How Not To Take on a Faker

 Do you know how easy it is to lie about your experience or qualifications on a CV and get away with it? Actually it is extremely easy, simply because the people doing the interviewing are not doing their job properly. And this backed up by the latest US TV hit from Dave, Suits, where a smooth-talking man with a photographic memory talks his way into a job at a US law firm…with no qualifications or experience.

 If you’re hiring someone for a position of responsibility, nothing replaces the need for full background checks and a properly thought through interview.You need to find out and assess as much as you can about the people you considering letting into your organisation.  This applies whether they are employees or sub contractors.

 Before the interview

 Before even deciding if you want to interview, check out your candidate on Facebook, Google and Linked In.   Ask yourself based on what you see – "Am I happy to interview this person?

 Does the CV you were sent and the accompanying letter or email match up with what you and everyone else can see on the internet?  

Think it through and prepare specific questions that you want to build into the interview.  Too many interviewers simply do not prepare properly.  If say, you are interviewing a candidate for an accounting job – one question could be "tell me what you would do with an £8 difference on a bank rec?"  Someone familiar with accounting would be able to tell you.  If they have never worked in accounts it will be apparent. 

Different questions should have different objectives, whether they are to assess honesty or knowledge of the subject matter.    It is better to have 10 properly throughout out questions rather than a long rambling "see how we go interview".  Take care however to ensure that the candidate does most of the talking – the interviewer really needs to listen and take in what is being said.

 The interviewer should also be aware of body language.  Whilst not conclusive, body language can indicate when someone is not being entirely honest. It is the interviewer role to do discover this but so many interviewers are simply not trained to do this.     

 It is also important for the interviewer to put the candidate at ease so that they give information freely.  It is an interview – not an interrogation.  

 

Employment History

 

Double check that past employers as stated on the CV actually exist. It is easy to check that out won the internet and by a quick verification phone call.  

 At the interview itself

 An interview is not a race against the clock.  You cannot do a meaningful interview in 20 minutes in the candidate’s lunch break or before your next meeting in 30 minutes.  You do however only have limited time to find out as much as you can – and you will discover more about a candidate in the last 30 minutes of a 90 minute interview than you will in the first 30 minutes.  So don’t be afraid to tell the candidate to allow 90 minutes or so for the interview.   You can always finish it early if you need to.  

 Verify Identity

 Ask for a current passport and Driver’s Licence (both parts) and examine them. Too many interviewers just go through the copying process without checking the details. Do the documents actually make sense?  Do the photos match the person in front of you?  Is the same photograph used in the passport as well as in driving licence? This in itself is strange but then check whether both documents are "issued" on the same day.  There may be nothing wrong with that but interviewers very often do not check these basic common sense things- they just go through the process of copying everything. 

 Once the candidate’s documents have been copied ask the candidate to sign then date and time the copies.  Again the interviewer should check that signatures match the signatures on the documents themselves.  

 The interviewer should then evidence that he or she is satisfied with the documents by stating "Originals seen – all OK" on the copies and signing, dating and timing.

 This process forces the interviewer to actually think about what is being checked.

 Verify Address

 Ask for an original bank statement and utility bill.  Ensure that the address on both documents matches up and they are consistent with the address on the CV and accompanying correspondence. Copies should be made of all document and evidenced as above by the interviewer.     

 Qualifications

 Always ask to see original qualification certificates and educational certificates – copies should not be accepted.   Contact the institution or body to double check qualifications, dates and grades.   

 Take copies of the originals and again go through the signing and evidencing process.

 After the interview

 Contact previous employers to confirm applicant’s duties and length or time with them.  Ask them directly – would you employ this person again – whatever their answer – ask why?  Follow up written references with a quick call to ascertain if they are genuine. If someone has asked a mate to write something on their behalf, you might be able to spot the deception at this stage.

What to do if you do find something that doesn’t add up?

 

 For positions of responsibility, whether financial or reputational, and for those with access to financial or sensitive data, I  recommend full pre-employment screening which includes full background and criminal checks where appropriate such as roles dealing with children or vulnerable adults.