The recruitment process can be a daunting one. From the employer’s perspective,
you need to ensure you get the best talent to apply and then you need to find the right fit for your role. But what if, after all the time and effort, you find out the new hire does not fit the role? What if their skills are not quite what they mentioned during the recruitment process?
That scenario is not an unlikely one. A survey from StaffCircle looked at how often candidates lie on their CVs or as part of the recruitment process. The results might come as a surprise: 32% of respondents admitted to lying on in the job application process at some point in the past.
Here are some of the key findings from the survey:
1. 25-34-year-olds are most likely to lie
Out of 1,500 respondents, the age demographic most likely to lie was the 25-34-year-olds. Similar studies have also supported that millennials are prone to lying the most during the recruitment process.
A couple of the key factors lied about were both skill set and salary, unsurprisingly.
2. Candidates lie about experience and skills
The most common thing lied about was experience (51%). Candidates know that competition for top roles is tough. Talented individuals can’t rely on skills alone; they need plenty of experience to back it up.
But businesses shouldn’t simply trust that the skills listed in candidates’ CVs are legitimate, either. According to the survey, 38% had bent the truth about their skill set. If candidates aim for more senior roles or careers in different fields, they might feel an urge to embellish a little, to make them appear more qualified.
3. Candidates like to lie about their salary
But lies on CVs aren’t the only time candidates might tell untruths to their future employer. 26% of respondents admitted they lied during the interview process about their previous salaries. Lying about your salary could help attract a higher salary in the new role.
Employers are more likely to offer a competitive salary to the right candidate if they know their previous salary was at a certain level.
4. Liars don’t always get caught
Perhaps the most shocking finding in the survey is the fact that liars don’t always get caught. A staggering 93% of those who admitted to lying revealed they never faced consequences. 40% of them were still in the position they got by lying.
However, candidates were split on whether they felt lying had benefited them. 58% of candidates said they believe lying didn’t help them.
5. Lying on your CV can have consequences
14 out of the 1,500 candidates interviewed had faced legal action, which suggests that lying on your CV still is not worth the risk. A small percentage, but big consequences that could have long-term impacts on employment.
What the hiring process can do
A strong recruitment process isn’t just helpful for the company recruiting, it should also provide candidates with fewer incentives to lie.
Organisations must ensure that they assess candidates thoroughly during the recruitment process and ensure that their skills match up with the job role that they are applying for with the help of competency-based techniques. This will help organisations not have to experience issues later on where it might be too late for them to realise that they hired the wrong candidate.
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