Do we really know who we're hiring?
Do we really know who we are hiring?
Talent Acquisition grows more challenging by the day. Our job is to put the Right People, in the Right Job, at the Right Time. And that right time usually means today – or yesterday.
But the barriers and roadblocks keep coming. For we are also accountable to manage Risk. Risk in the Talent Acquisition world means you have checked the candidate’s credentials, their background and their skills/education. That potential hires are who they say they are, and they can do what they say they can do.
And now, factor in AI.
But how do we really know? And how can we spot “fraudulent” candidates?
True Story:
Recently, I met with an SVP of HR of a global giant. She told me of a situation that blew my mind – and continued to launch bombs in my brain for weeks afterwards.
This company was looking to make a permanent hire of an IT consultant for a high demand/low inventory Systems Specialist role. The search was long (3 – 4 months), painful and the leaders were agitated that this pivotal role was taking so long to hire. A candidate was identified, completed 4 or 5 virtual interviews – offered and accepted the position. This was an onsite role, and the candidate was good with that. A background check was completed, employment offer extended and accepted. This New Hire shows up on Day 1; ready to go.
The problem…
The line manager called the SVP of HR and said, “I don’t think the person who has shown up for work is the same person whom we have been interviewing.” The source documentation matched but the physical features of the New Hire were slightly different from the interviewed candidate.
What do you do now?
Part Two
This blog is the follow up to “Do you really know who you are hiring?” and summaries what I discovered about a highly organized interview fraud scheme.
From my first blog, I spoke of a global firm who was hiring a full-time associate in their IT space. 5 interviews (all virtual) had been completed, an employment offer extended and accepted. The person who started on Day 1 was not the person who had completed the virtual interviews; although he/she claimed they were.
The supporting background documentation matched. The resume matched. But the person did not look like the individual who had been interviewed. The employer dug deep into the background information and found some inconsistencies and decided not to proceed with the hire. The risk was simply too great.
Fast forward 3 months.
I’m at a dinner party and speaking with a friend of mine who is an HR Business Partner in a large organization and his partner, a Project Manager in an IT function. As I shared this story, the HR person is shocked that someone could get through a 5-step interview process and somehow a different person shows up to work on Day 1.
My friend, the PM says, “of course this is happening out in the market”. “Did you two not know that there are organized ‘imposter interviewers’ for hire?” In fact, he tells us, his cousin, a junior IT professional (whom we shall call “Newbie”) had recently immigrated here and had been approached to ‘engage the services” of an interview imposter.
How does it work?
For a fee – this ‘imposter group’ finds a similar looking person possessing more advanced education and work experience than Newbie has. The imposter attends all the virtual interviews, posing as Newbie. Newbie provides copies of all pertinent information – passport, diplomas, Identification which the imposter can provide, if asked.
The Payout:
If Newbie got the job, Newbie would be accountable to pay upwards of 50% of his paychecks for 1 year.
Where is this happening?
We know of companies in both the USA and Canada that have experienced this.
You may be skeptical but – fraudsters only work where the money is – this has to be successful, or it wouldn’t be happening.
