Anyone who’s dated in the modern era has undoubtedly heard or experienced their share of catfish stories. But deceitful people don’t just hit the romance market. There are plenty of catfish opportunities on job search boards and in well-established businesses as well. There’s a difference between hiring a credentialed employee who eventually couldn’t deliver results and hiring an outright catfish. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts discovered that 81% or more candidates lie at some point during the job interview process. Fortunately, there are some easy and effective solutions to avoid getting catfished when hiring new staff.
Check Social Media
Social media checks can result in diving into endless rabbit holes, especially for candidates with common surnames. But don’t automatically trust a job candidate (especially a young adult) who claims they’re not connected socially somewhere online. There are hundreds of social media platforms. But the top ones in the U.S. with billions of active monthly users are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok. An active social media account can tell you far more about the true nature of a potential employee than a simple resume or job application ever will.
Ask for References
Many employers have optional reference sections during the application process. However, during the interview, you may need to amp up the details a bit, especially if you’re conflicted between a selection of candidates. To ensure they’re the right fit personality-wise, ask for personal and professional references. But then go a step further and actually contact those references. Try to focus on getting a backdoor reference or in-house/industry connection if possible so you can really trust your already established connection. But if red flags pop up, you’ll have another application for the slush pile or shredder.
Verify Professional Experience
Underqualified candidates are easily separated from potential hires. But also pay close attention to applicants who claim to have far more skills than the job requires. Overqualified candidates should go in the red flag pile for further verification because why are they applying for a job that’s beneath their qualifications? Be sure to dive in and thoroughly check any business names or contacts you don’t recognize as well. Anyone claiming to be experienced for the job to that degree will have also worked for recognized company names and business leaders.
Require Detailed Documentation
Make it clear upon scheduling an interview that legal documentation proving their existence is required in person. That’s often enough to deter a catfish from showing up for the interview in the first place. If the candidate is legitimate, they’ll provide any documents and identification needed to comply with the company’s employment standards.
Insist on an Employment Background Check
Regardless of how careful hiring managers are, bad hires still occur. The cost of a single bad hire can cost a business anywhere between $17,000 and $240,000, depending on the company and the job. Fortunately, the right employee background check can highlight most concerns and confirm credentials to take the strain off of the HR department. Give us a call when you’re ready to increase your company’s success and lose the extra stress associated with the early stages of hiring new staff.
