How Can I Verify Employment Gaps and Detect Fake Experience Certificates in My Team?

I am an NRI entrepreneur who started a business here 2 years ago. I have a team of technology people for whom previous employment history needs to be checked since I suspect them of carrying experience certificates issued by bogus companies for money. The last companies they worked for are all fine, but their career start-ups are suspect. Please let me know the way the checks are performed and how foolproof they are.

The suspects can easily pass the usual methods like email/phone, etc. I saw from the website and I called them, but the company is operating now with existing old customers and predominantly issuing fake experience certificates. Let me know how you deal with finding a company issuing a fake certificate and whether the candidate has worked in any other company during that period.

Please share your suggestions on this.

Note: There are gaps in their employment that need to be checked to see if they were employed in other domains at that time. I know third-party verification can do this, but I want to understand the process of how this is done because no agency is willing to share the process flow.

Thank you.

There are TWO aspects to your request/need.

1. Purpose of Conducting BC/GAP Check

While it's fine to do a BC/GAP check on your employees, what is your purpose or aim in conducting this? What do you intend to do with the results—whatever they may ultimately be—from such an exercise?

2. Understanding the Process

Are you interested in having the BC done or understanding the process—meaning, do you want the cake or know how it's made? Both are two different aspects/issues.

Regards, TS

Dear Amit, The process for checking the validity of employment is different from the validity of the firm. Reference check firms ideally maintain a list of names of the firms that issue such certificates, making it easier for them.

If you want to do it in-house, it might be cumbersome for you. Please consider the reference check process by Nasscom - Skill Registry. You can ask your employees to initiate it for themselves and then share the reports with you. That way, you will find a standard report as per the industry benchmarks.

Even if you reimburse the cost to your employees, it would still be affordable and reliable.

Two Discussions for You to Consider:

- Printing mistakes can be costly
- Background Verification: Process Map

Thank you.

There are TWO aspects to your request/need.

1. While it's fine doing a BC/GAP check about your employees, what's YOUR purpose/aim of conducting this? What do you intend to do with the results—whatever they might be eventually—that come out of such an exercise?

2. Are you keen about having the BC done OR knowing the process—meaning, do you want the cake OR know how it's made? Both are two different aspects/issues.

Thanks, Taj/Nabo, for your replies. I want to do this because of late the performance of the members whom I suspect has gone down drastically. They don't have any intention to work or put themselves behind. Above all this, even when I give them very worst appraisals with the intention to make them think about a job change, they never do. I am receiving anonymous letters regarding this. I even consulted 2 or 3 BC agencies, but they want either to enter into a deal first or are not willing to provide how these checks are done. TS - for your question, I want to know how the CAKE is made. Any help will be appreciated!

Regards,
TS

Regarding what you mentioned - "I even consulted 2 or 3 BC agencies, but they want either to enter into a deal first or are not willing to provide how these checks are done": I guess they would like to keep their methods confidential, which is understandable. Though we don't usually handle BCs, if you are okay with it, please mail the details from your official email ID to me at my ID: [Email Removed For Privacy Reasons]. Let me see if we can do something about it - no charges - thank CiteHR for it.

Regards,
TS

There can be another side to the situation. You mentioned that "off late the performance of the members whom I suspect, has gone down drastically." This means that their performance was good to begin with.

Usually, such situations point to flaws within the organization and the procedures/processes followed, where the motivation levels of the employees 'taper off' with time—the reasons could be anything. From lack of appreciation to poor managerial control/guidance to wrong HR policies, there can be multiple reasons.

Quite often, employees stonewall any inquiry into the reasons for the fall in performance when they are convinced that their feedback will be used against them—please note that they may be wrong in such a presumption. But the scope does exist for such an impression from the employer's perspective—and again, quite often, many employers don't even realize that they contributed to such a situation.

I suggest you give this aspect some thought. Something or some things must have happened for this situation to emerge.

For a moment, presuming the guys have faked their earlier experience, usually, most people can be caught during the interview phases—especially face-to-face rounds by closely watching body language. How could such guys clear the interviews?

Another point you mentioned: "I'm receiving anonymous letters regarding this." Can you please elaborate?

Regards,
TS

Inquiry About Verifying Employee Experience

Twice, I received anonymous letters at my office, which stated the details of 2-3 members of my team providing fake experience. Is it possible to ask for the salary and previous employment details of the employees, such as when they joined all the previous employers' HR departments? Will they be able to reveal that?

Regards,

Just do one thing, Amitlogictech. Suggest asking ALL your employees for the salary slips, appointment letters, and relieving letters of ALL the companies they worked for. DON'T give any scope for anyone to figure out WHY you are asking—you can say it's to update your HR records. If someone HAS all the records in proper shape, they will submit ASAP. The tell-tale signs of people faking would be: buying time (I will give it tomorrow, my records are in my hometown, etc. stories). Give them sufficient time—maybe a week or so—for them to submit.

Also, please have an open mind over this issue—your NEXT step could be thought of based on how this exercise takes shape. For all you know, those whom you suspect MAY be clean cases, and you MAY get surprises from another person. All the best.

Regards,
TS

Query on Verifying Salary and Employment Details

Is it possible to ask for the salary and previous employment details of employees from all their previous employers' HR departments when they joined? Will they be able to reveal that?

I think I have addressed your queries yesterday, Amitlogictech. Please go through my posting. I suggest always weighing the evidence (in your case, the letters you received) very carefully before you initiate any action. For all you know, the 2-3 guys being targeted could be victims of some individual or personal animosities. You can't be sure it is such a case, but neither can you say it isn't such a case.

This was the reason I suggested getting the complete educational and career track records of all the employees—don't target only some employees. This could lead to other problems that you may not be able to control. While your intent is to check out the antecedents of these individuals, you need to couch your action in a general approach.

Hope you get the point. All the best.

Regards, TS

Got it, TS. Thanks a lot! Why did I ask the same question for the second time? My colleague, who is part of the HR team, is suggesting this exercise of verifying the antecedent history of employees, such as salary received, name of the previous company, etc., from their last employer. However, I think this might not be a good idea. Any thoughts? Will the previous company be able to release those details of their ex-employees?

I didn't mean to suggest that you ask the ex-employers for the details. I suggested that you ask your employees for their complete past employment documents. Obviously, they will want to know the reasons for this request—you will need to think of one or two. Maybe you can say that you are compiling the complete career records of all the employees. If you think about it, I am sure you can figure out other ways of handling this.

Once you get these details and if you are satisfied, just ignore such cases. If there are any that might need further probing (like you suspect), then you can think of ways of direct interaction with the concerned employers. That way, your effort will be focused as well as limited, meaning better chances of success in this angle.

All the best.

Regards,
TS

Past Employment Verification: A Guide

Past employment verification can help you determine whether your candidate has an employment gap or is deliberately trying to hide the same. In this process, your candidate's employment with all their former employers is verified. You can easily ascertain whether or not your potential employee has worked with the company they claim to have worked with.

Performing Verification Without Third-Party Agencies

When it comes to performing past employment verification, you do not necessarily need to rely on third-party agencies. An online verification tool like Verified Resources can assist you in carrying out the verification on your own, quickly and easily. In addition to work experience, Verified Resources requests other factual information related to a candidate, such as the last withdrawn salary, the status of exit formalities, and whether the candidate served the notice period or not. Verified information from employers can help you make informed hiring decisions.

As Verified Resources offers an online platform, the process provides quick and accurate results, ultimately saving you time, money, and resources.

Here is the link for Verified Resources: www.verifiedresources.com

Thanks,

Meesha