CRA Hiring: 

Let’s get real about 2024. The clinical research industry wasn’t just dealing with a CRA Hiring fraudulence problem – we were facing an epidemic of fake CRA applications that threatened the entire ecosystem of clinical trials.

In 2024, my team didn’t just identify fraudulent candidates. We led an industry-wide conversation about protecting the integrity of clinical research recruitment. Key insights that drove our work included:

• Exposing systematic vulnerabilities in current CRA hiring and verification processes.
• Working with industry leaders to develop more rigorous candidate screening methodologies.
• Creating transparent resources to help hiring managers detect fraudulent applications.

More Honest Conversations About CRA Hiring Are Needed

Our most impactful moments came from raw, honest conversations. Like this post that resonated deeply with our community:

“Not too long ago, someone reached out to me because a close personal friend of hers had participated in what she believed to be a Fake CRA program.” Read more of her story (and confession) here. 

We also provided checklists to job seekers regarding writing effective resumes and preparing for interviews. A popular article within our job seeker community: 

“The video interview makes it difficult to build an effective rapport during the interview cycle.“

And based on multiple requests, we published a checklist to help hiring managers identify candidate fraudulence early in the recruitment cycle.

“Do you believe that Fake CRA Applicants really exist?“

Also, importantly, we delved into a candid exploration of unconscious bias that benefited both hiring managers and job seekers:

“While I don’t believe most companies consciously practice ageism, I do believe they unconsciously practice it.“

Key achievements that kept us moving forward:

• Published multiple fraud prevention articles for the ACRP and IAOCR.
• Led industry webinars exposing recruitment vulnerabilities.
• Enhanced background check and reference verification protocols across the industry.
• Maintained near-zero contract CRA attrition rates. 
• Provided coaching classes to help aspiring clinical research professionals cross the barrier to entry within our market.
• Facilitated podcasts aimed at supporting mid and senior-level professionals in their career growth.

Looking ahead to 2025 

Our mission remains unchanged. We’re not just preventing fraud in CRA hiring – we are supporting career growth among CRA candidates and rebuilding trust in the CRA vetting process, one verified candidate at a time.

To every honest CRA and integrity-driven hiring manager: Your commitment makes this industry stronger. Together, we can create a recruitment landscape that values quality, transparency, and genuine talent.

This is a first for me…I wrote this with help from coauthor.studio.Can we help you in 2025? Reach out to find out.