| While there are lots of public statistics about resume | | | | In the Asia Pacific region, education exaggeration is a |
| exaggeration in North America, the same statistics are | | | | bigger issue compared to North America. For our own |
| always lacking in the Asia Pacific region. Having | | | | statistics of a random sample for the past 3 years, |
| worked in the pre-employment background industry in | | | | 15% of the people screened have exaggerated their |
| both North America and Asia, I am often being asked | | | | education qualifications. The exaggerations include |
| the question for the difference in job candidate | | | | printing a fake degree of a well-known university, |
| behaviours in resume exaggeration for the two | | | | buying a fake degree from a fake university and |
| regions. | | | | claiming to have graduated from a prestige university |
| Similar to the North America region, resume | | | | but never went there or failed to graduate. |
| exaggeration is a serious issue in Asia Pacific. | | | | The serious education exaggeration issue happening in |
| According to our survey study with The University of | | | | Asia Pacific could be explained by the fact that many |
| Hong Kong, over 62% of survey respondents | | | | organizations in Asia Pacific view education claims or a |
| admitted that they have exaggerated on their resume | | | | degree program as a minimum requirement for many |
| such as their previous positions held, job responsibilities | | | | of their entry level positions. On the other hand, North |
| and years of experience. 33% admitted that they | | | | America employers would often value work |
| have exaggerated not only for a little but for a fair | | | | experience over education qualification. |
| amount to get their current job. In an interview with | | | | Many of the job candidates exaggerating their |
| some of the 33% group participants, they stated that | | | | education qualification know that HR department do |
| they believe resume exaggeration is a norm in the | | | | not do an education check up. HR department will not |
| marketplace and it is of their disadvantage not to act | | | | stay till very late to do overseas degree verification. |
| the same way. | | | | Thus, these job candidates are able to move form job |
| We have also interviewed over 20 HR directors in | | | | to job and company to company with a fake degree. |
| Asia Pacific with regional responsibilities. Their | | | | Therefore, it is very important for employers in Asia |
| expectation for the percentage of job candidate | | | | Pacific to implement a pre-employment background |
| exaggerating on resume varies from 20% to 60%. | | | | check policy to make sure all the information on |
| This means many already aware of resume | | | | resume is verified before joining the organization. |
| exaggeration happening in their recruitment process. | | | | |