HireRight’s quarterly Candidate Health Check is based on checks of 10,000 applications from January to March 2014. It found that 37% of CVs contain incorrect information about a grade, course, qualification or date of education. This is an increase of 36% compared to 12 months previously.
Overall, 54% of candidates contain at least one inaccuracy, with 33% making false claims about employment history. Over one-quarter (28%) contain false information about professional qualifications and memberships.
HireRight EMEA managing director Steve Girdler told HR magazine the rise in inaccuracies could partly be down to “honest mistakes”, but people are also tempted to lie because they feel it’s worth the risk.
“A lot of people will weigh it up and think that on balance they’re likely to get away with it,” he said. “If companies aren’t checking these facts, people desperate to get the job will make themselves look more attractive.”
Girdler added that organisations are putting themselves at risk if they do not verify claims on applicants’ CVs.
“If someone is prepared to lie on their application, how do you know how they’ll act at work?” he said. “Secondly, if their qualifications are falsified you may be hiring someone who is not as effective in the role as you were led to believe. A lot of time and money goes into to the recruitment process, and this could be undermining a big part of it.”
