Comments on: Web site offers phony references — and more http://www.hrmorning.com/web-site-offers-phony-references-and-more/ Your daily dose of HR Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:43:13 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Les Rosen http://www.hrmorning.com/web-site-offers-phony-references-and-more/comment-page-1/#comment-42026 Les Rosen Sat, 16 Jan 2010 07:50:34 +0000 http://www.hrmorning.com/?p=4310#comment-42026 First, the chance of even pulling of a fake reference is getting much more difficult. Statistics show that most employers routinely contact past employers either themselves or through a background firm. A good background firm will typically independently establish if the past employer even existed, and locate a phone number independently of whatever number an applicant puts on their resume. A screening firm may not simply call the name and number provided by the applicant. Employment Screening Resources, (www.ESRcheck.com) for example, goes through an extensive procedure to verify that each past employer is legitimate and does not accept the applicant provided phone number or even teh existance of the past firm. Even if the fake reference somehow survives the vetting process, it is hard to keep and live a lie, especially when you never know when the truth may come out. For example, a supervisor or co-worker may meet someone in your industry that somehow spills the beans. Furthermore, if a person gets a position they cannot actually perform due to a fake reference, it’s just a matter of time before they get a negative performance appraisal. In addition, co-workers that suspect a fraud have also been known to do their own digging. Furthermore, most employers have employment applications that clearly state that if a person has lied during the application process, it is grounds for termination no matter when discovered. There is now statistical evidence suggesting that if a person is dishonest in the way they get the job, they the will likely be dishonest once in the job. Once a fabrication is discovered, the resulting termination and the inability to use the most recent employment on your resume can leave a big unexplained employment gap and impact future job searches. First, the chance of even pulling of a fake reference is getting much more difficult. Statistics show that most employers routinely contact past employers either themselves or through a background firm. A good background firm will typically independently establish if the past employer even existed, and locate a phone number independently of whatever number an applicant puts on their resume. A screening firm may not simply call the name and number provided by the applicant. Employment Screening Resources, (www.ESRcheck.com) for example, goes through an extensive procedure to verify that each past employer is legitimate and does not accept the applicant provided phone number or even teh existance of the past firm.

Even if the fake reference somehow survives the vetting process, it is hard to keep and live a lie, especially when you never know when the truth may come out. For example, a supervisor or co-worker may meet someone in your industry that somehow spills the beans. Furthermore, if a person gets a position they cannot actually perform due to a fake reference, it’s just a matter of time before they get a negative performance appraisal.

In addition, co-workers that suspect a fraud have also been known to do their own digging. Furthermore, most employers have employment applications that clearly state that if a person has lied during the application process, it is grounds for termination no matter when discovered. There is now statistical evidence suggesting that if a person is dishonest in the way they get the job, they the will likely be dishonest once in the job. Once a fabrication is discovered, the resulting termination and the inability to use the most recent employment on your resume can leave a big unexplained employment gap and impact future job searches.

]]> By: Karen http://www.hrmorning.com/web-site-offers-phony-references-and-more/comment-page-1/#comment-24862 Karen Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:03:55 +0000 http://www.hrmorning.com/?p=4310#comment-24862 If you go to the website now, there is a notice that states that the website was part of a social experiment. So, was it real? If you go to the website now, there is a notice that states that the website was part of a social experiment. So, was it real?

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