Do you know what happens when education checks are not a part of your employee background verification process…?
We all love Mike Ross from Suits but he turned out to be a fraud with no formal degree of law. For all you know you could be hiring a Mike Ross who is likely to hamper the reputation of your company.
“What’s on the outside doesn’t always reveal what’s on the inside”. Whether it is your most charming employee who is always doted on by the lot or a new hire who is a silent spectator. Identifying the right candidate who is genuine, open to accepting and working towards achieving the company’s goals is no piece of cake. A poor choice of hire can cost the company it’s time and efforts.
Now picture this : A company finds a suitable candidate to fill an important position but fails to run adequate background checks. The hired candidate turns out to be a fraud with a forged degree, leaving the company in a tough spot. Even if the company were to file a suit against him/her, it does not have sufficient proof to support the case.
To be in such a position sounds petrifying. Doesn’t it ?
Education checks are an imperative to background screening. Today’s workforce needs to hold some formal level of education, irrespective of the industry or the collar color that designates a worker. As trusting as the employer might want to be, it is essential to review the applicant’s qualifications beyond the appearance of the documents to verify their claims.
Here are 3 reasons why your company should have stringent education checks
Protection from forgery
With unemployment on the rise, individuals are tempted to resort to unethical means to find a job. Recent discovery suggests that a huge number of job applicants are involved in questionable acts like forging degrees to fit into a job requirement. Forging degrees is one of the many unethical practices. With an overall literacy rate of 69.3 [2]– Our country has been producing 2 to 2.5 million graduates a year, a huge number that makes education checks a top priority. In addition, rising diploma mills and unregistered institutions are also responsible for churning out frauds.
Right Person, Right Seat
The above tenet holds utmost value. The idea is to identify whether the individual hired for a job is equipped with the right knowledge to fulfil all the requirements. Some individuals may have knowledge gaps not making them a suitable candidate to fill a vacant position. Education checks can help justify – Right Person, Right Seat. Besides, the level of education, type of degree and subjects can also help the employer to understand whether or not an individual can resonate with the role.
Reviewing foreign degrees
A survey report by Indian Ministry of External Affairs highlights that nearly 753,000 Indian students were studying abroad as of July 2018[1].This figure has amplified over the years, justifying the trend of receiving international exposure and degree. However the challenge is that the curriculum being offered by international universities may not exactly tone with your company’s job description. Furthermore, the legitimacy of the international institutions and the value of their degree must be verified .This process can be frustrating and time consuming.
To know more about it, please write to shivani@idfy.com
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