Human Capital Management Services: Beware of Resume Fakers

On resumes and job application forms, many job applicants transform the broken eggs of their job histories into omelets.

So be on the lookout when sifting through resumes and job applications. A little detective work can help weed out fraudulent applicants.

Here are five gambits which fraudsters use. Once you know the tricks, you can catch them at their own game:

1. Oh, those degrees.They may have gone to the school they list on their resumes, but did they graduate? Ask for proof of their degrees or contact the school.
2. Historical continuity.It’s easy enough to say one job ended in 2001 and the next in 2002, but employment may not have been continuous. Ask to see months, as well as years.
3. Uncertain consulting experience.This is a great catchall phrase, along with being self-employed. Ask for references from clients and follow up with phone calls.
4. Ever-expanding experience.Let’s say a candidate claims to have managed a large kitchen. So you check it out and find that the applicant was the only employee in the kitchen of a daycare center. Don’t hesitate to ask for more facts and figures.
5. Closed for business.Resume fakers often claim they worked for companies that went out of business or that they received their degrees at universities which have since closed down. The Internet makes it easy to check these stories out.

The Key: Simple investigation. By looking into the backgrounds and credentials of applicants, you’ll unmask the fakers and eventually find the right person with skills and integrity.