Dubai: Nearly two-thirds of job applications in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) contained inaccurate information in the first half of 2016, according to analysis by due diligence company HireRight.
The company, which operates checks for firms, doesn’t go as far as suggesting candidates deliberately lie on their applications, attributing the inaccuracies to errors or exaggeration.
According to their data, 63 per cent of applications in the region contain inaccuracies.
Employment has just nudged out education as the top area for issues, with 33 per cent of jobseekers including incorrect details about their work history, and 32 per cent sharing an incorrect grade, qualification, institution or course date, the firm said in a press statement.
Steve Girdler, HireRight’s managing director for the EMEA region, said, “We’re in a time of economic uncertainty and the temptation could be to rush applications or exaggerate claims to beat the competition.
“More and more businesses are carrying out thorough due diligence so, for jobseekers, accuracy and honesty is absolutely key in order to ensure your chances of being hired.”
The firm’s latest Candidate Health Check is based on the analysis of more than 500,000 checks of 70,000 applications, and reveals where recruiters need to focus background checks.
The figures in financial services were higher than the overall average, with 68 per cent of applications containing inaccuracies in the first half of 2016, spiking at 71 per cent in February, based on analysis of 311,000 checks into more than 34,000 applications.
Girdler said, “With the recent introduction of the Financial Conduct Authority’s Senior Manager’s Regime, Certified Regime and Conduct Rules, there is no doubt that the financial services industry is more thorough than ever when it comes to making hiring decisions.
“In carrying out such in-depth checks, HR and risk departments ensure that they only consider the absolute best leaders and talent, and can focus on establishing whether individuals are a cultural fit for the future their company envisages.”
HireRight, which provides background screening of employees and job applicants and due diligence checks, says a third of FTSE-100 companies and 70 per cent of Fortune 100 companies use its services.
