According to First Advantage survey about background checks, nearly a quarter of job candidates admit to exaggerating the truth on their resume or in a job interview in order to land a position. While First Advantage's own domestic screening data does not register intentional versus accidental discrepancies, a review of employment screening records shows an average discrepancy rate of 21% in APAC, 23% in the UK and 46% in the US.
The survey also found widespread support for background screening, with 82 percent of consumers saying that organisations should run background checks. When asked what benefits background checks provide, if any, nearly half responded it raises the credibility of the organization. Respondents also said it makes their colleagues and the organisation more trustworthy and it makes them feel physically safer at work.
Michael Pilnick, Executive Vice-president of HR at First Advantage commented, "We have known for a while that employers generally appreciate the role that background checks play in protecting an organisation. What we haven't known, until now, is the level of support that background screening holds by the general public. We are encouraged to see that the public has also recognised the importance and value of background checks in providing a safer and more credible business environment."
When employees were asked whether they have ever undergone a background check by an employer or potential employer the results varied widely by region. While 82% of US respondents reporting having gone through a background check, 61% of those in the UK responded the same, along with only slightly less than half in the Asia-Pacific region. Within APAC, just 18 percent of consumers in Japan said that they have had a background check.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
