The American entrepreneur and department store executive, John Wannamaker, once said that “Half of all the money I spend on advertising is wasted. I just don’t know which half.”
Sounds to me like what you face with resumes these days. You know there may be falsehoods mixed in amongst the truth. But it’s hard to tell which is which.
It just got harder. In an article advising job seekers on truthful strategies for dealing with problem references and resume gaps, CNN discusses web sites that will fake your references for a price. They identify one such site, CareerExcuse.com.
This goes way beyond the buddy who will pretend to be your old boss. This is serious stuff.
This service will let an applicant decide on what field of employment, dates, and salary they want. They will provide a fake paycheck stub and a reference letter.
If a candidate wonders about whether they can get caught using the service and perhaps fired, CareerExcuse has a simple answer: “We can’t guarantee that you wont [sic] and not liable if you do. If you get the job in the first place.we did our part. It’s up to you to act responsible after you get the job.” Grammatical mistakes left in.
So what can you do? The best defense is a rigorous, disciplined hiring process.
Review all documents carefully. Use criminal checks as part of the process. Cross-check information.
Interview thoroughly and carefully. Ask questions about job history in different ways and at different points in the interview.
Have qualified people assess competency in specific areas. Use tests if appropriate.
Follow up on all references. Check more than just the most recent references. Talk to real people.