Recruiters Are Talking About Questions Over Katie Zacharia’s Credentials—and How They Verify Candidates

Zacharia’s legal credentials

Zacharia has defended calling herself a lawyer. She said she failed the bar exam on her first attempt and did not take it again, and that people in the legal field told her she could use the title and offer legal analysis, but not legal advice.

Recruiters investigate inconsistencies

Corporate recruiter Martha Heller said questions about a candidate’s qualifications are routine. In one case, she described checking a candidate’s claims as “detective work,” saying the concern was that the person misrepresented his education and persisted when questioned—not that he lacked a college degree. Brian Fink, managing partner at The ReWork Group, said a candidate for a senior marketing position at a cybersecurity company was close to being hired last year when a background check failed to verify a past employer listed on his résumé and LinkedIn profile. Fink said he withdrew the offer, adding, “If you’re willing to lie about your education, what else are you willing to lie about?”

Checks often come late

Recruiters usually wait until a candidate reaches the finalist stage before conducting background checks because they take time and cost money. They may also delay contacting references to avoid alerting a candidate’s current employer that the person is seeking another job.

Some recruiters look earlier for warning signs by asking about gaps or inconsistencies in work histories. Doug Johnson, CEO of Valor Partners, said he asks candidates at the end of interviews whether anything potentially damaging might surface in a background or reference check.

Résumé inaccuracies reported

A June report from online résumé service Novorésumé found that 37% of Americans said they had included inaccurate information on their résumés. Nearly 7% said they had claimed a degree, certification, or other credential they did not have, while 6.1% reported listing a nonexistent or substantially fabricated job. The findings were based on a May survey of 2,000 US adults.