How To Handle Discrepancies
On A Background Report

It is a  known fact that falsification of employment applications is at an all-time high.  ESS frequently finds that applicants have misrepresented or omitted information on their applications and resumes.  Naturally, these discrepancies raise a red flag about suitability for employment.  But how do you question the person about the findings?  The best way to do this is by asking open-ended questions in a non-threatening way.

For example, “Mr. Applicant, as you know, we use an outside company to verify the information on all job candidate’s applications.  During the course of their routine investigation they found an apparent discrepancy in the education section of your application. According to the registrars department at XYZ University, there is no record of you having received a B. A. degree. Why do you suppose that is?”

Another example, “... an apparent discrepancy in the employment section of your application.  According to the personnel department at Acme Co., you worked there from January of ‘98 to May of ‘99; not from January of ‘98 to February of ‘00 as stated on your resume.  Tell me about that.”

Another example, “... an apparent discrepancy in the employment section of your application.  According to Acme Co., your duties did not involve any managerial or supervisor responsibilities.  How would you explain that?”

There are two key factors to keep in mind when asking these types of questions.  Place the responsibility for having collected the information on the “outside company” (ESS).  You accomplish this by saying “during the course of their routine investigation they found ...”  This takes you out of any role as the perceived accuser.  You are merely reporting the facts the outside company uncovered.

The second key factor is to ask an open-ended rather than a closed-ended question.  A close-ended question is one that can be answered with a yes/no or either/or response.  “Is that true?” or “Was it one year or two years you worked there?” are closed-ended questions.  An open-ended question is a “why” or “how” or “what” type question.  It forces the applicant to expound on their reasoning.  An open-ended question takes the pressure off you and puts it on the applicant where it belongs.  The applicant may well have a plausible and acceptable explanation.  But make them come up with it.  Don’t let them off the hook by asking closed-ended questions.

Your decision to hire or not will then be based on how comfortable you are with the explanation given.  Or you may even decide to have ESS conduct further searches on the individual to validate their explanation.  In any event, you will be a lot closer to the truth and more confident in your decision.