Wood Words

Is Your Middle Tennessee Job Candidate Lying About his Work History? You may not be able to tell

Fakereferenceservice.com

Thereferencestore.com

Careerexcuse.com

Ever heard of any of these sites? If not, take just a minute to check them out – you may be shocked by what you find…

Applicant dishonesty is certainly nothing new. Desperate and unethical job seekers commonly “embellish” their resumes or using relatives as references. But now, unscrupulous candidates have a powerful tool to make their fabrications even more convincing – fake reference services.

So, what’s a fake reference service – and how does it work?

A fake reference service is a company that, for a fee, provides a phony work reference for a job seeker. An individual signs up, creates a fake company where he wants you to think he works, dreams up a job, and then chooses his salary and dates of employment. If a potential employer calls the number the candidate provides on his resume, he will speak to an impersonator who backs-up the candidate’s lies.

It’s a booming business, and it could be undermining your hiring success. So how do you know if your candidates are playing games with you – and faking their work references?

  • Acknowledge the problem. With this kind of deception available to anyone, realize that some of your candidates may be “faking it.” (It’s not your fault – it happens to even the most diligent employer.)
  • Use your instincts. Does the candidate’s work history match your needs a little too exactly? If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is – so go with your gut and do some extra investigating.
  • Ask specific questions. If a candidate is lying, he will tend to put only basic information on his resume. Think beyond the application and ask questions about the company’s lines of business, client base, or any other question that might catch a dishonest candidate off guard.
  • Check things out yourself. Ignore the information that’s on the reference list, and do a little digging on your own. Google the company and see what information is out there. If the search returns no hits, that’s a definite red flag.
  • Be aware of the “real company, fake position” scam. A job seeker may use an actual company, but fabricate a position there. Contact the employer directly to verify if the reference listed on the resume is, in fact, a current or former employee.
  • Consider using an outside service for background checks. A reputable, professional background screening company can assume this portion of your hiring process. For key positions, you may want to hire a competent investigation firm to conduct your reference verification.
  • Trust the hiring and screening experts at Wood Personnel. The truth is, it can be extremely difficult to spot a fake reference – so why go it alone? Work with a reputable Middle Tennessee employment agency, like Wood Personnel, to thoroughly check a candidate’s job references and reduce your hiring risks. Learn more about our direct placement services today.
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email