The additional expense of thoroughly vetting a job candidate’s credentials is miniscule compared to the potential cost of hiring someone who is a potential liability.
A while back, we shared the story of Kimberly Kitchen. This was a particularly egregious example of a person who falsified her education, work history, and professional license to get a job as a lawyer at a private law firm. It cost her firm considerable time and money and ruined its reputation.
More recently, at the end of 2019, a similar incident occurred in Australia. Veronica Hilda Theriault was sentenced to at least a year in prison for falsifying her resume. She’d used that resume to get hired as the chief information officer for the South Australia Department of the Premier and Cabinet, a US$185,000 per year position.
Ms. Theriault’s resume contained false and misleading information about her education and employment history. While she only lasted a month on the job before her deception was uncovered, during that time:
- A grossly unqualified individual was working in a role with a high level of responsibility to the public (and doing an awful job of it)
- A dishonest person had access to very sensitive data as chief information officer for a government office
- An unqualified individual used her authority to hire her brother, also unqualified for his role
- About $55,000 in salary was paid to Ms. Theriault and her brother
In addition to the wasted salary, the South Australia Department of the Premier and Cabinet will also have to spend resources on damage control and to fill these positions with qualified candidates.
The Liability of False Information
Lying to advance professional goals is not uncommon. The liability for the job seeker might be as little as not getting the job if their dishonesty is uncovered. But the liability for an organization that doesn’t protect itself by doing a thorough background check into the credentials of job candidates on all prospective employees can be huge:
- Loss of business
- Loss of reputation/public trust
- Fines or other potential penalties
- An ongoing scandal that can sink the firm
Critical Job Candidate Verifications
Depending upon your firm and industry, as well as the position, the most important candidate credentials to be verified will vary. For example, if someone is going to drive for your company, checking his/her driving record is a must.
But you should do due diligence whenever an applicant claims any education, professional license (e.g., CPA, nursing, architect, etc.), certifications, or employment. All of those things can be faked and must be confirmed. Here are some considerations when performing these verifications.
Education credentials
Degrees claimed by the applicant should be verified. In addition to verifying degrees, it may also be worthwhile to attempt to verify the job candidate’s dates of attendance, major, and any honors or awards claimed.
If the applicant is a current student and has not earned a degree yet, then dates of attendance should definitely be verified. Also, it is important to verify that the degree was issued by an accredited institution. Experts estimate that more than 100,000 fake degrees are sold each year in the United States.
Licenses and certifications
Licenses and certifications are issued by various regulatory bodies and industry organizations. Verification efforts should determine if the license or certification is valid, current, and in good standing. This verification should also uncover any disciplinary actions, adverse actions or complaints associated with that license. Every regulatory body shares licensing information in a different way, so be sure to work with a background screening firm that knows how to obtain thorough and accurate results.
Employment verification
Employment verifications are critical to ensure that an individual’s self-reported career is consistent with their actual work history and level of job responsibility. While automated employment verification systems are widely used, many employment verifications still require directly contacting a company. Some companies do not utilize automated verification systems, and sometimes there are significant discrepancies that need to be reconciled between what a job candidate puts on their application and what is reported by an automated verification system.
Mergers and acquisitions can also lead to confusing and/or incomplete employment records. When a business is acquired, its employment record data is not always merged with existing data (and unfortunately is sometimes lost). In these instances, an investigative analyst may have to work with an employer representative to piece together information to determine the accuracy of the prospective employee’s self-reported work history.
Note that many employers will only confirm dates of employment, and not job titles, responsibilities, or salaries.
Driving credentials and history
If driving is part of an employee’s duties, verifying his or her motor vehicle records can reduce liability associated with hiring a “bad driver” or, worse, an unlicensed driver. Motor vehicle records can also be used to verify an individual’s legal name and date of birth. In addition, a lengthy history of motor vehicle violations may indicate that an individual is irresponsible or reckless.
Protect Yourself
Anyone, from entry-level employees to top executives, is capable of misrepresenting him- or herself in hopes of improving the chances of landing a job. Unlike Veronica Hilda Theriault, the penalty isn’t likely going to be a jail sentence. But for an employer, the liability is much greater. A thorough review of a job candidate’s credentials, including education, licenses and employment is an affordable and sound investment to protect your company’s interests.
For help creating a cost-effective employment screening strategy, contact Integras Intelligence at 212.871.1274.
