Recruiting the best talent has become even more of a challenge with noticeable errors in nearly two thirds (63%) of job applications in the first quarter of 2015, says HireRight.
The candidate due diligence company’s latest quarterly Candidate Health Check revealed that the proportion of inaccurate applications is at its highest point since 2011, with the level of mistakes increasing on all sections of applicant CVs apart from education. However education is still the area where candidates are most likely to include incorrect information and this happens in two fifths (39%) of all applications.
Steve Girdler, Managing Director EMEA at HireRight, says:
“With slower growth forecast in 2015 than last year and the uncertainty a general election can create in the market, it is unsurprising that we have seen an increase in errors or exaggerations.
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“To attract and recruit the most suitable applicants during this time of change, businesses need to balance carrying out due diligence that ensures candidates are qualified, with ensuring a positive recruitment journey.”
The research, which looked at more than 100,000 checks of 26,000 applications found that more than a third (36%) of applications contain errors about employment history, while in nearly three in ten (30%) applications claims about professional qualifications and memberships are wrong.
These errors could be a rising concern for recruiters this year, particularly for more senior positions. The study shows that the proportion of people making false claims about holding a director’s position has risen every quarter for 18 months.
Girdler adds:
“No assumptions should be made in recruitment, even when hiring to a high-level role. Businesses need to ensure that the people they appoint to senior positions are capable of leading the company in the right direction and ensuring its success.”
Steff joined the HRreview editorial team in November 2014. A former event coordinator and manager, Steff has spent several years working in online journalism. She is a graduate of Middlessex University with a BA in Television Production and will complete a Master's degree in Journalism from the University of Westminster in the summer of 2015.
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