The company, which is owned by HireRight, reports a 115% increase in CV discrepancies in the past 12 months.
More than two-fifths (42%) of CVs it screened in 2010 contained some form of inconsistency – nearly double the 19% it found to have problems in 2009.
The most popular areas job hunters lied about were their employment history (41% of inconsistencies) and their education (19%). Only 4% lied about directorships held, while 2% made up that they held a professional qualification.
Alexandra Kelly, managing director of HireRight’s EMEA region, said: "The pressure of the recession on the job market has led to a dramatic rise in CV irregularities with applicants believing they should lie or embellish their resumés in order to stand out from the crowd." She added: "With 44% of all company fraud committed by employees it is critical that employers know who they are hiring to manage their risk."
The news of increased lying on CVs comes as the Association of Graduate Recruitment reports that 70 candidates now apply for every graduate job.
