15 in every 100 cases during hiring were found to be ‘discrepant’ in 2017. [Source: AuthBridge Annual Trend Report 2017] . More than often, in the life of a Recruiter, discrepancies are found during background checks to make things difficult. This industry jargon – ‘discrepancies’ – is widely misinterpreted Discrepancy to an organization means an inconsistency/misrepresentation/ variance in the information provided by a candidate and the actual facts found out/verified through background verification. Discrepancy, i.e., mismatch of information can be across multiple levels- it can be in your personal details or your professional details. This blog will deep dive into the jargon and the areas and reasons behind discrepancies observed during background screening of candidates.

An alarming discrepancy rate of nearly 15.21%, a record highest in last 3 years, was reported in 2017. The levels rose by a significant 48% in the FY 2017 compared to the previous year. Also Read- Resume lies is on a constant rise with ‘no holds barred’ While discrepancies occur and are reported to employers, it’s the organisations call to hire/not hire the candidate.

This also depends on the severity level of discrepancy, which varies from organisation to organization. The same information considered as major discrepancy by one organisation may be considered as minor discrepancy by another organisation belonging to a different sector altogether. For example, misrepresentation of education course during education verification might be treated as a clear rejection/major discrepancy for Organisation A and a minor discrepancy by Organisation B.This is clearly a function of the role in question and the skill set required. Type of industry is another criteria. Here’s a quick look at the most common discrepancies we witness across background checks- Common Background Checks and Discrepancies

1. Address Verification Address verification includes verification of permanent or temporary address for actual residence and tenure of residence. Most common form of discrepancies observed during address verification are- a. Candidate never resided at the stated address b. Address is untraceable/does not exist c. House was locked d. Candidate used to reside but has moved out & many others…

2. Education Verification Education Verification includes checking education degree for the college/university name, genuineness of issuing authority, status of course completion, year of completion and percentage obtained. This ensures you have the right pedigree for the role in question. Most common form of discrepancies observed during education verification are- a. Fake/Forged Degree/Documents b. Degree is from a Fake/Unrecognised University c. University was dissolved d. Course is misstated (Part Time/Full Time etc.) e. Candidate did not pass f. Complete Documents not shared & many others…

3. Employment Verification Employment verification includes verification of employment details for the organization existence, designation, role, tenure, reference from reporting manger and more. This ensures you have the right skills/experience for the role in question. Most common form of discrepancies observed during employment verification are- a. Incorrect tenure b. Incorrect designation/role c. Referee did not endorse d. Negative Feedback/Performance issues e. Complete Documents not shared & many others…

4. Reference Check Reference Check includes verification of candidate’s details with references and checking for performance, general reputation and relation with the referee. This ensures you have the right candidate with the desired character/attitude for the role in question. Most common form of discrepancies observed during reference check are- a. Referee did not respond b. Referee refused to verify c. Negative Feedback/Performance issues d. Insufficient information was provided by candidate & many others… Therefore, it is very crucial to identify a discrepant candidate for a high performing team and business success. Background screening companies with domain expertise and experience can help organisations uncover lies which one cannot imagine! Next time before you hire, ensure that you conduct a thorough background screening on your candidate!