What is meant by employment verification?
How Does Employment Verification Work?
For any position, employment applications ask about work experience and work history. This information is either provided in an applicant’s resume or listed within the application. An employer should consider such information factual and accurate more often than not. However, many employers will verify the information contained in an application through various means. Employment verification is a common practice among most companies.
The Importance of Work History and Work Experience
Employers depend on a candidate’s work history and experience during the hiring process. Many candidates are hired specifically because they have experience in a given field. When someone lists experience and certifications on an application, employers often become excited about well-qualified candidates. If a given candidate doesn’t meet basic experience requirements, then they’re often disqualified from consideration immediately.
It’s a somewhat rare situation, but some applicants will exaggerate their past work experience to land a new position. Since this can happen for any position, employers regularly verify the information found in an application. Some or all a candidate’s work history will be verified for accuracy. An applicant found lying on their application will often be disqualified from working with that company moving forward.
How Do Employers Verify Work Experience and Work History?
Employment verification can occur in various manners. An employer, or a third-party company, often checks a candidate’s credit report. Typically, basic employment information is included in these reports. Employers can then contact the companies listed on a candidate’s application to verify every bit of information. It’s possible to verify positions held, start dates, end dates, salaries, and more.
When an applicant submits an application, they often agree to such verifications. An overwhelming majority of applicants won’t lie about their work history. Still, a small percentage of candidates will overstate their experience. An even smaller group may outright lie about work experience and history. Today’s employers cannot take any risks with their employment candidates, so employment verification is a necessary practice.