It's estimated almost half of resumes contain some type of mistruth. HR professionals and hiring managers who take the claims at face value, well, the joke could very well be on you!
Inaccurate information ranges from small little exaggerations to big boldfaced lies. And not catching them can cost your company big!
Here are four April Fool's jokes applicants pull all year long, and how background screening helps you spot them a mile away.
#1: The "I atttended that university" farce.
Applicants may list a degree when they only attended classes at a university or college, or may not have ever stepped foot on the campus.
Don't fall for it by: Order an education verification on any claims your applicant makes on attendance, degree obtained, or special certification.
#2: The "I worked there 5 years" hoax. A staggering third of all resumes are estimated to contain some sort of fraudulent dates of employment. This can range from stretching employment dates to cover job gaps (or something more sinister like jail time), to claiming they were ‘self employed’ for a certain timeframe. Some applicants will even create jobs to cover gaps in employment.
Don't fall for it by: Verify all dates of employment with the employer, and look closely and ask about any gaps.
#3: The "these people think I'm awesome" shenanigan. A good portion (estimated at 27%) of all resumes contains a false reference. Applicants may lie about this because they had poor performance at their previous job, or may have fabricated their entire work history. The potential hire may submit incorrect or incomplete reference information in hopes you won't take the time to ‘track down’ the reference. The resume may also contain fraudulent information that directs employers to friends or family members-claiming they are managers or co-workers-that report in glowing terms on the applicant.
Don't fall for it by: Use a professional background screening company to follow up with references and ask specific questions pertaining to the applicant's performance and pay. Verify every claim.
#4: The "I was VP of Everything" monkeybusiness. Lots of applicants believe they can land a higher paying position by fabricating a higher job title. Many candidates will ‘promote themselves’ to a title several levels higher than their real one in hopes that the potential employer will offer them a similar position to the one showing on their resume.
Don't fall for it by: Dig for information that backs up their claim by ordering a thorough employment verification. 
REMEMBER: the consequences of being duped by a resume lie are high. An employee that is a bad fit can also cost a company customers, inventory costs, and even litigation expenses.
HR professionals must take measures to protect their company from a dishonest job applicant by looking at resumes and applications with a critical eye and verifying all information on the resume. Partnering with a professional background screening company minimizes the changes of the joke being on you!
Have a Happy April Fool's Day!
