Candidate Catfishing
In today’s job market, candidate catfishing has become a major issue. This article will cover what candidate catfishing entails and ways to combat this from happening during the recruitment process.
What Is Catfishing?
Catfishing is term often associated with dating. Catfishing refers to when a person takes information and images, typically from other individuals, and uses them to create a new identity for themselves. In some cases, a catfish steals another individual’s complete identity—including their image and date of birth, and pretends that it is their own.
Candidate Catfishing
Candidate catfishing is a growing concern in the recruitment and hiring process. Candidates can create false identities and profiles that make them appear to be more qualified than they actually are. This can be done through social media, email, or other online platforms. As a result, employers may hire the wrong person for the job or even worse, hire someone who has malicious intent. Fortunately, there are steps that employers can take to protect themselves from this type of fraud. By understanding how candidate catfishing works and implementing effective screening processes, employers can ensure they are hiring qualified candidates who accurately represent themselves.
How To Avoid Catfishing
In todays remote work environment, candidate catfishing has become more relevant. Fortunately, there are effective steps to combat this.
- Conduct Zoom or face-to-face screening.
- Speaking with someone face-to-face helps build a candidates credibility – ensuring they really are who they say they are. Verifying a candidates identity is a great way to avoid catfishing. It is never a good sign if a candidate refuses to have meetings or interactions without showing their face.
- Perform Background Checks
- Performing in-depth background checks if you suspect a candidate is catfishing can also be a good way to ensure they are who they say they are. Making sure their stories align and having a clean background can help remove the possibility of a catfish.
- Conduct In-Person Interviews
- Bringing a candidate in-person for an interview can also eliminate the fear of a candidate being a catfish. If a candidate refuses to go in-person it can hurt their credibility if you suspect they are lying in any way.
- Conduct Assessments
- Conducting skills assessments is a great way to make sure a candidate is not fabricating their resume and their skills align. If a candidate can effectively and successfully complete a skill assessment, it is a good sign they are not lying about their skills.
It is very important to be aware of this issue. If an employer has any hesitation about a candidate, following these steps and suggestions can help eliminate the risk of hiring a catfish. Reach out to Sudina Search for more information or if you have any other questions!
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