You’ll be stunned at how many Canadian workers are embellishing their experience and qualifications
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Don’t be surprised if you catch a fake resumé: startling numbers of Canadian workers may be stretching the truth about their background.
In a new OfficeTeam survey, 37 percent of workers said they knew someone who had put false information on their resumé – with the majority fibbing about their job experience (66 percent) and duties (57 percent).
A surprising 41 percent also embellished their education, while 24 percent weren’t wholly truthful with their employment dates.
Forty per cent of senior managers said they suspect candidates often stretch the truth on resumés, while 35 percent said their company had disqualified a candidate for lying.
OfficeTeam, a division of Robert Half, surveyed more than 400 workers and 300 senior managers.
The company offered five tips for spotting a fake, and confirming whether or not their career claims were truthful:
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In a new OfficeTeam survey, 37 percent of workers said they knew someone who had put false information on their resumé – with the majority fibbing about their job experience (66 percent) and duties (57 percent).
A surprising 41 percent also embellished their education, while 24 percent weren’t wholly truthful with their employment dates.
Forty per cent of senior managers said they suspect candidates often stretch the truth on resumés, while 35 percent said their company had disqualified a candidate for lying.
OfficeTeam, a division of Robert Half, surveyed more than 400 workers and 300 senior managers.
The company offered five tips for spotting a fake, and confirming whether or not their career claims were truthful:
- Vague skill descriptions, with phrases like "familiar with" or "involved in", suggest the candidate may lack direct experience. OfficeTeam suggests conducting skills testing or hiring the person on a temporary basis before making a full-time offer.
- Career gaps, or listing years instead of months, should be red flags. Recruiters should enquire about the applicant's employment history during interviews, and check with references.
- Fidgeting or a lack of eye contact during an interview might suggest dishonesty; however, OfficeTeam says recruiters shouldn’t judge on body language alone, and should consider the candidate’s responses to questions, and seek feedback from other staff who met them.
- Conflicting details from references. Don’t be afraid to ask those people for other contacts you can speak to, and check for professional connections who may be able to give insights about the candidate.
- Online information doesn’t match the resumé. A word of caution: information on the internet can be wrong, other professionals might have the same name, or there could be legal issues about how you can use information you find online, depending what province you’re in.
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How to use algorithms for recruitment
The interview question tech CEO swears by
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