A news report from The Times of India about rampant resume fraud in India’s Information Technology (IT) services sector revealed that hiring experts say typically 20 percent or one in every five resumes – also known as CVs (Curriculum Vitae) – in the industry are fake or have forged information, underscoring the need for U.S. businesses to conduct international background checks. The Times of India report is available here: ‘Indian IT’s HR headache: 1 in 5 CVs fake’.
The Times of India reports that up to 10 percent of the existing workforce in companies would be caught for fabricating or exaggerating their qualifications if verification tests were conducted. However, the lack of firm commitment from companies to follow uniform practices across the industry is a main reason for the India IT industry’s inability to stop candidates who falsify resumes. An executive of a Bangalore-based IT company speaking on condition of anonymity said that “unless employees who fake their credentials are taken to the police, this issue will never come to an end.”
The Times of India also reports the high rate of resume fraud raises questions about the National Skills Registry initiative started by industry body Nasscom that currently has up to 118 large companies as members and a database of 1.1 million candidates with nearly 8 million vetted candidate profiles. Although the Nasscom president told The Times of India that he “did not think that resume fraud has reached a proportion where it threatens India’s image as preferred offshore location,” the industry body still expects another 18 months to pass before the registry becomes “a de facto choice for companies.”
“Employers recognize that conducting due diligence on new hires is a mission critical task, and with any IT position the stakes go up due to the sensitive nature of access to data and systems,” says Les Rosen, Founder and CEO of San Francisco, CA-area background check firm Employment Screening Resources (ESR). “However, with the mobility of workers across international borders, it is no longer adequate to conduct these checks only in the United States.”
To help employers understand the importance of screening beyond U.S. borders, Rosen will present a webinar titled ‘Conducting International Background Checks: Best Practices, Trends and Legal Compliance’ on Thursday, August 30, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. ET (12:00 p.m. PT). During this timely 60 minute presentation, employers will learn:
- Why international background checks are becoming an necessary tool for all employers.
- What tools are available to international employers.
- The limitations of international background checks.
- The complex verification process of international employment and education.
- How to protect your company against fake international degrees.
- The legailities of data protection and privacy including the rules of the European Union and Canada.
Rosen adds that with more businesses going global every day, U.S. firms are having to staff up offices internationally as well, and the number of foreign countries from which employers seek additional information about applicants is expansive. For more information about the webinar, visit: http://www.avantresources.com/store/events/international-background-checks.
“Unfortunately, the world is awash with phony schools, fake degrees, and worthless diplomas and statistics show education fraud can run as high as 20 person” adds Rosen, author of ‘The Safe Hiring Manual’. “If U.S. employers are not familiar with a foreign school, they should conduct their own research. When screening firms perform this service, there are tools available to attempt to identify fake schools and phony degrees.”
Rosen has also written a white paper titled ‘Introduction to International Background Screening’ containing information on international background checks, what risks and challenges employers conducting such screenings should be aware of, and the many ways screening overseas differs from screening in the United States. The complimentary white paper is available at: http://www.esrcheck.com/Download/.
Employment Screening Resources also launched the ‘ESR Global Screening’ website to offer U.S. employers a variety of international background check services including International Criminal Background Checks, International Past Employment Verifications, and International Education and Credential Verifications. The ‘ESR Global Screening’ website is available at: http://www.esrglobalscreening.com/.
For more information about pre-employment background checks as part of a Safe Hiring Program, visit Employment Screening Resources (ESR) – ‘The Background Check Authority’ and a nationwide background screening firm accredited by The National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) – at http://www.esrcheck.com/, call 415.898.0044, or email customerservice@esrcheck.com.
About Employment Screening Resources (ESR):
Founded by safe hiring expert Attorney Les Rosen in 1997, Employment Screening Resources (ESR) – ‘The Background Check AuthoritySM’– provides accurate and actionable information that empowers employers to make informed hiring decisions for the benefit of their organizations, employees, and the public. CEO Rosen literally wrote the book on background checks with “The Safe Hiring Manual” and ESR is accredited by The National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS), a distinction held by a small percent of screening firms. Employers choosing ESR know they have selected an agency meeting the highest industry standards. To learn more, visit http://www.esrcheck.com/, call 888.999.4474, or email customerservice@esrcheck.com.
About ESR News:
The Employment Screening Resources (ESR) News blog – ESR News – provides employment screening information for employers, recruiters, and jobseekers on a variety of topics including credit reports, criminal records, data privacy, discrimination, E-Verify, jobs reports, legal updates, negligent hiring, workplace violence, and use of search engines and social network sites for background checks. For more information about ESR News or to send comments or questions, please email ESR News Editor Thomas Ahearn at tahearn@esrcheck.com.