Acquiring jobs today has become easier than before, with myriad earning opportunities being offered across diverse roles on multiple headhunting platforms opening new windows for job seekers. However, this expansion has brought with it a whole new set of obstacles for the hiring department. Sifting through many applications and sieving out the best candidate has become a tedious task, given the ever-increasing number of applicants.

Amidst these challenges, education verification stands as a crucial tool for recruitment teams in organizations. By confirming an applicant’s education claims—such as attendance and degrees earned at high schools, colleges, and vocational schools—education verification ensures that candidates possess the necessary credentials listed on their CVs, streamlining the hiring process.

Index 3 Reasons for Verifying Candidates’ Educational Background 3 Disadvantages of not verifying degrees How education checks help companies in hiring the right resources Conclusion  FAQs

3 Reasons for Verifying Candidates’ Educational Background

Verifying an applicant’s educational credentials is a crucial step in background checks. Applicants may exaggerate their academic backgrounds, asserting that they attended institutions they never attended or hold degrees they never completed. Due to the propensity of applicants and resumes being inaccurate, employers who make hiring decisions without thorough background verification face the possibility of selecting unfit applicants and may even be held accountable for careless hiring.

Let’s take a deeper look into the reasons for verifying candidates’ educational background:

Verification of degrees & qualifications:

Any organization must affirm that the applicant they are hiring is well-educated and has all the necessary qualifications they claim to possess. This can be assured by verifying their educational degrees and credentials. Verifying an applicant’s education level enables the hiring team to determine whether they have the necessary certificates, diplomas, or degrees to match the requirements for the vacant positions which will bring growth to the company.

Prevention of hiring mistakes:

Every position requires a unique skill set. When hiring, not only does their academic qualification matter, but their knowledge, skills, and abilities to carry out specific duties according to the job’s requirements also play a role. What if the hired employee hurts someone else due to their lack of necessary skills and they aren’t verified to have the training and credentials required for their positions? This situation can jeopardize the hiring team, and they might be held liable for negligent hiring. Hence, before making a hiring decision, candidates should be background screened to help find individuals who might be the best fit for the positions they have applied for.

Identification of fake university degree:

Diploma mills and fake degrees have created additional complications for recruitment teams. Diploma mills are phoney colleges or universities that are unaccredited and sell bogus degrees to students. Diploma mills might try to appear legit by accepting prior work experience or providing bogus online classes, while others outright sell fake degrees. During the education verification process, it's mandatory to ensure that the institution your candidate claims to have acquired a degree from has recognition from a valid accreditation agency.

3 Disadvantages of not verifying degrees

Trust and reputation are the cornerstone for the development of any growing business. If a company strives to grow and achieve exceptional results, it should ensure its credibility is not hampered. For this, it needs to ensure that it has hired the most proficient, educated, and qualified individuals who will do the job they are hired to do and do it well.

Let’s take a deeper look into the disadvantages of not verifying candidates’ educational background:

Damage to the company’s image and reputation:

One of the most disastrous effects of not verifying the educational credentials of a potential employee can be on the company’s image and reputation. The relationship built with the customers and the reputation garnered can be jeopardized with only one negligent hiring, putting not only the hiring team but the whole organization in a catastrophe. Especially in today’s day and age of social media, one error can be splashed across screens and leave a lasting taint on the company’s image.

Increase the risk of bad hires:

Statistics show that the replacement costs associated with a bad hire are about one to five times that of an individual’s yearly salary. Before skipping educational background screening, one should consider all the direct and indirect costs of recruiting and training. Unfortunately, the costs don’t end there. There is also the issue of wasted ongoing wages, benefits, and many other office resources. ‏To avoid this sort of inconvenience, it is advisable to do an education verification check to verify a candidate’s educational credentials.

Legal Ramifications:

If an employee causes harm or financial liability to another person as a result of having lied about their educational credentials on their resume, the business owner may have to face consequences. This is because the employer didn't do a foolproof background check which may have affected the team, sales and clients. For large corporations, this can mean the stock will drop, costing the company millions, or if someone lies that they attended accounting school and did not, they may make a mistake on a client’s tax forms or financial statement, costing them thousands of rupees. To avoid such dire consequences, it is advisable to conduct a thorough education verification before hiring candidates to be safe rather than sorry.

How education checks help companies in hiring the right resources

An education check can be the most important tool in the hiring team’s recruitment tool kit as it helps increase the thoroughness of pre-employment background checks and mitigates organizational risk. Each component of an employment background check helps the hiring team get a better picture of their candidates and provides the insight needed to make an informed hiring decision.

As a part of pre-employment background checks, a background check for education confirms the details of the degree, either directly with the school registrar or through the school’s verifying service. Professional background screening companies such as Check Xperts, an ISO 27001 certified background verification company and member of PBSA (Professional Background Screening Association), maintain robust processes in Pakistan that follow best practices for conducting educational background checks. Once empowered by an education check like Check Xperts, employers can be at peace knowing they have hired the best potential applicant.

Conclusion

Employers should consider conducting education verification checks for several reasons, including improving pre-screening for employment, potentially reducing liability, and avoiding diploma mills and fake degrees.

Conducting an education verification for employment can reveal important information during pre-employment screening. By comparing the information a candidate provides to academic records from high schools, colleges, and other institutions, the hiring team can feel confident that their applicants meet the education and training requirements for the required position. The information revealed in an education verification check can empower the company’s decision to extend a job offer to a candidate or be aware of discrepancies that could disqualify the candidate.

FAQs

1. Do companies run education verification checks on all employees?
   Yes, many companies conduct education verification checks, particularly for roles in sectors such as finance, IT, and healthcare that require specific qualifications. These checks conducted by companies like Check Xperts in Pakistan confirm that candidates have the necessary degrees and certifications listed on their CVs.
   
   
2. Do companies verify degrees before hiring or after hiring?
   Companies typically verify degrees before making a formal job offer. This pre-employment verification ensures that candidates meet the necessary educational requirements. However, some companies might also conduct post-hiring verification for ongoing compliance and internal audits.
   
   
3. Do employees get in trouble if they fail education checks?
   Yes, employees can face serious consequences if they fail education checks. This can include rescinding job offers, termination of employment, and potential legal action for misrepresentation. Ensuring accurate educational information is crucial for maintaining trust and integrity in the hiring process.