This couldn’t happen, not in your organisation, could it?
Let’s just look at this headline again.
You are the lead HR representative on the interview panel and this is a highly paid managerial position that can have a major impact on the business, if the right person is employed. Conversely, they will have access to sensitive corporate data and authority to authorise budget spending in the hundreds of thousands if not millions.
You have read the CV and checked on the references and maybe, in this social media age, have checked out any Facebook, Twitter or other of the many accounts the applicant may have posted on. So, you have been professional, prepped and prepared.
85% of businesses surveyed (source – www.inc.com) found that candidates CV’s contained lies.
So okay, with some diligent questioning perhaps you will find out how genuine your candidates CC is, or maybe not. But hang on, you still have the references:
Let’s be completely honest with ourselves here, when you have applied for a vacancy who’s details did you give as referees. Was it the ex-boss who you didn’t gel with or identified your short comings or your friend who would supply a glowing account of your prowess?
So, both of the main sources of material you have studied to prepare for this interview have been devalued if you’re lucky and are no more than fiction, if you are not!
Are you really going to appoint a new employee when so little can be confirmed as the truth. How does that sit on your employer’s business risk assessment.
Introducing the Polygraph into the mainstream pre-employment protocol should be considered essential by any business that employs directly or indirectly any person who could have a major detrimental impact on your business. That impact can be caused by any member of staff dependant on their role and responsibilities.
The polygraph is widely used in many countries to test the honesty and integrity of potential employees and is mandatory in many, for the employment of Police Officers, Health Care Staff and Government employees. The pre-employment polygraph testing of all staff employed with financial authority, access to confidential data or vulnerable adults or children should be an integral part of the pre-employment and promotion process.
Helping your company safeguard not only your reputation and finances but also safeguarding your service user or client.
The process itself is quite straightforward. A meeting is held with the client company to agree the parameters and content of the questions to be asked of the candidate. The candidate will then complete a pre-examination questionnaire and assessment by a qualified polygraph examiner, who, will then conduct the polygraph examination and discuss the outcome with the candidate. Where necessary, addressing in a post-test interview, the reasons for any deception indicated.
Now, returning to the headline statement. No, of course he didn’t get the job, because no recruitment protocol is complete unless all reasonable steps are taken to mitigate all potential risks.
Are you that HR professional?
Is your protocol complete?