Brown, spongy and shriveled.

In the grocery store, it’s pretty easy to spot bad fruit.

But when it comes to screening candidates, things get a little trickier. From entry-level to C-level, unscrupulous job seekers are notorious for stretching the truth on their resumes. Some of the most common lies include:

• changing dates of employment, especially to cover up gaps;
• inflating salary history, in the hopes of getting a higher initial offer;
• exaggerating work responsibilities or job titles, to make themselves appear more qualified.

How bad is the problem? According to one survey, nearly six in 10 hiring managers (58%) said they’ve caught a lie on a resume – and that doesn’t include lies job seekers get away with! So, when your organization is hiring, beware: things are not always as they seem.

Here’s how to weed negative applicants before you make a job offer:

Compare each job application to its resume.

Look for inconsistencies in dates, job titles and other details.

Confirm degrees before scheduling interviews.

Believe it or not, the “diploma mill” business is a billion-dollar industry. When education is a key job requirement, verify degrees as part of your initial candidate screening process – so you’re not wasting time on unqualified candidates.

Listen more; talk less.

If you give them the opportunity, dishonest candidates will often trip themselves up in the interview and get tangled in their own web of lies. During your initial round of interviews, listen more than you talk. Ask open-ended questions to encourage interviewees to speak freely. Keep an ear out for conflicting information or other evidence that candidates are not what they’ve claimed to be on their resume.

Probe for clarification in the interview.

Make a list of anything on a candidate’s resume that’s unclear or seemingly contradictory, and then clear it up in the interview:

• Confirm the circumstances of every change of employment.
• Ask for proof of measurable results on their resume. For example, if a candidate claims to have increased productivity or profits by a certain percentage, find out if they can provide documentation to support it.
• Probe for details on supervisory or self-employed duties. It’s easy for a dishonest candidate to dream up fancy job titles and impressive-sounding responsibilities. Ask planned, pointed questions to determine if they really lived up to what they’ve claimed.

Complete all steps of your screening process before you extend an offer.

While you may be worried about losing a promising candidate, don’t enter a legal relationship with a job seeker until you have:

• assessed the candidate’s job skills with required testing;
• verified professional licenses and memberships;
• conducted a thorough reference and background check.

Need to find the best of the bunch? Start by choosing a great staffing partner.

While effective, all these recommendations for spotting resume lies require a substantial investment of time and resources. To get the honest candidates you want, without the headaches and hassles, trust Exact Staff’s team of recruiting experts.

With a national presence and a full complement of staffing and placement services, we can rapidly deliver exceptional talent to grow your core team. Enhance productivity. And seamlessly flex your workforce to match changing demands.

What can we do for you? Contact a staffing expert at your local Exact Staff office today.