In today’s increasingly competitive job market, a strong CV can open doors to life-changing opportunities. However, the growing prevalence of misrepresented information on CVs is creating a significant challenge for employers. Jeremy Bossenger, director of BossJansen Executive Search, weighs in on the matter.
From inflated job titles to fabricated qualifications, CV fraud is on the rise globally – and the instance of this in South Africa is no exception. According to international recruitment surveys, as many as one in three candidates admit to lying on their CV.
These inaccuracies do more than just mislead employers; they can lead to costly hiring mistakes, cultural misalignment, and even reputational damage for the hiring organisation.
The rising tide of CV fraud
The root of the problem lies in the intense competition for jobs. Candidates feel pressured to stand out, and some resort to embellishing their achievements or outright fabricating their experience levels. For instance, a junior marketing assistant may present themselves as a marketing manager, or an IT candidate may claim expertise in a range of systems that they’ve barely touched.
While these embellishments could seem harmless to the job seeker, they set the stage for a disconnect between an individual’s actual capabilities and the demands of the role they are set to take on – thereby resulting in what could end up being poor performance, low morale, and high turnover rates when their lack of prowess, or experience, is soon discovered.
This is why the validation of CV content is no longer a nice to have; it is essential. Employers need to go beyond a surface glance-over of what a candidate professes they can offer an employer, and ensure that the qualifications, experience, and competencies they have alluded to are, in fact, accurate. And even more so for those who are senior, and/or in the interview process for C-suite placement.
The flaws in traditional reference checks
Traditionally, employers have relied on reference checks to confirm a candidate’s suitability for a role. However, this method is fundamentally flawed. Why? Because references are almost always handpicked by the candidate. Naturally, candidates choose referees who will speak highly of them – which often end up being close colleagues or even friends, rather than direct supervisors who can objectively assess performance.
This obviously creates a bias that renders many reference checks meaningless. In fact, in numerous cases, the referee may never have worked closely with the candidate; or may be unwilling to provide an honest assessment for fear of legal repercussions. The result? Employers end up with glowing, but not necessarily truthful, work and personal feedback.
The case for independent reference validation
The market is therefore ripe for independent, verified reference checks from individuals who have actually managed the candidate – or worked directly with them in a reporting structure. Imagine a system where employers can access verified feedback from a candidate’s past line managers, even if those managers were not listed as references. Such an approach would provide more genuine insights into a candidate’s strengths, weaknesses, and the calibre of their work ethic.
Independent reference validation would drastically reduce the chances of hiring mistakes, and would also ensure that organisations were able to bring in talent that truly aligned with their expectations. It would further act as a deterrent against CV fraud, because candidates would know their claims were going to be independently verified.
Solutions gaining traction
Several solutions are emerging globally to effectively tackle this issue, including specialised background-checking services and platforms that allow past employers to contribute to a candidate’s professional profile. Examples include:
- Employment verification services, offered by companies that contact previous employers to confirm dates of employment, job titles, and responsibilities – ensuring best-in-class accuracy in the process. A few examples are MIE, iFacts, Hire Resolve, and CSI Africa; and
- Reference networks, in which innovative platforms enable managers to leave structured, confidential feedback about former employees – thereby creating a pool of verified references that are accessible to future employers. Tap into the likes of Prolusio.Ai, Hire Resolve, CrimCheck, iFacts, LexisNexis RefCheck, and MIE.
In South Africa, where unemployment and skills shortages coexist, adopting such solutions is critical. Employers cannot afford the risks associated with negligent hiring, which can result in everything from financial losses and compliance issues, to legal liabilities.
Closing thought
So, in a world where CV fraud is rampant and traditional reference checks are increasingly unreliable, the need for independent CV validation and genuine reference checks has never been greater. Organisations that embrace these practices will not only reduce their hiring risks, but also build stronger and way more competent teams.
For job seekers, this shift promotes a culture of transparency and accountability – values that benefit everyone in the long run. It’s time for the executive search industry to move beyond outdated practices, and instead implement systems that safeguard the integrity of the hiring process. Because when it comes to building world-class teams, trust should never be based on guesswork.
Did you know?
Employers Mutual Protection Services (EMPS), South Africa’s oldest verification company, believes the incidence of CV fraud locally is even higher than that which exists within the global arena. Their research indicates that during times of economic prosperity, around 35 percent of CVs contain a lie; but that this rate increases to over 50% during times of economic hardship.
Source: HR Future’s “Don’t believe everything you read on a CV: talent-mobility management”.