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How Candid Are Job Applicants?

Newsletter 2

How College Students Misrepresent Their Background to Get a Job

Researchers at Reid Psychological Systems, a national leader in the development of pre-employment screening programs, found that over 95% of surveyed college students were willing to tell at least one false statement to get a job, and 41% have already done so.

In conducting this survey, researchers found ten areas participating students most frequently misrepresented when trying to get a job. According to the study, exaggerating skills and abilities tops the list.

The 10 False Statements include:

  1. Exaggerating involvement in school activities.
  2. Exaggerating interpersonal skills.
  3. Exaggerating the title of past business positions.
  4. Overstating positive comments regarding employers' corporate culture and history.
  5. Exaggerating cheerfulness.
  6. Exaggerating problem-solving skills.
  7. Exaggerating computer experience.
  8. Falsely saying that one was well-respected by past employers.
  9. Minimizing moodiness.
  10. Exaggerating future goals.
Results of the study revealed that participants were more likely to make false statements about qualities that employers could not readily prove. Qualities such as personality, hobbies and competence were more often misrepresented than the more verifiable quality of past salary. In general, people conceal or minimize inappropriate acts or qualities and exaggerate desirable acts or qualities.

"The competitive nature of today's job market forces some people to devise strategies, such as misrepresenting their background, to acquire employment.

This study demonstrates the need for employment screening methods, such as pre-employment tests, employment background checks and structured interviews. Through researching individuals' propensity towards counterproductive behavior, Reid has found that comprehensive and objective screening criteria can be an employer's safety net against hiring such applicants.

"Of course, not all college graduates make false statements to get a job. However, with the rush of college graduates hitting the job market and limited staff resources for verifying applicants' qualities, it's difficult to distinguish between individuals who do and do not misrepresent their qualifications."

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