1

Running Head: RESUME FRAUD IN ORGANIZATIONS

Resume Fraud in Organizations

Name

Institution
 2
RESUME FRAUD IN ORGANIZATIONS
Introduction

Resume fraud refers to lies written on the applicant’s resume in a convincing manner

(Klazema, 2019). According to research by Monster, about half of job applicants write lies on

their resumes by changing their course, skills, references and even the experience level. While

resume fraud is an issue of concern to every organization, the fraud it needs to be dealt with to

avoid cases of imposter employees and loss of customer trust.

Case Summary

Increased competition in the job market has led to the emergence of a new trend that involves

faking of personal information such as birth date, qualifications, and achievements on the

resume. This is done with the hope of acquiring an employment position in any available job

opportunity. This kind of misrepresentation is considered as fraud, and some see it as an issue

that requires legal attention.

The importance of issues of resume fraud in organizations

The issue is very crucial to organizations given that they suffer more when the wrong

candidate is hired for a job. As an employer, it is essential to conduct a background check on the

applicants to make sure the information provided on their resumes is correct and truthful.

Organizations need to know that there are also businesses that help candidates change their

resume by hiding their criminal records and adding false information to make the resume more

realistic to the employer. Some businesses even offer fake certificates, recommendation letters,

and even transcripts.

The reason why organizations need to be aware of resume fraud is that they are the most

harmed. This is because when an employer hires unqualified individuals, the employee ends up
 3
RESUME FRAUD IN ORGANIZATIONS
costing the company a lot when it comes to productivity, loss of customers, poor performance,

and also the increased training time that is needed which is a loss to the organization.

Organizations need to let candidates know the legal risks they face if caught with a

fraudulent resume such as facing a criminal charge. For instance, in Canada, employees found to

have lied during application can be charged and fired from work Resume fraud is important such

that it could lead to the fall, loss of reputation or inability to meet profit goals of a given

company. Giving the issue some importance will help organizations to ensure they hire the right

candidates by validating the academic certificates, references and other information used in a

resume.

Importance of Qualifications and credentials for a job.

Qualification for a given job is an essential part of the hiring process by an employer, and

educational qualifications form the basis for decision making by the employers (Maurer, 2017).

This is because educational information tells the employer more about the applicant’s

qualification and abilities which are important for the success of the company. For instance, a

doctor should be qualified for their jobs to offer the right care for their patients. Otherwise, they

would provide the wrong diagnosis, treatment, and medication which would harm the patients

and lead to death in works cases.

On the other hand, job applicants need to be qualified for a job to ensure the company

gets the perfect candidate for a given task. This makes employers work easier in terms of training

and getting work done. Additionally, applying for a position you are underqualified makes it

difficult for the applicant to understand how to carry out the tasks and employers want a

candidate who can add value to their organization (Maurer, 2017). Failure to meet the
 4
RESUME FRAUD IN ORGANIZATIONS
qualification means that the company will have a hard time achieving its goals and objectives.

An unqualified employee will need more supervision, and the risk of increased turnover is high,

and this could cost the company.

Job performance by Fraudulent Imposter.

Previous research has shown that imposters undergo psychological problems that affect

their performance and well-being (Hutchins, Penney & Sublett, 2017). Dissatisfaction at work

and emotional exhaustion are also conditions associated with imposter workers and these affect

their performance at work. The fact that imposters can perform the work does not mean that the

employer should let the lie go unchallenged. This is because it would mean that the organization

lower its ethical standards and cause problems if other employees know you make the new

employee go away with lies and dishonesty. In the case of a doctor, if the doctor can fake their

Ph.D. and medical license and perform a medical procedure, it would be unfair to the patient

given that the patient is unaware of the truth and puts full trust on the doctor. Additionally, it

would be hard to trust the imposter given that it is hard to tell when they are telling the truth.

Lessons learnt on Recruitment, Selection and legal considerations.

For the recruiting companies, I have learnt that the companies are concerned with

ensuring they match the right employees with the company’s culture and not necessarily the

school attended. Additionally, the selection process starts immediately after the job position is

announced.

Regarding the legal considerations, every step of recruitment and selection is bound by

legal issues. I learnt that the interview question must not show some discrimination and they

must be carefully framed to ensure every candidate has the same opportunity as others.
 5
RESUME FRAUD IN ORGANIZATIONS
Discrimination during recruitment and selection is the main legal issue, and according to the law,

hiring should be based on merit.

In conclusion, resume fraud is wrong and should be prohibited due to the harm under

qualified employees cause to the organization. Background checks and screening is essential for

employers as it ensures they hire the right applicants with the needed skills and qualifications

which are beneficial to the organization. The consequence of hiring an employee who has

committed resume fraud can lead to a loss of customer trust with the company.

References
 6
RESUME FRAUD IN ORGANIZATIONS
Hutchins, H. M., Penney, L.M., & Sublett, L. W. (2017). What imposters risk at work: Exploring

imposter phenomenon, stress coping, and job outcomes. Human Resource Development

Quarterly, 29(1), 31-48.

Klazema, M. (2019). What You Need to Know About Resume Fraud and Its Consequences.

Retrieved from https://blog.talview.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-resume-fraud-

and-its-consequences

Maurer, R (2017). Verify Degrees and Protect the Company from Resume Fraud. Retrieved from

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent-acquisition/pages/verify-

degrees-and-protect-the-company-from-resume-fraud.aspx

Miller, B. (2018). What is Résumé Fraud? Retrieved from https://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/20

18/04/06/what-is-resume-fraud/