ADVERTORIAL

Detecting Resume Fraud More Costly
As Deceptions Become More Subtle

It may seem paradoxical that as companies become more efficient in performing effective background screening on job applicants the process is becoming more costly. The reason is simple � job applicants are becoming more subtle in how they falsify their resumes. They exaggerate and inflate rather than outright lie. Instead of making up non-existent past employment, they distort their accom-plishments and positions at a company where they actually worked.

Pre-employment screening specialists are seeing increasing amounts of this type of subtle resume falsification and inflation. At Garda, our preemployment screening statistics show that more than twenty-two percent of resumes are falsified and approximately seven percent of applicants have criminal records. For hiring companies, this represents a serious and expensive risk.

Hiring the wrong person can cost a company $25,000 in wasted advertising, employee training, compensation and benefits and a lot more if that person engages in criminal or fraudulent behaviour while employed. Canadian businesses lose about five percent of revenue to occupational fraud each year. A recent study shows that the median fraud loss totals $150,000 for small companies and $452,500 for larger companies. And those figures do not include the intangible damage to a company�s good name and reputation, lost business and reduced employee morale that a bad employee causes.

Hiring the right employee to meet your staffing needs is crucial for your business� success and security. An effective pre-employment screening program will provide vital information allowing you to make an informed hiring decision. While your specific needs will depend on your corporate policy and the position you are hiring for, the program can consist of a comprehensive check that includes some or all of the following elements: criminal record check, credit information, education verification, professional accreditation, employment history, I.D. verification, international security, comprehensive references, and immigration status verification.

The approach should be flexible enough that you will be provided with information relevant to your decision, however comprehensive enough to ensure that you have the best, most accurate information available in the shortest time possible. By using experienced researchers who know where to go for the right information and how to ask the right questions, screening will not unduly delay the hiring process and the information you receive will allow you to make the best decision possible.

In today�s volatile business environment, you have enough to worry about without the additional concerns about the honesty and trustworthiness of your employees. Comprehensive pre-employment screening services will help keep your employees, your business and your customers secure as you build a quality workforce, preserve your corporate reputation and maintain a safe and productive work environment.