Prospective employees: can you believe them?

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By: Wise Marketer Staff |

Posted on April 3, 2002

New research shows that there is a continuing trend towards dishonesty in the information that  prospective employees include in their resums.

A lot has been written about how a foundation of loyalty and trust between employees and employers must exist before the loyalty of customers can effectively be addressed. In most articles, the emphasis is on firms developing procedures that encourage employees to be loyal. But sometimes, it seems, the shoe is on the other foot. What about when employees actively deceive the companies that they work for - or even worse, the companies that they hope to work for?

It's not improving
A survey from ADP Screening and Selection Services from Avert, shows quite how rife this is. This is the fifth yearly survey and, over the years, the trend towards deceit - including resum fraud -  has been consistent. According to ADP's Dean Suposs, this year's statistics fall right in line with what ADP expected.

Some statistics from the report:
·  In 44% of cases there were differences of information between what the applicant and the past employer provided - and 13% of these involved negative comments from the past employer about the applicant's work habits, attendance, leaving or other unfavourable conduct.
·  Some 23% of credential records showed similar differences, and 4% of these contained negative remarks about disciplinary action or complaints filed - an example being a suspended or revoked physician's licence due to patient neglect or even malpractice.
·  An astonishing 41% of education records showed differences when the educational institutions were contacted.
·  Even more worryingly, 11% of employers, when contacted, reported that the applicants were ineligible for rehire.
·  One in twenty had criminal records in the last seven years and a third had credit records showing a judgement, lien or bankruptcy, or had been turned over to a collection agency.

ADP's Hiring Index is based on calculations of the 2.6 million background verifications performed by the company during the 2001 calendar year. Specifically, the Hiring Index measures the number of incidents found in criminal records, employment, education and credential records, as well as driving and credit records.

The Hiring Index can be viewed (and compared with those from previous years) at http://www.avert.com/hrindex/hrindex01.htm.

More Info: 

http://www.adp.com