With a new study showing that more than half of job applications have errors, businesses can find it hard to make informed decisions about candidates. We look at what you can do to spot these errors when you’re recruiting and make sure you’re choosing a qualified person for the role.

In the news, there are concerns about the risk of hacking this month, employers are told to prepare for Shared Parental Leave, and are workers in London really more productive?

Top news stories

Parents-to-be begin the countdown to Shared Parental Leave

It’s eight weeks until the legislation comes into place and expectant parents and employers have been advised to start conversations.

High risk of hacking for small businesses this month

Small companies are being warned of 'unprecedented levels of attempted fraud' at the present time.

56% of job applications contain errors

The annual Candidate Health Check showed an increasing number of mistakes in certain information, such as educational background and employment history.

Two-thirds of small firms fear interest rate rises

A report by Lloyds Bank showed that 67% of small businesses think rising interest rates would be a threat to their business.

London workers most productive in UK?

The Office for National Statistics has produced a regional breakdown of productivity.

Key dates for your diary

No important dates this week.

How to find the truth about candidates

Perhaps it comes as no surprise that job applications contain errors, but the level of incorrect information might be more widespread than you think. As over half of applications have errors, what can you do to find out the truth?

Check the data elsewhere

Picking up incorrect information early can save you a lot of time. Once you have a shortlist, you can look at other sources to confirm critical information.

Sites like LinkedIn can act as a double check - although the information may be incorrect on there too, it’s easier for others to pick it up, as it’s public.

Ask the right questions

If candidates get to interview stage, be sure to ask them about the important elements on their application. Rather than asking them to confirm details, get them to tell you about their past work or qualifications.

This can throw up some interesting information. Famously, Apprentice winner Lee McQueen was caught out in his interview when he was asked about his time at university. His CV claimed he had spent two years there, despite only attending for four months.

Lee said at the time, "I'm very ashamed about that. It lost me some of my integrity. I got a good grilling and I deserved it, and I learnt from my mistake. It won't happen again."

Set skill-based tasks

Another way of spotting errors on CVs is to ask candidates to complete job-related tasks. People with the right skills and experience should be able to complete them. Those who are bluffing may be caught out.

Ask for certificates

Many employers specify qualifications but few ever check the paperwork. Candidates should be able to produce degree certificates or proof of other qualifications, so do ask to see them if they are important for the role.

Take up references

The final stage should be to take up at least two references. As well as asking for details about skills and attitude, you can ask for confirmation about the work done and the amount of time they spent with that employer.

What to do if you find errors

This really depends on the severity of the error and how significantly it affects you. Minor issues with dates might be genuine mistakes rather than an attempt to embellish or mislead. Other errors may be more serious.

As Sir Alan showed, some companies can overlook these issues. For others, it’s a deal-breaker. Only you can decide where you draw the line.