Hiring Trends Survey Reveals Employer Attitudes on Resume Lies, Social Media, Others

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expanding blue arrowsA new report from EmployeeScreenIQ, The Unvarnished Truth: 2014 Top Trends in Employment Background Checks, examines how companies manage employment screening and practices regarding the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) guidance. The report finds that employers rely on background checks to protect themselves, their workforces, and their customers. Several of the findings from the report, which represents the view of nearly 600 HR professionals, include:

• 45 percent of respondents said that job candidates with criminal records are not hired only 5 percent of the time or less. The finding supports the assertion that employers look much more closely at an applicant’s qualifications, references, and interviewing skills when making hiring decisions.

• Most respondents ask candidates to disclose criminal convictions on applications despite recommendations to the contrary by the EEOC. A mere 8 percent of employers say candidates are automatically disqualified when a criminal record is disclosed prior to a background check.

• 38 percent of employers rely on online media to gain information about their candidates, but most do not follow this practice. A further 80 percent of those who do utilize online checks turn to LinkedIn, followed by search engines (63 percent) and Facebook (48 percent).

• Half of respondents reject 90 percent of their candidates when lies are discovered on resumes. The most intolerable lie turned out to be claims of a degree not actually earned.

• Just 14 percent reported checking credit histories of all new hires. The majority (57 percent) do not use credit reports at all as part of their hiring process.

“The EmployeeScreenIQ trends survey has become the benchmark many employers use to evaluate their background screening policies and practices,” Nick Fishman, chief marketing officer of EmployeeScreenIQ, said. “This year’s survey provides a unique cross-section of opinions and insights and is a must-read for HR professionals who want to see what their industry peers are doing.”

 

By Joshua Bjerke