With competition in the job market reaching extreme levels, candidates try everything possible to land their dream job. Some candidates have no qualms about resorting to the falsification of various documents, including educational credentials. Yet, most employers run mandatory background checks to verify the education of job applicants. Some verify the authenticity and credibility of all the documents submitted during the interview, including academic history and various claims made in their resume.
Verification of educational background can help organizations separate genuine applicants from those who have resorted to unfair means to get selected. Background screening of candidates will also protect organizations from liability.
Are you doing an educational background check for the first time? Are you not familiar with the processes and the rules guiding such checks?
Educational Background Check – What It Is and How Is It Done
An education background check is a process of verifying the education claims of an applicant. It helps in ascertaining whether the candidate’s claim of having earned specific certificates and degrees at high schools and colleges.
What Shows Up in an Education Background Check
An educational background check can reveal
- Name of the degrees earned
- The year awarded
- The college/university they studied
There are no restrictions on employers for verifying the educational qualifications of employees. Likewise, they can go back as far as they need to access official records.
Also, Employers can go for verification of a candidate’s qualifications, regardless of when they have received the degrees and diplomas.
Some employers may request verification of information specific to the position they are hiring the candidate for. For instance, if an educational institution is hiring a teacher for higher education, they can verify the certificate/diploma/degree that qualifies the applicant to apply for that position.
Usually, an education background check is not done to verify licenses. If the employers need confirmation that a candidate has the credentials to work in a specific field, they can opt for background screening or professional screening.
How Do Employers Conduct Education Verification?
Not all employers perform education verifications. One of the most common reasons for not performing education verification is that employers think the process is too complicated. But that’s not true. In reality, education verification is a very simple
In reality, the process is quite simple. It involves collecting basic information from the applicant. It includes:
- The full name of the candidate
- The name of the institution from where the degree is obtained
- The dates of the course
- The title and field of their degree
- A signed authorization from the candidate
Most candidates are familiar with the hiring process if they have been in the job market for some time. They will be ready to give you this information.
Independent Verification through a Third-Party Service
So what is the next step in how employers verify education? Once you have obtained the information from the previous step, the next step is verification.
The best way to do this is to hire a third-party education verification service. They specialize in the verification of the credentials of applicants. They also take up the matter directly with the institutions. Hiring a third party for the process can save you time and effort. Their background screening is professionally done, and the results are always reliable.
Going Beyond Screening of Academic Achievements
Undoubtedly, as a reputed and responsible organization, you must verify the educational history of all applicants. However, there are other things also that you should worry about, such as the applicant’s
- Personal and family background
- Previous professional experience
- Credit history and others
Positive outcomes from such checks will ensure you hire employees with impeccable academic, professional, and personal credentials.
How Long Does It Take to Verify Education
Some organizations skip the verification process completely because they believe it is both hassling and time-consuming. That’s not true.
Some skip the verification step because they have to fill the job opening urgently and are unwilling to wait until the educational verification reports come in.
Skipping the vital education verification step is definitely not a good idea. Regardless of the urgency of hiring, it is well worth it to complete the verification process instead of discovering later that the candidate lied to you to land that crucial job. It will save you and the hiring department the pain and hassle of going through the long-drawn and expensive hiring process again.
It needs to be noted that running education background checks doesn’t take much time. You can expect the verification results within a few days unless you have procedures in place that drag out the process.
Conclusion
So, how do employers verify education? Background checks.
It is a fact that many candidates are not entirely honest when they share information about their educational qualifications. You might end up hiring dishonest persons by not verifying their degree credentials. By putting their claims through the verification process, you can be sure you have hired an honest person.
An education background check will not only ensure you have a candidate of good moral character but will also confirm they have the right qualifications to do the job. A candidate with the credentials to fill that post will justify your choice.
