Your employees might not have the skills they claim to have. That’s according to the latest StaffCircle survey, where 32% of the surveyed employees have twisted the truth to get a job. Workers haven’t just lied in the past, either. Over 60% of them would be willing to lie again – especially if it means they get a remote role!
Employees Fabricate Their Skills, Experiences and Salaries
Employers look for the perfect mix of skills and experience when recruiting a new employee. The more senior the role, the more extensive the list of required qualifications will predominantly tend to be.
Candidates need to provide a top-notch CV to even get a spot in a job interview, let alone for a senior position. Could that be a key reason why so many people lie on their CVs about their experience and skills?
Out of the 1,500 survey participants, just over 50% stated they lied to cover the truth about their experience and 38% stated that they withheld information about their skills during the recruitment process and exaggerated their capabilities.
Candidates know these aspects are absolutely crucial to progressing in their career path, so they might perceive it to be a necessary evil to get to where they want to be.
Is There a Desire to Lie Again?
The modern job applicant might be willing to conceal the truth because the risk of getting caught is rather low. According to the survey, employers noticed only 7% of liars, and 40% of those who admitted to misinformation still had the same job.
But some candidates openly questioned whether they had gained an advantage. 58% of employees stated that they did not gain advantages in employment by fabricating the truth. 63% of respondents said they are tempted to keep lying for future job opportunities. The figure was similar when quizzed about remote roles.
It would still be a mistake to think it’s a good idea to trick your future employer. If you get caught, your employer could fire you, charge a fine and let other recruiters know you’re not to be trusted. 14 people in the survey faced legal consequences to prove the point.
Creating a Fairer Recruitment Process
The survey’s findings reveal the flaws in the modern recruitment process. Although nearly 70% of candidates labelled the process thorough, the high number of people slipping through says otherwise.
Businesses should start paying more attention to the system. Employers should notice misinformation regarding experience and salary information with proper background checks. It can help to share information with other employers and use recruitment software to automate certain background checks.
Assessing candidates as part of the recruitment effort is also important. An efficient performance management system can allow organisations to identify gaps in skills within the workforce. Mistakes will be avoided as companies can truly evaluate how qualified an employee is suited to a particular job role.
Competency-based interviews and tests can ensure candidates have the skills they claim to have. Skill assessment and development should remain at the core of the company’s performance management even after the hiring process is over. It will definitely help make future recruitment campaigns easier.
Having a fair recruitment process benefits everyone. Businesses can trust they receive the skills they were looking for, and employees know they weren’t cheated out of their dream job. Ultimately, this requires effort from both sides. Employers need to work with the right tools, and candidates must trust the process works without lies.
