It has been widely recognized that individuals’ resumes, LinkedIn profiles and other self-reported career records, cannot be taken as a trustworthy source of information. According to HireRight’s 2018 employment screening benchmark report, 84% of employers have identified lies or misrepresentations on applicants’ resumes; up dramatically from 2012, when 66% reported finding fabrications[1].
It’s not only people who lie on their resumes. As early as 2012, Inside Higher Ed magazine estimated that fraud in higher education, selling fake degrees and diplomas, was a $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion business[2].
A study by Automatic Data Processing (ADP) of some 5.5 million background investigations showed discrepancies in 46% of educational, employment and reference checks[3]. This explains why 73% of U.S. employers perform employment pre-hire checks and 51% verify education credentials and certifications[4].
This is why we are creating the Internet of Careers™.
[1] Employment Screening Benchmark Report, HireRight, 2018
[2] Elizabeth Redden, Inside Higher Ed, Sept. 14, 2012
[3] Annual Screening Index, ADP, 2009
[4] The Employment Screening Service Market to 2025, ResearchAndMarkets.com, February 2018