It’s no secret that a person’s education is a key factor in determining career success.
But what many people don’t know is that you can actually find out a lot about someone’s educational history by doing a simple background check.
In fact, checking someone’s education history is one of the best ways to determine whether they are qualified for a position or not.
And according to a study conducted by ResumeBuilder.com, it was found that 44% of candidates lied about their educational background in their resumes.
As such confirming a person’s education becomes really important.
So, what is education history and how to find it? Read on to find out.
What Is Education History?
Education history is a record of a person’s educational experiences and accomplishments.
This can include things like where they went to school, what degrees they earned, and even their GPA.
Education history verifies a candidate’s credentials and can help you determine if they are truly qualified for a position.
By checking the candidate’s school, diploma, major, and graduation date, you can verify that they did, in fact, earn the degree they claim to have.
Additionally, education history can tell you a lot about a person’s work ethic and ability to handle academic rigor.
For example, if someone has a 4.0 GPA, you can be pretty sure that they’re a hard worker who is capable of handling challenging tasks.
Why Education History Check Shouldn’t be Overlooked?
Here are a few reasons to check education history in your hiring process background check.
Helps in Determining Competence
When hiring employees for your company, you want to be sure they’re competent and have the right education.
An education history check lets you validate applicants’ educational standards to identify individuals with the required certifications, diplomas, or degrees for your vacant positions.
Helps in Avoiding Costly Hiring Mistakes
Hiring the wrong person can be costly. In fact, a bad hire can cost your company up to 30% of that person’s first-year salary.
One way to avoid making a costly mistake is to check an applicant’s education history.
This way, you can be sure they’re telling the truth about their qualifications. And that they’re capable of doing the job you’re hiring them for.
Get A Better Sense of An Applicant’s Work Ethic
Education history can tell you a lot about an applicant’s work ethic.
For example, if an applicant has been frequently changing schools or majors, this could signify that they’re not good at sticking to things or completing tasks.
On the other hand, if an applicant has overcome adversity to get where they are today, this could be a sign that they’re resilient and have a strong work ethic.
Allows you To Determine Fair Compensation
Education qualification plays an important role in influencing the decision on compensation.
An employer may be willing to offer a generous package to a candidate who has graduated from a top school.
Also, an employer may be willing to pay a candidate more if they have an advanced degree and expertise in a certain field.
How To Check Education History Before Hiring?
While doing an education background check, several factors must be checked and confirmed.
Confirm The Candidates Roll Number And Name
This is essentially a type of identification verification. By comparing the candidate’s name and roll number to official institution records, you can tell whether the applicant actually attended the university being claimed.
Verify Course Information
This education checking parameter is important because it establishes a clear relationship between the applicant’s degree and the employment role being offered.
This includes generating a list of all the subjects the candidate has taken and determining their relevance to the job.
Calculate Years Since Graduation
This step is important to gauge the applicant’s work experience and see how it compares to other candidates.
It can also give you an idea of how much relevant work experience the applicant has.
Here are useful tips from Reddit users:
Verify Education of Applicants
by u/Spirited-Eye-2733 in humanresources
How Do Employers Perform Education Verification?
Many employers forgo education verification thinking that it must be difficult, but that’s not how it is. To perform education verification, here’s what you need:
- Candidates full name (as per their education document).
- Name and address of the college graduated or post-graduated from.
- Date of joining and ending.
- Field and title of degree.
- Authorized release document from the university.
How Using an Online Background Check Service Can Help?
There are a number of online background check services that can help you verify an applicant’s education history.
These services will do all the legwork for you, including contacting the schools, checking records, and confirming information.
This can save you a lot of time and energy, and it’s a much more efficient way to conduct background checks.
When choosing an online background check service, be sure to choose one that is reputable and has a good track record.
You should also make sure the service offers education verification as part of their standard package.
What Shows Up In An Employment Background Check?
How Long Does Education Verification Take?
Another reason why employers forgo education verification is that they think it would take too long for them to receive the report, but that is not the case at all.
The timing may vary depending on which option you go for. If you opt for a background check service, then you may obtain the report immediately or within 24-48 hours.
And if you do the education verification yourself by reaching out to the university, then again it will not take very long.
How To Spot a Fake Education Degree?
It might not always be easy to spot a fake education degree. But here are some tips that can help you identify some red flags:
- Check the Degree order: A person would progress in education and would obtain a degree in a particular order. So if an employee claims to own a bachelor’s degree without a high school diploma or GED, or if he/she claims to own a master’s degree without a bachelor’s one, then that is a big red flag.
- Check the time taken to earn the degree: If a candidate has obtained his/her degree too soon, then you should be alert. Generally, it takes 3-4 years to obtain a bachelor’s degree, 1-2 years for a master’s degree, and so on. So make sure you calculate the number of years carefully.
- Scorecard: If the candidate has shared their final mark sheet with you, then have a quick look at the score sheet. If the numbers obtained in each subject seem odd and feel like it doesn’t add up to the percentage shown in the report, then it’s a sign that the degree is false.
Final Thoughts
Hiring the right employees is pivotal for the success of your business.
An education background check is one way to ensure you’re making the best hiring decisions for your company.
By verifying an applicant’s education history, you can confirm their qualifications, get a better sense of their work ethic, and avoid making costly hiring mistakes.
People Also Ask for:
Why would an employer not perform education verification?
Some employers are not willing to perform education verification because they think it takes a lot of time and effort.
However, this is just a myth. You can obtain an education verification report in a matter of a few minutes if you run background checks using a background check service.
However, this would incur expenses but would save a lot of time and would allow you to hire the right candidate.
Can I do the education verification without using a background check service?
Yes, you can do the verification, and if you have received only a few applications and do not want to spend on background checks, then here’s how you can DIY education verification:
- Contact the education institute.
- Look for college websites and analyze them.
- Research for the institution.
- Go through the Alumni section on the college website for the relevant year. ( if available)
How far can an education background check go?
According to FCRA, the educational background of a person goes back across his entire life.
Shefali Jain is a Content Writer & Editor at USWorkforce.org
After completing her graduation in hospitality, Shefali decided to follow her passion and started writing. Shefali has been writing for two years now and contributes to our website as a skilled editor and content writer with strong research skills. Writing product and service reviews, biographies, and book reviews are some of her key areas, among many others in which she specializes. In her time at the organization, she has written and edited content on a range of topics, including employment law, human resources, and business management.
ARTICLE SOURCES
The US Workforce has a policy of producing high-quality content that follows industry standards by using primary sources, such as white papers and government data, alongside original reporting from reputable publishers. We also follow an editorial style where appropriate information about the topic can be found with due credit given when applicable.
- https://checkr.com/background-check/education-verification#:~:text=Verifying%20education%20history%20helps%20ensure,%2C%20local%2C%20or%20federal%20laws.[↩]
- https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-employers-verify-college-degrees#:~:text=Other%20applications%20can%20require%20you,screen%20their%20potential%20job%20candidates.[↩]
- https://www.goodhire.com/screening/education-verification/#:~:text=Education%20verification%20takes%20just%20a,records%20which%20may%20take%20longer.[↩]
- https://luminate.prospects.ac.uk/7-ways-to-spot-a-fake-degree-certificate[↩]