Employment related discrepancies rise during Apr-Jun: Report

Despite a tougher screening regime, job applicants' resume frauds have been rising with discrepancy rates highest in previous employment information at 61.5 percent, says a report.

According to screening analytics and identity solutions provider First Advantage, in the second quarter of this year, discrepancies related to employment, address and education categories were at 61.5 percent, 10.3 percent and 5.4 percent respectively.

"With new recruitment trends taking precedence, the pressure has never been stronger to push the standards. While opportunities are increasing, global standards and norms are being embraced, so is the competition to land a lucrative job," the report said.

A study of the case level quarterly discrepancy analysis for second quarter of this year shows that the discrepancy percentage dipped to 11 percent from 12 percent in the preceding quarter.

In the second quarter of this year, 78 percent of the overall discrepant were males and the remaining 22 percent were females.

The highest number of discrepancies have been observed in the Associate level employees and in that too - the age bracket 22 to 30 years has the biggest chunk of discrepant cases at 46.6 percent.

With the trends in hiring transforming, from who's doing the hiring to the criteria for employment, background screening is now a pivotal process and not just a compliance formality," First Advantage India Managing Director and SVP Purushotam Savlani said.

Sector-wise, BFSI at 38 percent saw the highest number of discrepancy cases. followed by IT at 24 percent.

Fake document, by far forms the biggest chunk at 41 percent in April-June period followed by suspect Institution at 31 percent.

"To ensure the best talent is recruited and to cut on the cost of a wrong hire, employers are implementing stringent screening programmes with a desire to know their employees better," Savlani added.

The report is based on data collected from background verifications and reference checks conducted by First Advantage across India in Q2 2016.

The results of the report are segmented under critical discrepancy types (employment, education, financial-related, address, and database) that examine the discrepancy breakdown by verticals, states, regions, industry, age, gender and the like.