THE MOST UNBELIEVABLE CANDIDATE LIES

Background check are enhanced every year, and yet most candidates lie and mislead in new and exceptional ways on their resumes. Astonishingly, many candidates just do not understand the seriousness of lying or attempting to hide information from potential employers. In this article, you can read the most unbelievable lies that recruiters have come across.

FALSIFYING DEGREE

In 20% cases candidate lie about their education. It is important that companies understand the variety of ways applicants lie to claim unearned degrees. Candidates may forge diplomas, purchase a degree, lie about their major or may have attended classes, but never graduated. Other times, candidates will fake their educational qualifications by trying to pass off degrees earned by family members as their own.

There was a case when candidate submitted "proof" of his education by showing a valid degree in his name. Nevertheless, a problem arose because the candidate was only 5 years old when he received a university diploma. The candidate later confessed—the diploma belonged to his father, whom he was named after!

INFLATING SALARY HISTORY OR TITLE HELD

It is not a surprise that some candidates who are not qualified for a position may lie about titles held to claim expertise and experience they do not have. They inflate their previous salaries to negotiate better earnings than they would not be able to get otherwise.

In one case, a candidate stated to have organized many important merger and acquisition deals at a prior employer. He applied for a top finance job in a big international company. As it turned out, his background check confirmed that he had indeed been highly involved with each of the noted deals—as a translator!

CONCEALING A CRIMINAL RECORD

The most common way candidates with a criminal background attempt to avoid detection, is by changing details such as their date of birth or spelling of their name. Employers should conduct detailed criminal searches, going beyond the basic data provided, in order to confirm the results and avoid hiring a potentially dangerous candidate.

For instance, a criminal record search on candidate Natalia Sidorova, DOB 18/08/78, came back clean, but an additional search resulted in a found record for a Natalie Sidorova, DOB 08/08/78, for two felonies.

PROLONGING DATES OF PAST EMPLOYMENT

Candidates often lie about their dates of employment. Some studies show that about 35 % of all resumes include inconsistencies. Candidates often attempt to stretch the truth on dates to cover gaps in employment they may not want to explain.

For example, a candidate extended his end date at his previous company by four months in order to hide the fact that he spent those four months serving a jail sentence!

HIDING A DRUG HABIT

There are many ways drug users attempt to cheat the drug test. Common way for drug users to avoid detection is by contaminating their urine samples through dilution, addition of other substances, or substitution of urine. What cunning candidate don't realize is that today's drug tests can identify these attempts and are more accurate than ever before in determining positive and negative results despite tricks and excuses.

CONCLUSION

Lying on job applications, if not a fraud, at the very least provides reason to question an candidate's character. With professional background screening best practices in place, employers can make the right hiring decision the first time.