Not thoroughly checking a job candidate’s past employment and job history is one of the biggest mistakes an employer can make.
Did you know 53 percent of resumes and job applications contain false information? Here’s a few of the common fabrications we see:
1. False job titles
2. Knowledge and skills the candidate doesn’t have
3. Employment dates altered to hide employment gaps.
Employment verification is a critical step you don’t want to miss, as it opens the window to to the candidate’s past, giving you facts to make an informed hiring decision. Wouldn’t you want to confirm the information on their resume is true and learn of their previous successes and failures?
At the time of the interview the candidate should sign a written release for background check. This form is passed along to all the previous employers. This document states the employee is giving them permission to share work history with you.
When checking employment history, a good rule of thumb is to go back five to seven years. Ten years is ideal if the information is available. Eight years ago in the dental industry we would see candidates with maybe two to four jobs in a span of fifteen to twenty years. Now, with the gig economy growing in dentistry, we are seeing more and more resumes with job changes every one to two years and with multiple employers in the same year.
We’ve heard and seen quite a bit through the years when it comes to resumes, job applications and reference checking. When you call for a reference, the most common response you’ll receive is, “it’s our policy not to give out detailed information on previous and/or current employees.” If you get this line, try out these questions:
1. Date of hire?
2. Last date on job?
3. Job title?
This information is usually revealed and it provides excellent facts to check against what the candidates have on their resumes and job applications. Remember, checking employment history is handled the same as the interview: Questions are job related and non-discriminatory.
If you’re interested in more resume falsification statistics, here’s a link to Statistic Brain with the current facts. http://www.statisticbrain.com/resume-falsification-statistics/
Take the time, make the effort and do the fact checking. Don’t make this common mistake often results in a disappointing hire and one that negatively effects your team and bottom line.
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