or many employers, the tragic events of September 11 offered a chilling
reminder about workplace security and the importance of knowing someones
identity.
Yet long before any airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center and
Pentagon, recruiters and hiring managers had to deal with individuals who
inflated their qualifications or lied on applications and résumés. According
to Kessler International, a New York-based security and investigations firm,
more than 25 percent of 1,000 résumés it examined for technology companies in
1999 contained phony information or false credentials.
Today, numerous companies conduct background checks, including several firms
that offer their services over the Web. And while its important to find a
company thats competent at verifying credentials, its also crucial to
check for the right things. "The level of deception that exists is
frightening. A lot of people think nothing of misrepresenting their
qualifications and lying about past events," says Lou Adler, president of
Power Hiring. In the past, courts have consistently ruled that employers are
liable for the actions of their workers while on the job -- a fact that makes
screening even more imperative.
Depending on the particular position, it might be necessary to check
applicants driving records, criminal history, educational achievements, and
references, and to verify whether they actually worked where they say they did.
Foreign workers must have an H-1B visa, and obtaining information from foreign
institutions can prove difficult. Further complicating things is the easy
availability of false documents over the Internet and, increasingly, outright
identity theft. "An employment offer should be conditional on passing a
background check," observes Jane Paradiso, recruiting solutions practice
leader at Watson Wyatt Worldwide. "These days, the stakes are too great to
ignore."
Workforce, June 2002, p. 58 -- Subscribe Now!
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