With over 1.1 billion members worldwide in 2025, LinkedIn has evolved far beyond its origins as a basic professional networking site. Today, it stands as a dynamic talent marketplace, offering a robust suite of sourcing tools, AI-driven matching algorithms, and advanced engagement channels. For hiring managers and talent acquisition professionals, true mastery of LinkedIn as a recruitment platform is no longer just about knowing how to use a platform. It is about strategically navigating and leveraging the most influential ecosystem for finding, engaging, and hiring top talent in the digital era. Here is how to use LinkedIn for recruitment effectively, with the latest best practices and features.

Build and Optimize Your Employer Brand

LinkedIn is a great platform for attracting top talent. High-quality candidates hand-select opportunities that align with their career goals. Therefore, to attract quality candidates and boost credibility, companies need to have an engaging company page that shares authentic content about the company culture. It should also clearly communicate flagship products, innovative projects, and share industry insights.

Define the Ideal Candidate Profile

Collaborate closely with internal HR staff, operational managers, and recruiters to define the specific skills, experience, and cultural attributes needed for each role.

You can also use LinkedIn’s data-driven insights to benchmark roles and identify the competencies that will drive success in your organization.

Use Advanced Search and AI Tools

LinkedIn has advanced search filters and Boolean operators to target candidates by title, skills, location, and more. AI-powered recommendations will surface candidates based on keywords as well as inferred relationships between skills and roles.

You will also be able to prioritize candidates with a higher likelihood of interest, as indicated by LinkedIn’s AI-driven engagement metrics. Sounds too good to be true? Metrics show it takes less than 5 minutes on average to find and engage with a qualified candidate on LinkedIn Recruiter. And when you have found candidates that you would like to engage, LinkedIn has AI-assisted messaging that will draft personalized outreach messages to increase response rates and save time.

Post and Promote Jobs Strategically

LinkedIn’s AI tools help craft compelling, keyword-rich job descriptions that maximize visibility and attract qualified applicants. Additionally, the platform makes it simple for candidates to apply, reducing friction and thus increasing application rates.

And if your application rates are lower than desired, you can engage sponsored job posts. Promoting job openings will reach a broader and more targeted audience.

Leverage Your Network and Employee Connections

Encourage employees to share job postings and refer candidates, creating warm introduction pathways that significantly outperform cold outreach. You can also engage with passive candidates by building relationships and keeping your talent pipeline active.

Analyze and Refine Your Recruitment Funnel

LinkedIn enables you to monitor conversion rates at every stage from profile views to replies, interviews, and hires. You can then use these insights to adapt your approach based on real-time analytics and feedback to optimize recruitment outcomes by refining targeting, messaging, and engagement strategies.

In Conclusion

By following these steps on how to use LinkedIn for recruitment, hiring managers can attract, engage, and hire top talent faster and more efficiently than ever before. The integration of AI, strategic networking, and continuous optimization makes LinkedIn the cornerstone of modern recruitment.

The post How to Use LinkedIn for Recruitment appeared first on craresources.

Do you believe that Fake CRA Applicants really exist?  If you are a hiring manager, I can guarantee more CRA candidates are lying to you than you realize. My goal is to provide Interviewers and Hiring Managers with a checklist of things to keep in mind when evaluating resumes. Please feel free to download this Checklist to Prequalify CRA Applicants!

When we first started noticing the trend of fraudulence, we identified that approximately 21% of our candidate pool had falsified all or part of their credentials. In 2023, my team estimated that over 40% of applicants who apply to our open positions are fraudulent. Today (December 2024)? We are seeing a 60% fraudulence rate.

I should note that I am speaking about true applicant fraudulence…not just the mere embellishment of qualifications. We classify CRA fraudulence as a CRA candidate who has completely falsified all or part of their credentials. This may include the falsification of their employment history, stating they have a degree they haven’t actually earned, or even providing fake references.

Tips on how to Identify Fake CRA Applicants’ Resumes

Career Builder published a survey showing that 75% of Hiring Managers have caught a candidate lying on a resume. This is almost a 20% increase from their previous report, which showed 58% of candidates had been caught lying.

Along those lines, the SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) published results from a survey that stated 85% of the 4,000 hiring managers surveyed uncovered a lie on a candidate’s resume or job application during the screening process.

Some of the trends we have identified are easy to spot…but others are more difficult to quantify. Here are some things to carefully consider when reviewing CRA candidate resumes and job applications.

My last thought…

As you review CRA resumes and job applications with the above checklist in hand, remember that you are looking for trends. There are a lot of gray areas and truthfully, honest CRAs can make some of these mistakes. For example, a lack of supporting digital footprint will not necessarily keep us from progressing a candidate but finding a fake company listed on their resume will.

Need help? Contact us – we are here to help!

The post Are your CRA Applicants Lying to You? – A Checklist appeared first on craresources.

Diploma mills have been in operation for decades. Just last December, a story reported that non-accredited Florida nursing schools sold 7,600 fake diplomas. Defendants linked to the Palm Beach School of Nursing participated in a scheme to sell phony academic credentials so that individuals could apply for a nursing license without completing required clinical instruction and coursework.

Another jarring story broke several years ago when CBS outed physicians holding fake degrees from Corllins University, a known diploma mill.

Imagine your mother or child being treated by someone who purchased an MD or nursing degree instead of earning it! 

The Trend of Fake Degrees

While the above reports are frightening, they represent an ongoing trend. Unfortunately, it is easy for individuals to represent they have a degree when they don’t. It is fast and relatively inexpensive for individuals to purchase a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate from diploma mills. Diploma mill applicants are not required to complete coursework, and while some diploma mills require the individual to complete a quick “life experience” survey, the only firm requirement to obtain a degree is to pay the fee. 

Havocscope is an online organization that monitors black market products and activities, and they report that selling fake diplomas as a ‘product’ is currently a 1 Billion dollar industry! They also state that bachelor’s and master’s diplomas can be purchased for around $500. And according to John Bear and former FBI agent Allen Ezel in “Degree Mills: The Billion-Dollar Industry that has Sold Over a Million Fake Diplomas”, it is estimated that more than 50% of individuals claiming to have earned a PhD purchased a fake degree from a diploma mill.

The most frightening aspect of someone falsifying their education is that a 3rd Party Background check may not identify degrees from Diploma Mills. 

What are Diploma Mills?

Diploma Mills operate without supervision from a state or authoritative agency, therefore they do not meet educational standards. Some of these institutions will claim accreditation from non-recognized agencies to make them appear valid. However, don’t let an ‘accreditation’ fool you as there are hundreds of fake accreditation agencies, which makes it more difficult to tell which educational institutions are real.  

Get Educated is currently tracking more than 300 active diploma mills. The FBI established a dynamic Wikipedia site that tracks over 400 Diploma Mills with another 300+ websites offering counterfeit diplomas.

Many diploma mills look authentic because most of them have a professional-looking website. They also have staff who answer phones and verify the Job Seeker “earned” the degree listed on his/her resume, making it virtually impossible for a 3rd Party Background check to identify the degree is fake. Some of these diploma mills even have online databases where you can enter the Job Seeker’s name and instantly “validate” the degree purchased.

How Do You Spot A Fraudulent School Or Degree?

Accreditation is important. 

Valid educational institutions should have proper accreditation. For example, in the US, when a job description requires a degree, the unspoken requirement is that you have obtained a degree from an accredited university.  

Said differently, a bachelor’s from a non-accredited university (or a university accredited by a fake accreditation agency) will not qualify you for a position that requires a bachelor’s degree. In the US, most often the accreditation expected will be from a regional agency. The six regional accreditation boards in the US are:

• • MSA – Middle States Association of Colleges & Schools
  • NASC – Northwest Commission on Colleges & Universities
  • NCA – North Central Association of Colleges & Schools
  • NEASC – New England Association of Schools & Colleges
  • SACS – Southern Association of Colleges & Schools
  • WASC – Western Association of Schools & Colleges

You may also see educational institutions with national accreditation, but these aren’t viewed to be as rigorous as the regional accreditation agencies. The three most common national accreditation agencies are: 

• • Distance Education & Training Council (DETC)
  • Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges & Schools (ACICS)
  • Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)

There are also specialty accreditation agencies for theology training programs and careers governed by state licensing boards. 

While it is good advice to be familiar with the types of accreditations available, the easiest way to tell if a US-based educational institution is accredited is to contact the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the US Department of Education (USDE). We use the US Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP) to validate someone’s US Degree.

Confirm the educational institution offers the degree. 

Once you confirm the school is accredited by a valid accreditation agency, verify that the degree is offered by the institution. For example, a CRA candidate listed a Bachelor’s in Chemistry from a small school I hadn’t heard of. After confirming the school was accredited on the DAPIP site, a quick phone call confirmed the school doesn’t offer a Bachelor’s in Chemistry. 

Demand Clarity

The Government Accountability Office reports that their: “ability to identify degrees from unaccredited schools is limited by several factors. First, diploma mills frequently use names similar to those used by accredited schools, which often allows the diploma mills to be mistaken for accredited schools. For example, Hamilton University of Evanston, Wyoming, which is not accredited by an accrediting body recognized by ED, has a name similar to Hamilton College, a fully accredited school in Clinton, New York. Moreover, federal agencies told us that employee records may contain incomplete or misspelled school names without addresses. Thus, an employee’s records may reflect a bachelor’s degree from Hamilton, but the records do not indicate whether the degree is from Hamilton University, the unaccredited school, or Hamilton College, the accredited institution.”

Always ask for additional information when a candidate lists an institution that has a similar name to others. For example, there are over twenty valid institutions with ‘Cambridge’ in the name, but according to the FBI’s listing of Diploma Mills, there are three that are known to be fraudulent. 

You also want to demand clarity when a candidate lists an educational institution but no degree, a degree without a year of graduation, or a degree without a specific area of study. Examples include:

• • Faber College; 1989 – 1992 (what degree?)
  • Faber College, BS Chemistry (what year?)
  • Faber College, Bachelors of Science; 1992 (BS in what?)

Other things to watch for:

Always compare degrees listed on the Job Seeker’s Social Media profiles to what they have stated on their resumes. You should also compare older resumes to newer ones. We often see where the candidate will change their degree in order to appear more competitive. 

International degrees can be tricky. Unfortunately, no single authority oversees the recognition of foreign degrees in the US. And while we have several clients who accept foreign degrees, we have just as many who don’t.

While I would NOT recommend you refuse candidates based on the origin of their degrees, I do advise that you be extra diligent when validating degrees obtained in other countries. 

Resources to Help Identify Diploma Mills

The key is to know what to look for and what questions to ask to validate the Job Seeker’s education. Here is a listing of the resources referred to in this article: 

• • US Department of Education – Diploma Mills and Accreditation Resources and Publications. 
  • The US Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP)
  • Wikipedia’s list of unaccredited institutions of higher education.
  • Get Educated’s current list of active diploma mills.
  • Wikipedia’s list of unrecognized higher education accreditation organizations.

Quick Note About Certifications

Many clients and candidates ask about certifications. I am a fan. But be careful because there are many fake organizations offering certifications. I ran across one the other day that was charging three times as much as an industry-known certification from the ACRP, SOCRA, or IAOCR…and they didn’t even define the CRA role correctly. 

It is smart to obtain an industry certification or accreditation but stick with reputable organizations. 

Need Help?

Reach out to craresources. We are happy to help where we can!

The post The Rise of Diploma Mills and Fake Degrees appeared first on craresources.

As we continue the discussion on how to identify fake job applicants and applicants representing a fake background, I am constantly asked, “But why not just call and verify past employment?” Seems like a reasonable question, doesn’t it?

Many Clinical Operations Managers who are aware of the candidate fraudulence epidemic feel they are protected because their company does background checks. I agree that you should do background checks. But conducting background checks and employment verifications isn’t always going to protect you from candidates who present a fake background or job history. 

Here’s why…

The Existence of Non-Existent Fake Companies

Never assume the companies listed on candidate resumes are real businesses. And be aware that these ‘fake companies’ have folks who will answer the phone and “verify” employment. We first noticed this trend in 2010 when candidates from certain “companies” consistently failed our competency assessments. As we dug deeper, we realized the companies didn’t exist and that the candidates were fake job applicants who were using these bogus companies to represent monitoring experience they didn’t have.

To date, we have identified 47 of these phony companies…with an additional 119 classified as highly suspicious. The trend of candidates using fake companies on their resumes is one of the most elusive and alarming trends we have seen.  

Why?

Because it is sometimes hard to identify that a company is fake (which is why we have so many categorized as highly suspicious). These shell companies have websites, and the individuals who establish these counterfeit companies trick Google into assigning locations to them. Business Insider first reported on this issue in 2015, not only confirming what we were already seeing in our industry but also blowing the whistle on an organization that admits to creating hundreds of phony companies.  

And don’t underestimate how committed these fraudsters are. Not only do they have staff members who answer phones to “verify” employment, but for an additional fee, they will provide positive references from “past supervisors”.

How to determine if a company is real:

It is easier to confirm that a company is real than it is to prove it is fake. However, there are specific steps you can follow that will provide insight into a company’s validity.  

Check State Registrars.

As a rule, if you have never heard of a company, you should search for its registration. If a company has legitimately been organized, it will be listed on the appropriate state’s registry. However, realize that companies do not always have to register their business where the business resides. For example, our company’s headquarters is in Florida, therefore, our business is registered with the state of Florida and can be found on Florida’s Division of Corporations site. But we were once registered in Georgia and would also be qualified to register in the state of Delaware. 

So, while you want to start with the state where the company’s headquarters is located, you may have to broaden your search if you want to rule out fraud. 

This brings us to Manta and OpenCorporates.

If searching the Secretary of State or Divisions of Corporation site for the state where the company resides doesn’t yield results, consider using the Manta Business Directory. Manta scrapes each state’s corporation database and also allows companies to register with them directly. While not as reliable as the Secretary of State listings, it can be a good resource if you are unsure which state a company may be registered with.

One of my personal favorites is to use OpenCorporates.  Their database consists of filed corporations across the globe and is extremely accurate. However, if you use this resource often, you will be required to pay a membership fee. But if you hire CRAs, the fee is worth it. 

What isn’t likely to be found:

Fictitious Names and Trade Names can be difficult to trace. For example, while you can easily find our corporation name on our state’s corporation site, you won’t be able to find our trade name. This means that while trade names are required to be registered, they aren’t easily searchable like corporation names are. Much like single-member LLCs, they can be difficult to track down and even more difficult to prove as fraudulent. 

What happens if you can’t verify that the company is real?

If you are unable to verify the legitimacy of a company through a corporation search, you can certainly research its online activity. 

Start with a LinkedIn presence. While not all valid companies have LinkedIn, if the company does have a LinkedIn presence, you will be able to gain insight into its validity. Start by assessing how fleshed out the company’s profile is. Then, take a look at the individuals who are connected to it, along with their titles, etc. You should know that anyone can build a fake LinkedIn company page and have many people connect to it, but real people will be posting as well as sharing information about company milestones. LinkedIn companies also include an Insights tab that will show a history of employees connected to it.   

If the company is a sponsor claiming to conduct trials in the US, you can also check out clinicaltrials.gov. Just be aware that not all studies are required to be on this government site. You can also search for press releases, and check out other resources such as Crunchbase. 

We also keep a history of companies we can’t verify (note the 119 companies I referred to as ‘suspicious’ at the beginning of this section).  Let’s just say that trends will start to reveal themselves if you just track history. 

Even if the Company is Real, Be Diligent in Background and Reference Checks

I am finding more and more companies failing to conduct thorough reference and background checks. And here’s the problem…often, the operations managers don’t know these important steps are being skipped or side-stepped. 

If you are an operations manager, find out what the background and reference check processes are.  We provide some important items to consider in a different article, but here are a few important things to confirm.  

See if there is a financial threshold for background checks. 

I just spoke with someone last week who told me their HR would only pay for a ‘first level’ employment verification. Some of our larger industry CROs and Sponsors require a verbal employment verification, and background check companies will charge extra for that extra step. 

In this particular instance, my friend told me that she had gut churns when interviewing the candidate and was counting on the employment verification to either confirm or deny her suspicions. She didn’t know human resources wouldn’t conduct an employment verification if it required an extra charge. Unfortunately, sidestepping this employment verification resulted in a bad hire. She later found out that the individual had never worked with the large CRO represented on his resume.  

Being thorough in the background check would have avoided the situation.  

Find out if there is a limit to how much your company will spend on any aspect of the background check. Keep in mind that a thorough background check goes well beyond a criminal history and employment verification analysis. If there is a threshold set for any portion of the background check, either obtain permission to exceed that threshold or speak to your leadership about alternative methods of obtaining a thorough result. 

Always do both. 

Companies will often skip reference checks, but as noted above, background checks aren’t always effective. Because of our experience with fake job applicants, we actually put more stock in reference checks if done properly.

Especially when it comes to confirming the experience of contractors. Just know that background checks aren’t going to be effective in some instances, and reference checks aren’t effective in others. Do both, and you will increase your chances of confirming the candidate’s qualifications. 

Reference checks should always be verbal. 

Why? For two reasons. First, references can be easily falsified. Fake job applicants will go to great lengths to represent someone as a past clinical operations manager when they are really a sister, a wife, a friend, a colleague, or someone from their ‘fake company’ arrangement. 

Business emails can be spoofed, so even if the candidate is using an email from a well-known company domain, don’t assume it is valid. Create a reference template that includes open-ended questions that cover hard and soft skills. Then, verbally speak to each reference. Verify the candidate’s title, the dates they worked together, and the company where they worked together. Then, dig into the reference questions. Be sure to listen with your ears and with your gut. Pay attention to what they are saying as well as their pauses while also tuning into energy shifts. If you are ‘using your gut’ during these calls, you will be able to feel it if something is amiss.

This brings me to the second reason why you want to check references verbally. People are more likely to be forthcoming with the truth when in a verbal discussion versus responding to a questionnaire through email. When you ask a direct question, honest people will want to answer it. They may still pause, but they will still be more honest with their answers.  

Was the Company in Operation when the Candidate ‘Worked’ there?

I just had an applicant whose resume showed she was employed by a company two years before it was formed. We also consistently see folks state they worked for a company after it was no longer in business. Always make sure the candidate’s employment dates align with when the companies were active so that you can catch fake job applicants who claim they worked for a company before or after the company existed.

We have also seen a strong trend where candidates list multiple companies on their resumes that did exist but have been acquired or gone out of business. This act alone doesn’t necessarily mean fraudulence, but digging deeper to verify employment can be a challenge. And in some instances, impossible. 

In Conclusion

You are probably thinking that being thorough with background checks (especially employment verification) and references is a lot of work.

It is.

We analyze every candidate who crosses our threshold using the above steps. Every time. Being thorough in our approach is how we have been able to identify that approximately 60% of the candidates applying to our open positions are fake job applicants. This qualification process is time-consuming and can be overwhelming. But it is important because our practice of being thorough has enabled us to build history on candidates and identify fake companies. 

It takes time to identify those candidates who are valid. And while it isn’t always possible to prove that a candidate is fake (until it is too late), knowing who is ‘real’ and truly qualified is extremely important.

Make sure you and your leadership team are diligent because fake job applicants can pass a background check. If you see something that seems off and would like our advice, just let us know. We are here to help! 

The post Fake Job Applicants Can Pass a Background Check appeared first on craresources.

I recently answered a blog post from a CRA who wondered if she should become ACRP vs SOCRA certified. Her ultimate question was whether she should become certified at all.  It made me think of this story…

Our house’s main electrical panel box had suffered significant damage during the hurricane; I realized it was extremely dangerous. Not only did it need to be completely replaced but I knew we were on borrowed time…I felt my house was going to burst into flames at any moment.

We immediately contacted a certified electrician to arrange replacement of the service panel.

It never occurred to me to hire anyone but a certified electrician to do this work. After all, since the safety of my family is a priority, I felt that hiring someone who has demonstrated experience in the industry, knows state codes and regulations and takes safety seriously was a “no brainer”.

So it made me think…regardless of ACRP vs SOCRA, why do we rarely require our CRAs to be certified? Our firm supports several dozen sponsors and very rarely do these Hiring Managers require industry certifications such as the Association of Clinical Research Professionals’ Certified Clinical Research Associate (CCRA) or the Society of Clinical Research Associates’ Certified Clinical Research Professionals (CCRP).

Here are 5 reasons I believe you should consider hiring CRAs who hold industry certification:

You can easily validate someone’s certification

We have identified a frightening trend of individuals falsifying their education (our article on Identifying Fake CRAs by their Education will provide details on how to protect yourself). Certifications from reputable organizations such as ACRP and SOCRA are easily validated…meaning these certifications cannot be easily faked!

Proven Clinical Research knowledge and experience

To sit for a SOCRA or ACRP Certification exam, individuals have to be able to prove they have fully dedicated, recent experience as a Clinical Research Professional. This means that any professional you hire with an ACRP or SOCRA certification has hands-on working experience, thereby giving you confidence in that certified professional’s base knowledge.

Applied knowledge of Regulatory and GCP/ICH Guidelines

When you hire someone who is certified, you can feel confident that the individual has an internationally-accepted knowledge of the industry.

Better chance of “doing it right the first time”

ACRP has conducted an analysis which proves certification is linked to fewer protocol deviations as well as more favorable outcomes from regulatory audits.

Certified professionals are typically more committed to quality results

By hiring a certified professional, you are hiring someone who has invested in their career and therefore proven they have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to safely and ethically perform clinical research.

Just as it seemed to be a “no brainer” when it came to hiring a certified electrician to protect my family’s safety, in an industry where patient safety is paramount, I strongly encourage Hiring Managers to consider hiring more certified professionals. After all, ensuring patient safety, quality of data and regulatory compliance are the core principles of ethical, responsible clinical research.

But which to choose: ACRP vs SOCRA?

Is one industry certification better than the other? 

Both the ACRP and SOCRA certifications have a few similarities. Applicants must meet specific eligibility requirements in terms of hours of professional experience. This ensures they have the technical skills to perform well on the test. SOCRA, as an example, requires at least two years of experience as a full-time clinical research professional, having gained this experience within the last five years.

Availability of the certification programs

The exams for ACRP and SOCRA certifications are available worldwide, meaning that candidates can receive their license from any corner of the world. However, both ACRP and SOCRA certifications require CRAs to engage in continuing education to maintain those credentials. This ensures the continuing competence of each certificate grantee, prompting them to uphold the professional standard expected in clinical research. 

Continually changing industry

Additionally, ACRP and SOCRA are constantly reviewing and updating their certification programs, meaning there is always new information to learn. And when CRAs stay abreast of new regulations, standards, and trends as a condition of their certification, the whole clinical research industry benefits. Informed and accredited CRAs are good CRAs, and ACRP and SOCRA help maintain high standards within the industry. 

craresources’ vote regarding ACRP vs SOCRA

However, in further digging into the ACRP vs SOCRA discussion, ACRP has a leg up on SOCRA in a few areas. While ACRP is open to members and non-members, SOCRA is more restrictive. Even though SOCRA limits who can enter their certification program, the results are not always stellar. ACRP is renowned for its targeted approach to instruction, ensuring that information is specific to job roles. This means that ACRP’s accredited CRAs are better able to perform their unique roles, and this expertise has been linked to more favorable outcomes from regulatory audits.

ACRP certifications have also been linked to fewer protocol deviations, suggesting that ACRP’s accredited CRAs better know the process. This knowledge and accuracy are essential because if a CRA deviates from the protocol, it can compromise the whole clinical trial, risk patient safety, and cost the sponsor a lot of resources in terms of time and money.

In conclusion

So, just as it seemed to be a “no brainer” when it came to hiring a certified electrician to protect my family’s safety, in an industry where patient safety is paramount, I strongly encourage Hiring Managers to consider hiring more certified professionals as ensuring patient safety, quality of data and regulatory compliance are the core principles of ethical, responsible clinical research. Whether you choose a CRA with an ACRP or SOCRA certification, an accredited clinical research associate will be better equipped to handle the job. With a more extensive knowledge of industry standards and regulations, accredited CRAs are more likely to help your study rather than harm it.  

One last thought…outside of the ACRP vs SOCRA discussion

Are there other educational or certification programs worth exploring?  There are many institutions offering clinical research graduate certificate programs; are they worth a consideration?

I won’t go on record to state that clinical research graduate certificates aren’t as valid as the ACRP and SOCRA credentials. What I will state is that a graduate certification in clinical research is simply evidence of education. Meaning, in no way does a clinical research graduate certificate confirm work experience.   

Our firm focuses on the CRA’s competency and we have found that CRAs with either ACRP or SOCRA certification are more likely to have stronger capabilities in terms of execution. To learn more about our commitment to CRAs, check out our website.

If you are looking for your next position, be sure to browse our job listings, which our team diligently updates.

The post Why You Should Consider Hiring Industry-Certified CRAs appeared first on craresources.

“Would you like to see the results of this candidate’s reference check?” I asked.  “We don’t do reference checks”, she said. 

I was floored… 

I had been speaking with the Director of Clinical Operations for a mid-sized Sponsor who had been struggling with extremely high attrition rates.  Wanting to analyze their hiring process, the company had engaged me to help understand the root cause of their attrition. 

So I asked: Don’t you believe conducting candidate reference checks will give you an idea of the ‘real’ person you are hiring? Or at a minimum, confirm the insights you have already gleaned from the hiring process up to that point?

Busting Reference Check Myths

Like many of our clients, she believed the references provided by the candidate would always be glowing, therefore candidate reference checks were a waste of time. However, in a properly structured reference check process, you will find this is not the case.  

According to a recent Robert Half survey, US based Senior Managers reported eliminating roughly 34% of job candidates from consideration due to the candidate reference check.   We see similar statistics so can confidently state that conducting reference checks is a critically important step in your hiring process when done correctly. The key to success is in the reference check process itself. Here are some common mistakes we see many companies make when it comes to candidate reference checking.  

Mistake 1: Not Conducting the Reference Check 

As important as the reference results, the way the candidate executes the reference check process is a key indicator to the quality and character of the candidate. If you don’t conduct reference checks, you may miss out on important insights such as:

• Did the candidate return the references?  We often see where candidates are unable or unwilling to round up references…and while a single instance of not returning references may not be a flag, a trend might be. 
• How long did it take for the candidate to return references? While you want to consider delays in the whole scheme of the hiring process, do consider that a delay in returning references may indicate an underlying issue.
• Did the candidate provide the bare minimum or less than requested? We ask for 2-3 recent supervisors and 2-3 recent site references, but often we only receive one of each. There seems to be a bit of rebellion in this act; especially if the candidate doesn’t explain why they aren’t complying with our request. This behavior could give you insight to how they will handle your or the sites’ requests in the future.    
• Alternatively, did the candidate go over the top in providing references?  I haven’t seen it often, but have seen where a candidate will return many more references than requested. Depending on how ‘over the top’ the candidate is, this may be a flag as perfectionism or the desire to overcompensate could point to an underlying blocker for the candidate. And this behavior could translate to the candidate going over the top in the role. And I should note that while many feel perfectionism or overcompensation isn’t a bad thing, my experience is that perfectionists take longer to perform tasks and this translates into billable hours which will impact your budget. Ultimately, the real flag is whether all of the references actually respond.  Which brings me to the next point…
• Doesn’t it raise a flag to you if a candidate lists 3 references and none of these individuals return your emails and phone calls?  Or 6 references and only one responds? 
• Or alternatively, if the references provided give bad reviews, not only does the candidate need a reality check on how good they are at their job, but they are also seriously lacking the ability to self-assess. 

Who better to tell you about that candidate than people who have worked with them in the past?  Reference checks can be extremely powerful if conducted correctly. But be sure to only accept relevant references.  

Mistake 2: Accepting the Wrong Reference Types

About a year ago, I was interviewing a back-office candidate and really liked her. We discussed a potential start date and I told her about our reference check process.  I asked her to provide three supervisors total and explained that I wanted at least one supervisor from each of her last two positions. She confirmed understanding and told me providing references would be no problem. 

When she turned her references in, however, she skipped her most recent supervisor with a simple statement of “I can’t provide a reference from this employer…but don’t worry, it isn’t a bad thing.”

Hmmm…

Part of an effective reference check process is to evaluate whether the candidate can follow instructions. Not only did this candidate fail in this regard, but she didn’t offer a reasonable explanation as to why she was deviating from my request.  In other words, had she just explained why she couldn’t provide the requested reference, I may have been okay to move forward with her candidacy. As it turned out, I rejected her candidacy as her references weren’t what I asked for.  

When you are defining your reference check process, be clear as to the type of references you require. You will want to define the ideal references’ roles as well as how long ago the individual worked with the candidate. 

• Use a form for the candidate to complete. Ask for at least one email address, one phone number, the name of the company where the reference and candidate worked together, and the dates they worked together.  Having this information is extremely important when it comes to contacting the reference as well as during the fraud detection step.  
• The most enlightening candidate references will come from recent supervisors.  If the candidate is a consultant they may not have a direct supervisor on the project.  In this case, ask the candidate to supply references from individuals who provided any type of work direction to them. Be sure to clearly state that you want those references from their most recently completed project. 
• If you are considering someone who will be in a leadership or management role, ask for two or three recent direct reports in addition to the supervisor references. Along those lines, when vetting Clinical Research Associates, ask for site references as those individuals are well positioned to discuss the CRA’s responsiveness and knowledge at the site level.  

We recommend you reject references from colleagues, friends, spouses, aunts, mothers, pastors, and other non-professional connections. Personal ‘character’ references such as these are not likely to provide a clear picture of that candidate’s previous work performance.  

Mistake 3: Delegating the Reference Check Process to a Third Party

You know your company. You know your needs. And hopefully, you know the desired characteristics of the ideal candidate.  Therefore, make sure the individuals conducting your reference checks have the same knowledge. Translation: do not outsource your reference check process to an unaffiliated third party resource. 

I receive several reference requests a week from third party companies. They are always via email and the questions are simple and benign such as asking if I feel the candidate is honest and how I would rate their communication skills.

These are two very important questions…but enabling an unaffiliated third party organization to ask these questions via email will not result in the detail you need to make an effective hiring decision.  

• Make sure you or someone from your hiring team conducts the references.
• Use a standard template with open ended questions to interview each reference verbally.
• Train the individual(s) taking the references on when and how to dig, when and how to use the ‘awkward silence’ to solicit more detail, and how to keep questions open in order to solicit more information. 
• Additionally, train the individual taking the references on what is illegal to ask. 

We can help with these training sessions! 

Mistake 4: Not Conducting Fraud Detection on the References Provided

You hear us often talk about fraudulence, and while we certainly conduct a digital footprint analysis and fraud detection on all of our candidates, we do the same on the references provided.  

While there are obvious black/white situations that point to fraud, there are also a lot of gray areas to consider which may point to a bigger problem.  

• Are the emails provided personal or work emails? An occasional personal email may not be concerning, but when all of the provided references have personal accounts, that should be considered a flag.
• When you conduct a Google search or Reverse Phone Number look-up on the telephone numbers provided, does the resulting information align with the information given by the candidate? 
• Are you able to find a digital footprint on the references? 
• If a digital footprint does exist, does that digital footprint align with what the information provided by the candidate?  Meaning, is it clear they worked together in the roles stated, during the dates stated?
• When you speak to the references, do they confirm all that you have been told by the candidate or learned from your digital footprint analysis?

Rather than asking colleagues, friends or family members to provide false references, there are also companies that will provide references for a fee.  A good example of this is a company called Paladin Deception Services which provides verifiable yet fictitious job references. I don’t want to link to this company from here, but a quick Google search will show how rampant this practice is.

When assessing the validity of candidate references, you want to look at the entire picture. We recently had an individual provide a site reference that had zero digital footprint. The email address was a personal email and when we searched the telephone number provided, it was actually for another individual (same first name, different last). We did find a digital footprint for that name…it was the candidate’s sister (yep).

Mistake 5: Not Leveraging the Candidate’s Qualification Responses

Make sure you review the behavior pattern as well as the responses to the candidate’s interview or assessment prior to your discussion with his or her references.  

For example, we always ask our candidates why they left their last several assignments.  We then ask the same question of their references to confirm the reasons align.  

If the candidate has been slow to return information (such as references), ask the reference if the candidate had to be chased for deliverables. If the candidate either missed or has been late to interviews, ask about the candidate’s punctuality and attendance. 

Mistake 6: Not Asking Detailed Questions of the Candidate’s References 

Avoid only asking generic questions about a candidate. Dig deep to discover their work ethic, how they build relationships, their key accomplishments, their strengths and weaknesses. For example, how did the candidate handle conflict? What operational processes did the candidate implement or improve? What were the endpoints of that extremely complicated project they stated they worked on? What were the candidate’s metrics in terms of meeting deadlines? How would you describe the quality of the candidate’s deliverables? 

Then ask follow-up questions. If a reference describes the candidate as an excellent team member, ask what she did in particular that made her excel as a team player. If at any point during the candidate reference check call, a reference states something that doesn’t align with the candidate’s resume or what the candidate has stated during the qualification process, be wary. Be sure to clarify with the reference to ensure you haven’t misunderstood, and if there are no other flags with the candidate’s credentials, you may also want to give the candidate a chance to explain. 

Mistake 7: Not Appropriately Using the Reference Information 

References are invaluable to predict how a candidate will perform in their future position; however, make sure you are considering the references received as only one part of the overall qualification process.  Immediately accepting someone because their references are glowing may be a mistake as honest references share both strengths and weaknesses. Alternatively, immediately rejecting someone because of a single bad reference may also be a mistake as the candidate may have other more important qualities which align to your needs. 

If you need assistance in your reference checking process, let us know and we will be glad to help!

The post 7 Big Reference Check Mistakes appeared first on craresources.

One of the clients we work with has a very tough qualification process.  I appreciate their effort…after all, we have a tough process too.  With that being said, even with their extra diligence, this particular client has still been plagued by fraudulent candidates due to interview fraud.  Although the hiring team is strenuous when it comes to vetting their potential CRAs, the number of Fake CRA candidates who slip through is jarring.  

The Problem

A few years ago our firm started broadcasting what we were seeing in terms of the breadth and depth of candidate fraudulence in the clinical research industry. Our study of fake CRAs and applicant fraudulence has continued, and we felt it may be time to update some of the tricks and trends we are currently seeing when it comes to spotting fraudulence during the interview process. 

One of the primary challenges I receive when discussing the rising concern of fake CRAs and applicant fraudulence is “Can’t you tell a candidate has falsified their credentials when you interview them?”

The answer will frighten you.

The Age of the Proxy Interview

A proxy interview is where another person besides the actual candidate sits in on the interview or takes a technical test or assessment. In many cases, the fraud will go unchecked until the actual candidate shows up for work on day one. Face-to-face interviews used to be the ‘go-to’ for confident hiring, with video chat platforms such as Zoom, Skype and Teams a close second. However, the post-COVID era has forever changed the hiring process, causing a dramatic rise of video interviewing. Some studies show video interviews have spiked by 67%, leaving a significant opening for a relational growth of interview fraud. 

The growing trend of “interviewers for hire” has become so large that it has developed into a new market. Proxy interview agencies are popping up across the globe, advertising services whereby the interviewee doesn’t have to…well, interview. These services offer experts for hire who will take the original candidate’s place in order to pass the competency and behavior interview questions as well as take tests and/or assessments. In addition, these agencies often offer fake documents (read fake resumes), fake references, and fake employment verifications. 

Business Insider recently published an article stating that some professional proxies charge up to $150 per hour to commit this type of interview fraud. While the reasons for hiring a proxy may vary, the top reason we see is that the original candidate just isn’t qualified. In this age of the proxy interview, Interviewing applicants with confidence has never been more difficult.

The Open-Book Test…

Another common way to fraud interviews is for the underqualified or fake CRA to have peers, friends, or family members in the room with them in order for their partner-in-crime to feed them answers via a chat window or some other type of white-board method. This procedure can also be performed via a headset, whereby the proxy interviewer listens in on the interview and feeds the answers to the actual candidate.

Having cheat-sheets and answers to common CRA interview questions readily available is also easy, enabling the candidate to sound more knowledgeable than they actually are.

The Impact of Interview Fraud

It goes without saying that the risk to the hiring company is severe.  In our industry, hiring underqualified or fake CRAs will not only put the clinical study at risk, but patient safety in jeopardy as well. 

The impact to the candidate can also be severe. In our digital world, finding information about someone is becoming easier, and more data is collected on every person every day. The more your digital footprint grows, the harder it will become to change or remove it. 

Your ‘cyber reputation’ can be a blessing or curse. When you have an excellent employment track record showing you are clearly in control of your career path, the resulting digital footprint will speak for you. However, representing skills and qualities that do not align with your online presence will damage your chances. Why would you want to ruin your personal brand by committing interview fraud? Participating in a proxy interview may land you a job that you are underqualified to do…but in the long run is this a smart approach?  Not only will you struggle to be successful in the newly found role, when you are discovered, your actions will have a strong negative impact to your future career path. 

How Hiring Managers can Protect Themselves from Interview Fraud

The reality is you will rarely be 100% sure the individual you are speaking with is the original applicant, so if you are leaning too heavily on the interview for your hiring decisions, you may be in trouble. A robust hiring strategy will include several qualification checkpoints; here are a few to consider implementing into your hiring strategy:

Don’t even bother with a phone interview.

While we do still occasionally conduct an initial phone screen or candidate Q&A session, those are becoming more and more rare within our firm. With today’s technology, all phone calls can just as easily be a video call. 

And they should be. Almost all of our clients conduct video interviews so why not set the precedence of being prepared for a video interview at the beginning of the qualification process? Along those lines, we advise our clients to be on alert for technical issues during their interviews. If video issues are experienced during the interview which keeps the client from viewing the candidate, we advise the clients to either reschedule the interview or immediately reject that candidate.

Ask the candidate to email a scanned copy of their driver’s license to you prior to the interview.  

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Then compare it to the candidate’s video presence.  And just as important, forward the scanned copy of their driver’s license (or photo ID of choice) to your client so they can do the same when they interview the candidate.

Pay close attention to the candidate’s eye and mouth movement as well as body language during the interview.

Maintaining eye contact during a video interview can be tricky. And while we certainly coach our candidates to look at the camera while conducting video interviews, sometimes their eyes drift to the interviewer’s picture while speaking.  

And that is normal. 

However, if their eyes keep roving off of the screen, be sure to look for other signs of interview fraud. They could have a partner-in-crime in the same room feeding them information or alternatively a cheat-sheet, a second monitor, or even a white-board that has answers to common interview questions.

You should also be on the lookout for odd facial expressions, head movements or other mannerisms that just don’t fit the conversation.  Obviously you don’t want to jump to any conclusions, but these traits may be an indication of someone conducting interview fraud.

Hire an agency that specializes in interview fraud detection.

Conducting fraud detection takes time and most of the hiring managers I know don’t have that kind of time. After all, they have studies to manage. At craresources, we have a tried-and-true process of mitigating the risk of you hiring fake CRAs.

I will leave you with one last thought: Even though we advise these precautions, when someone confronts me with the question of whether the interview will reveal a fraudulent candidate, my challenge to them is always: why waste your time interviewing fake candidates?  The goal should be to detect applicant fraudulence long before the interview takes place and we have identified a few trends to keep in mind.

The post Why Interviews Won’t Identify Candidate Fraudulence appeared first on craresources.

I was speaking to a CRA candidate the other day and was impressed with how well he presented himself.  Not only did he have a lovely personality, but his communication skills were also terrific, and he was nailing my competency questions.

One of our clients is currently looking for Clinical Research Associates with CAR-T experience, and he represented that he had significant strength in this space. I asked him to dig into the details, and of course, he started discussing the company and studies where he gained that experience.    

All sounds terrific, doesn’t it? The issue is that none of this was on his resume. The company wasn’t listed (another one was listed in its place), and while he had a therapeutic table within his resume, there was no mention of CAR-T nor Oncology or Hema/Oncology in that table.  Does that mean he falsified his credentials?  Not necessarily…but it could. Being able to identify face CRA resumes is critical, especially when you feel connected to the candidate during the interview.   

We have been stating this for years, but it bears repeating: you would be shocked to know that we sort through an extremely high percentage of CRA candidates who have submitted fake resumes to us. I could bore you with statistics but instead will simply state that in an industry which focuses on patient safety (and therefore doing the right thing is critically important), we have identified over nine thousand “Fake” CRAs in North America so far. My team estimates that approximately 30% of candidates applying to our open positions have falsified all or part of their credentials. 

I am speaking about completely fraudulent…outright fake resumes. In real life, these individuals drive trucks, work in call centers, are financial or software analysts, or are employed within the IT industry; however, their resumes falsely indicate they have several years of experience in Clinical Research as a CRA. 

And these individuals don’t always work alone. 

There are support groups that help these CRA candidates write out fake resumes, they offer assistance so these candidates can pass the interview, and they provide references and employment verification. It is organized, and if you aren’t careful, you will do everything right and still make a bad hire.

So how do you identify these fake candidates?

We have identified a few trends to keep in mind when evaluating resumes, with the goal being to pick out the fake ones. Some of these trends are easy to spot; however, others are more difficult to identify, and I am sure that for each preventative step we take, these fake CRA candidates and their support groups are taking steps to counter them.

As a side note, I have been challenged many times that the interview should identify these individuals as clueless. While I disagree (more on why interviewing won’t necessarily identify false credentials), my response to this challenge is simple: why waste your time interviewing fake candidates? If you are able to identify fake resumes early in the recruitment cycle, shouldn’t you?

The simple answer is yes; the resume or early correspondence with the job seeker will often reveal that something fishy is going on. Alone, most of these won’t identify falsification but be looking for trends. 

• The candidate has asked for a below-market rate or salary.
• The resume contains lots of self-employment or consulting with no clients listed. After all, anyone can have an active LLC or Corporation…but that doesn’t mean they have active clients.
• There are no gaps in employment. As a Hiring Manager, you always want to be on the lookout for gaps in employment because you want an explanation for those gaps; however, it is just as much of a flag to see a resume with zero employment gaps…especially if they are representing themselves as a consultant. Did they really always have another contract or assignment to go to…even when the company shut down, the study was suspended; therefore, they had a consulting gig that suddenly ended, etc.?
• The companies listed on the resume may not be real! Don’t assume that the company is real because there is a website or a location listed on Google. If you have not heard of the company before, check State Registrars (Manta, Secretary of State, etc.) to confirm the company is or was a real company. We actually use OpenCorporates as this resource not only scrapes the various State registrars but also registrars in other countries.  We have a long list of “fake” companies consistently used by candidates pretending to have CRA experience – and 90% of them have websites as well as locations listed on Google.
• Be on the lookout for resumes with several years of offshore experience. Unfortunately, verifying the employment of positions in other countries is extremely difficult.
• We have seen a strong trend where candidates have listed MULTIPLE companies on their resume, which do (or did) exist but have since been acquired or gone out of business…either they have terrible luck in selecting employment, or there is something fishy about their credentials. Digging deeper to verify that a) the company was in existence when the candidate stated they worked with them and b) if the dates do align with the company’s date of operations, confirming the individual really worked at these companies can be complicated as well as time-consuming. If you need a checklist or some assistance with this, let us know, and we will be glad to help.
• The individual has no digital footprint. In our industry, it is extremely unusual to have no LinkedIn profile or social media footprint (especially as a consultant), so this should send up a flag right away. 
• Check the “old-fashioned way” by calling the company directly and conducting an employment verification (this doesn’t work for consultants). Although company policies differ on this topic, legally, anyone can conduct an employment verification without infringing on the job seeker’s rights. Questions legally allowed to ask during an employment verification include Dates of Employment, Title when Employed, Salary when Employed, Reason for Leaving, and Eligibility for Rehire.

As you review the resume with the above checklist in hand, remember that you are looking for trends. There are a lot of gray areas…as there is rarely a “black/white” factor to consider. For example, we have zero tolerance for someone who lists a fake company on their resume. At the same time, other flags like lack of digital footprint and no gaps in employment will not stop us from progressing a candidate through our qualification process. We simply dig deeper while interviewing.

The key is knowing what to look for, and when the candidate checks several of these boxes, the fishy smell may mean you should steer clear.

Optimizing Your Interview Process

As mentioned before, you cannot always weed out fake CRAs by evaluating their resume, as a well-crafted resume or believable online identity can certainly cause you to miss something crucial during the pre-qualification process. The interview itself should be a useful tool in gauging the candidate’s aptitude for the position requirements as well as the verity of their experience claims. Consider the following when interviewing your applicants.

• Conduct a written prequalification. Consider asking the ‘how many years’ questions via email. You will accomplish several things by adopting this methodology:  First, you gauge the candidate’s interest. If the candidate is only ‘kicking tires’ and isn’t truly interested in the position, it is highly likely they will not complete the written prequalification. The good news? This saves you time as, ideally, you want candidates who want the position. Secondly, you not only gain details that outline their stated experience, but you will also obtain a sample of the candidate’s writing style. And thirdly, you will be able to leverage this ‘how many years you have done it’ data during the interview, being able to focus on the competency of the individual (read ‘how good you are at your job’) when you actually speak to the candidate. 

• Ask the right questions. Based on the role, use an interview template to drive consistency. While many companies like to be creative with the questions they ask, keep in mind that from an equity perspective, by using an interview template, you are giving each candidate the same opportunity during the interview. Of course, your candidates have likely prepared in advance for some common interview questions asked in the field, so be sure to use behavioral and competency-based questions which will dig into their actual experience. 

• Involve other members of your team. Obtain a second or third opinion. One person can miss warning signs which may point to fraudulence. Consider panel interviews or add an additional interview after the first one in order to involve other members of your team. Then, discuss the outcome of each interview prior to making a ‘go/no go’ decision. Employing this methodology will reduce the risk of something going unnoticed during the interview process. 

• Add a Presentation component. Asking a candidate to create and deliver a presentation as part of the interview process can be helpful for several reasons. The first reason is that it can increase engagement by both the interviewer and interviewee. A highly experienced and engaged candidate will be able to display their knowledge and likely show more of their personality to you, thus enabling you to make a more informed hiring decision. Secondly, and most relevant to this article, undertaking an atypical interview practice can be useful for throwing fraudsters off their game. It is likely that they come into an interview prepared for the typical experience, but getting creative with your methods can help you further weed out fraud.

• Interview via video. If performed correctly, the benefits of conducting a video interview cannot be understated. We love conducting video interviews as this enables us to better build a connection with the CRA while at the same time seeing how the candidate presents themselves. However, as stated in one of our articles on interviews and fraudulence, video interviews are not bulletproof when it comes to identifying fraudulence.  Do them. It is worth it. But know how to protect yourself from fraudulence during the video interview process.

• Trust your instincts. Does something seem off? Did something in their interview give you the impression they’re not being entirely truthful or have something to hide? It is your job to hire the right people, so don’t hesitate to schedule a second interview with another team member(s) to see if anyone else has the same “gut churns” you do.

Outsource your search to a professional. craresources offers you access to our network of verified Clinical Research Associates and can vouch for every single one of their experience. Additionally, by engaging with craresources, our listing of ‘fake’ companies, interview templates, and ‘tried and true’ vetting methodologies are all at your disposal. Because vetting and placing CRAs is all we do, we will save you time, reduce your hiring stress, and minimize the risk of hiring a fake or incompetent CRA.

The post Identifying Fake CRA Resumes appeared first on craresources.

In this day and age, every minute is valuable, and in the role of a hiring manager there never seems to be enough time in the day to accomplish everything on our task lists. This is especially true when seeking to fill a new position.

In today’s market, it isn’t uncommon to have hundreds of applicants apply for a single job. It is our estimate that at least 25% of those candidates will be fraudulent, another 25-35% will be underqualified, and the rest of the candidates may technically be qualified but not necessarily meet your specific needs in terms of quality or culture fit. After all, aren’t you looking for top-quality CRAs who meet your position requirements and fit your company culture?  And in this hot (hot hot) CRA market, great quality CRA candidates are snatched up quickly.  

The Challenge

Given that you as the hiring manager will have so many applicants to review, how are you going to find the time to efficiently and effectively review each candidate’s credentials and move to an interview before another company snatches up the top candidates?

To maintain the idea of efficiency while moving quickly, we suggest hiring teams have a pre-qualification process that can be performed ahead of scheduling interviews. The goal is to save time while quickly shortlisting the pool to only contain the top candidates. 

Want to know how?

Here are some suggestions you can use to pre-qualify candidates before scheduling interviews in order to help you find a great fit for your team.

Review the grammar, spelling, and punctuation via the communication method they used when they applied. 

We often receive resumes with misspellings, incorrect sentence context, or poor punctuation. With today’s word processing tools, not only may this be a sign of poor communication skills, this could be a sign of sheer laziness.  Having proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation is important in any industry, and if the applicant was not careful to present a well-crafted resume and/or application during this step of the process (when they are supposed to be on their “best behavior”), I believe it is safe to assume the poorly written content will continue after hired.

Pay attention to the resume. 

• You want to check job tenure to understand if the candidate is a job hopper or otherwise in control of their career.  Why waste valuable time training someone when they won’t be with you for a long period of time, or worse, take your training to a competitor?
• Also, there are many times when applicants will change or tweak their titles to get the chance for an interview. While we don’t necessarily recommend you ignore the titles, we do recommend to be sure to view the tasks listed under each employment section to determine what they have really done. 
• Lastly, pay attention to the companies listed and truly assess if the titles provided match the companies’ focus.  For example, we often see individuals use a Clinical Research Associate title at a company that doesn’t do clinical research.  Immediately, we know the individual is (at a minimum) embellishing their credentials, and we are therefore able to move them out of our candidate pool.

Confirm no fraudulence.

Assess the resume to confirm the companies are real and were in operation when the candidate stated he worked with them. Confirm the degree listed is from an actual educational institution instead of from a diploma mill.  For more tips on how to review the resume for fraudulence, check out our articles and checklists on the topic. 

Create a prequalification questionnaire to screen the applicant through email.

The third step is to finish the prequalification process by creating a list of screening questions to email the applicant in order to determine if he meets not only the job requirements but also falls within the logistics of the job opportunity.  This completed questionnaire is gold because not only will the results answer important questions regarding their qualifications, it will also provide a further glimpse into their writing style, how professional they are with their written communications, and their responsiveness.

Questions to consider adding to the questionnaire include certain logistics such as compensation requirements, clarification on experience in the industry as it relates to the number of years experience for important tasks, the reason they are seeking a position along with any restrictions that the applicant may have such as travel or utilization. We eliminate approximately 35% of our candidates through this method! For example: if the position requires significant travel, an appropriate prequalification question would be to ask what travel restrictions or preferences the candidate has. In this example, eliminating individuals at this stage who do not want to travel will enable you to focus on those applicants that do.

Gauge their interest.

Does your candidate seem to genuinely care about the field you’re hiring for? Are they actually interested in your company or just throwing a dart at a board to get hired anywhere that will take them? A great way to assess this is to pay attention to any cover letter or equivalent they have provided with the application. Does it seem like a cookie-cutter piece of writing that they submit to every job they apply for? Or do they mention your mission and goals and how they align with their own? Interviewing and hiring a candidate that isn’t ultimately interested in the opportunity can be a waste of time for both applicant and employer. Instead, seek to nip this issue by paying close attention to how they speak specifically about the position and your company in any written material they’ve provided. 

Use your network.

Do you know anyone that has worked with the candidate in the past? While the candidate’s provided references can be useful in gauging hireability to a certain extent, the candidate has likely only supplied individuals they know hold a high opinion of them.  You may want to consult trusted members of your network before making an offer. Although a candidate’s written qualifications, technical knowledge, and experience can be adequate in gauging their fit for the position, understanding how they operate from an inside source is invaluable. 

Dig deeper.

The candidate likely has some impressive credentials on their resume, which is why you are considering the candidate’s application. That being said, are you aware of what their stated credentials mean, and are you examining their work history? For example, they may be representing several years of experience in clinical research, but you want to be able to identify if they have classical training as a Clinical Research Associate. Did they begin their work as a Senior CRA out of nowhere, or do they show a progression from a more junior level on their resume? It can also be beneficial if the candidate has foundational experience at the site level in roles like Coordinator or Research Nurse. The bottom line is, hiring managers should avoid providing merit to candidates simply because they have experience and instead take a closer look at their quality of experience. 

After considering these tips…

Shortlist your candidate pool, arranging your interviews, then exhaust their references.  Did the candidate follow the instructions when it comes to the references provided?  Meaning, that if you ask for a certain number of supervisors and pin requirements to this expectation, such as ‘from recently completed projects, did the candidate comply? Then, speak to the relevant references.  Speaking with former hiring managers, direct reports, and other research colleagues of the candidate can be incredibly useful in gauging whether or not they would be a good fit for your organization. For example, your candidate may say they work well within a team, but have they supplied former coworkers who share that sentiment? Consider asking their references specific questions to explore their time with your candidate. By doing this, you can gain relevant information about how this person may or may not be a good fit for the position you’re attempting to fill.

With these time-saving tips, you will get the right candidate in the door. After all, who has the time to interview hundreds of different candidates?  Be sure to check out our hiring manager tips for advice to guide you and help keep you on track. You can also join our LinkedIn group and Like us on Facebook!

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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Do Fake CRAs Really Exist?

I spoke at one of ACRP’s global conferences on the subject of Fake CRAs. I was surprised at how many hiring managers and sponsor representatives do not believe applicant fraudulence exists. My goal today is to reveal the breadth and depth of candidate fraudulence within the clinical research industry. The data we have gathered is startling.

When we first started noticing the trend of fraudulence, we identified that approximately 21% of our candidate pool had falsified all or part of their credentials. Currently (2023), my team estimates that over 40% of applicants who apply are fraudulent.

I should note that I am speaking about true applicant fraudulence…not just the mere embellishment of qualifications.

Embellishment vs Fraudulence

How long do you feel CRA candidate embellishment has been going on? I suspect that candidates have been embellishing their skills and achievements as long as the resume has been in existence.  What about the act of candidates stretching their employment dates or tweaking their titles? Likely the same.

According to Forbes, Leonardo DaVinci is credited with creating the first resume in 1482. While DaVinci already had a strong reputation in the art world, he completely left his contributions of two Madonna paintings as well as the Annunciation off of his resume.

Why? Because he wanted be hired as the Director of Festivities in Milan.  Therefore, he instead stated that he had an aptitude to ‘make covered chariots, safe and unattackable…”

Hmmm…

Career Builder conducted a survey showing that 75% of Hiring Managers have caught a candidate lying on a resume. This was almost a 20% increase from their previous report showing 58% candidates had been caught in a lie.

The Society for Human Resource Management published results from a survey where they stated 85% of the 4,000 survey respondents uncovered a lie on a candidate’s resume or job application during the screening process.

Do Hiring Managers Care if Candidates Lie?

Want to know something that is even more frightening?  According to Forbes, 40% of Hiring Managers said they would progress a candidate through the hiring process even though they caught them in a lie and 7% stated they would still hire the candidate if they liked them.

In a true definition of fraud, candidates embellishing skills or stretching their dates could be classified as fraudulence. We agree that embellishing one’s credentials is wrong, however this type of embellishment is not what we would use to classify someone as a Fake CRA or Fraudulent Candidate.  We define applicant fraudulence as someone who has completely falsified all or part of their credentials such as providing falsified resumes, fake degrees or fake references.

Over the next three parts of this series I am going to address the three most commonly asked questions regarding the identification of these phony CRAs.

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