Ross Clennett Article

Resumes:  Fact or Fiction?

by Ross Clennett

This article originally appeared in my eNewsletter InSight (Issue 21, 27 February 2008)
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1. A check on their academic transcripts and qualifications?

2. A check on their employment history with HR?

3. An electoral Role search?

4. A Birth Certificate verification?

5. A criminal history check?

6. A bankruptcy file search?

7. A driving history/drivers license search or verification?

8. A Supreme Court and civil litigation search?

9. A personal reference check with a previous manager?

10. A check on their professional affiliations/associations?

11. An ASIC search of banned or disqualified persons?

12. A check on their eligibility to work in Australia?

In my experience, every recruiter asks a candidate to sign a privacy agreement that allows appropriate work-related background checks to be made. Unfortunately most recruiters do nothing more than one or two reference checks - and even these are open to fraud.

My own sobering experience was when I was recruiting an HR Manager for a client who was very specific about the type of person he wanted (aren't they all!). After four months, frustrated by an offer turned down, I finally had a candidate that the client was prepared to hire.  The first reference check, from the job before last, was fine. The most recent referee was ‘on holiday' and only available on his mobile. I dutifully took the reference and made a note to check back on the referee's land line when they were ‘back from holidays'.

As the candidate was going on their honeymoon and wasn't starting the job for four weeks, it slipped my mind. When I made the call to the (genuine) referee on the land line, a week before the candidate was due to start, he said he had never spoken to me before and told me he had never given a reference on that person. My blood ran cold. It turned out the candidate had set up her fiancé (now husband) to pose as the previous boss, and that's who I had taken the ‘reference' from.

Naturally the client, when informed of this by a very sheepish me, withdrew the offer and had the sympathy to allow me to continue the assignment until I filled the job. This incident occurred when I already had ten plus years recruitment experience and I thought I could ‘pick the liars'!

Don't think it can't happen to you. Unhappy clients will take action to seek retribution. In 2004 ASX-listed recruitment company HJB Ltd, and their insurers, made a cash settlement out of court to a client (ISS Marketing) who was seeking in excess of $1 million damages after HJB recruited a Financial Controller for them, with an undisclosed criminal history of fraud, who subsequently defrauded the company of more than $250,000.

What employment (and other) checks do you undertake thoroughly every time, on each candidate you represent, to ensure your reputation as a professional recruiter is not at risk through the actions of a deceptive or fraudulent candidate? 

How did you score on the Quiz?  The answers are:

1. A check on their academic transcripts and qualifications? YES
2. A check on their employment history with HR?  YES
3. An electoral Role search?  NO
4. A Birth Certificate verification?  YES
5. A criminal history check?  YES
6. A bankruptcy file search?  NO
7. A driving history/drivers license search or verification?  YES
8. A Supreme Court and civil litigation search?  NO
9. A personal reference check with a previous manager?  YES
10. A check on their professional affiliations/associations?  YES
11. An ASIC search of banned or disqualified persons?  NO
12. A check on their eligibility to work in Australia?  YES

If you scored poorly on your privacy knowledge, then take action now to rectify your knowledge before it costs you more than your reputation!