Hiring the right staff can be challenging. From an employer’s point of view, they want the right person to start work as quickly as possible, with minimum paperwork. However, references should play a crucial role in the pre-employment screening process for all companies. Employers have to rely on references to verify an applicant’s experience and qualifications. References are just as important a part of the recruitment process as identity verification or performance at interview. Should you be worried about forged references?

Taking Up References

Most job-seekers have no issues with previous employers being contacted for references. There is however evidence that there is a growing problem with fake or forged reference. If an applicant submits a false reference, this immediately calls into question their honesty and whether they are the right person for the job.

Why Do People Provide False References?

Not everyone who fakes references is a hardened criminal determined to commit crime. Although misguided, some will submit forged references to:

• Cover career gaps – Some candidates use fake references to cover periods of unemployment they don’t want to explain.
• Falsifying Experience – Applicants not qualified for a role may use false references to appear more experienced in a previous role than they were.
• Hiding Negative Reasons for Leaving – Candidates who left a job on bad terms, were dismissed, or who are under investigation might provide false references to hide this.

Bear in mind that it’s not always a case of a candidate writing their own reference or asking a friend to do it for them. There are companies who will provide any style of reference for a fee, and these are harder to detect. Many companies in the UK have switched to providing very basic references only, just confirming dates of employment or job title. Character references are far less common now.  If you are presented with multiple references all of which go into detail about someone’s character or personality, then you should delve deeper to find out what is going on.

Consequences of Fake References

Apart from raising the issue of dishonesty, fake references which get someone a position they are not suitable for can lead to significant mistakes. This can affect customers and suppliers or cause reputational damage. From the applicant’s point of view, being discovered with fake references can lead to instant sacking.

Tips for Identifying Fake References

• Look for mistakes in spelling and grammar, and check for any other errors or discrepancies.
• Look at the contact details – is it a corporate email address, or a throwaway Gmail account?
• Check the identity of the referee online, using sites like LinkedIn.
• Don’t make assumptions that a reference must be right or wrong based on a candidate’s age or other work history
• Use the experts – fakes are often clever and hard to spot. It’s worth using a third party organisation to manage your pre-employment checking and reference verification.
• Trust Your Judgement – If something seems off, investigate further by making a phone call or contacting the company directly.