From drug testing to work history, some candidates really believe they can pull one over on potential employers and hide the unseemly elements of they’re past. News flash: they can’t! But here are the top 5 ways deceptive candidates try to game employers anyway.
1. They intentionally omit an unfavorable employment experience.
Maybe they were fired, or maybe they rage-quit. Whatever the case, the job interaction that was left off of their resume wasn’t a good one, and now they’re trying to hide it from you. Understandable, but it doesn’t bode well for their honesty.
2. They make up an employment experience to cover a gap in their resume.
There are hundreds of “employment mills” online that will help candidates manufacture a place of employment, job title and salary out of thin air. Candidates pay a small fee, and the online employment mill will back up their claims when an employer calls to check references. A quality background screening can easily sniff these out.
3. They dilute their urine sample with water for drug testing.
Water is the key to life, but it’s not the key to passing a drug test. But that doesn’t stop uninformed candidates from downing insane amounts of H2O before they have to give a sample. Or worse, the truly desperate add water directly to their sample. An easily detectable, yet common tactic.
4. They fudge job titles on their resume.
Wow — you’ve found a candidate who’s two years out of undergrad and has been promoted three times to senior management? That’d be impressive, if every bone in your body wasn’t screaming “liar!” upon reading their resume. A quick reference check would bring the truth to light.
5. They try to increase their metabolism prior to a drug screening.
The myth says that raising your metabolism will reduce the amount of time that a drug can be detected in your system. So candidates will embark on intense diet and exercise regimens to “mask” their drug use. They probably feel great since they’re getting in shape, but that good feeling won’t last once they find out they failed their drug screening anyway. Womp womp.
Don’t let candidates slip through the cracks – contact JDP to discuss your screening needs!