Recent Grads Are Eager To Work, But Don’t Overlook Important Screens

The pandemic impacted students in different ways—here’s why verifying college degrees is a smart move

Perhaps more than any other generation, college graduates in the class of 2021—and through the next few years—are uniquely prepared for today’s hybrid and remote workforces. Attending school and graduating in a pandemic equipped them with valuable experiences and skills:

 

 

At the same time, students attending university during the pandemic faced challenges, too. They had fewer internship opportunities, fewer opportunities for part-time work due to COVID restrictions, and fewer opportunities for meaningful face-to-face mentor interactions.

Moreover, national trends showed declines in college enrollment and an increase in dropouts due to dissatisfaction with online coursework and financial hardship. Some students, unfortunately, may not have completed their degree altogether.

Recent grads are eager to work but feel the pandemic has set them back. Forty-five percent of the class of 2020 is still looking for work a year after graduating, according to a recent Monster.com career survey. Further, the same study shows 63% of college grads are concerned their resumes don’t accurately represent what they have to offer. With many job applications requiring three to five years of work experience, the reality is, some candidates may be tempted to pad their resume or list a degree they may not have earned in order to get a foot in the door.

Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for people to lie on their resume. One recent survey revealed as many as 78% of candidates lie on their resume. One of the most popular fabrications? Education experience, including:
 

While there’s not a lot of data that reveals how many candidates lie about a fake degree, research done by Get Educated found more than 2,000 LinkedIn members with phony degrees listed on their resumes. The most common reasons for intentional lying? Candidates want to increase their odds of securing a job or obtaining a higher salary.

Recruiting and onboarding new employees is an investment. Hiring candidates with false credentials drains your team’s time, money, and training resources. Further, unknowingly hiring an unqualified candidate increases the risk of an uncredentialed employee causing damage to the company’s reputation.

When conducting your employment screenings, it’s always a good idea to verify a candidate’s education by using a trusted source. Hiring teams can contact the educational institution directly; use the National Student Clearinghouse; or use a professional background screener that offers employment verifications as part of a pre-employment background check.

Additionally, for college graduates with little to no work experience, a professional reference check may be conducted with a mentor, advisor, or professor—someone who can provide insight into the candidate’s strengths, performance, characteristics (e.g., honesty, trustworthiness, adaptability, etc.), communication style, work ethic and more. As an added bonus, these references may provide a unique perspective on the candidate’s ability to complete projects successfully in a remote setting.

Verifying your candidate’s degree and taking an extra step to conduct references, even if they have no previous work experience, helps you make an informed hiring decision and sets your company up for success as you build a team you can trust.