A new survey by the higher education organisation HEDD has indicated that a staggering 49% of large businesses and 48% of smaller employers have come across candidates who lied about or exaggerated their degree qualifications. It’s a huge issue, and despite the findings, 20% of surveyed employers admitted to not verifying degree qualifications. Those who were checking often relied on conversations with tutors or references supplied by the candidate, while others just assumed that the candidates wouldn’t lie, or decided that someone’s performance in an interview was more important than any qualification anyway.

Other employers are taking the issue of CV fraud more seriously, and it’s becoming increasingly more common to verify academic qualifications as part of pre-employment checks along with basic identity verification and Right to Work Checks, and looking at any gaps in employment.

Legal Consequences of CV Fraud

HEDD, the organisation which brings together all higher education establishments in the UK, has highlighted that anyone who is tempted to lie about having a degree, or who exaggerates their grades, could be open to prosecution by their employer if they are found out once their employment starts. There could also be further implications for employers, especially in sectors such as education, healthcare, or financial services, where someone can only legally be hired into certain roles if they have the right qualifications.

Spotting a Fake Qualification

HEDD’s survey also revealed two broad types of fake qualifications on the market. The first concerns fake universities which are set up online to provide degree certificates to anyone who wants one, for a fee. A bit of research online into the institution which claims to have awarded the degree should easily reveal if it is a genuine university or not. Fake universities will generally not have postal addresses, no campus, no staff lists and will not be accredited by government or other similar body. The other type of fraud is harder to detect, as a candidate will claim a degree or other qualification from a UK university which we are all familiar with. Although the institution might be genuine the student either never attended, was on a different course, or got a lower grade than they have stated.

Checking Up on Academic Qualifications

There is now a service available from HEDD which allows any employer to log into a website and check the academic qualifications of a job applicant. This costs from £14 per person and many companies have already started to incorporate these checks into their standard background screening. Almost 500 UK universities and colleges are part of the system, which also helps employers check up on known bogus colleges. The website will confirm the dates of study, qualification awarded and the grade if relevant.

It’s easier than ever for employers to check what you are telling them on your CV is true. Don’t be tempted to tweak your grades to make yourself more attractive to employers as it’s getting more likely than ever that you’ll be found out.