with them, you can receive a better understanding of the candidate. You can not only gauge their skills, but you can also evaluate character traits like promptness and cooperation. Although you can compile an abundance of information about the candidate, some companies might be tight-lipped. They may only confirm employment dates. This may be considered a red flag. You may assume that they’re practicing the old mantra of “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” That does not have to be a complete deal-breaker. Many companies, fearful of potential lawsuits, have policies against providing any kind of reference.

Find More Ways to Verify Past Employment of Applicants

Hiring new employees can be a stressful practice. Making sure to avoid any potential red flags is of sheer importance. TruDiligence is a full background checking service. With everything from criminal background checks to credit checks, TruDiligence will help you find the right employee.