Some time ago, I published an article focused on building rapport during the video interview. It is tough to build rapport through a video conference, so that article meets a serious need for job seekers. However, it dawned on me that some very important (and basic) video interview tips were missing from that article. Therefore, I am updating this follow-up article because, after years of assisting numerous candidates with their video interview preparation, I have identified a few straightforward yet essential points that candidates often overlook.

Eye Contact in Video Interviews

Maintaining strong eye contact is a cornerstone of building connection and trust, especially in cultures such as the United States. When you, as a candidate, avoid eye contact, you risk being perceived as disengaged or even untrustworthy. And, of course, this perception will undermine your chances of winning the position.

However, achieving authentic eye contact during a video interview is a challenge. Why? Because candidates often find themselves focusing on the interviewer in order to interpret the interviewer’s body language. As a result, the interviewer sees you looking down or away, rather than making direct eye contact. This subtle misalignment can leave the interviewer with the impression that you are uninterested or not fully invested in the opportunity.

To overcome this challenge, make a deliberate effort to look directly at the camera throughout your video interview. Although it may feel unnatural at first, gazing into the camera creates the illusion of eye contact for the person on the other end. This simple adjustment allows you to forge a genuine connection with your interviewer, which is crucial for making a positive impression during the interview.

To help maintain this focus, consider placing a small reminder, such as a sticky note, near your camera. This visual cue will prompt you to return your gaze to the lens, ensuring your eye contact remains consistent and effective throughout the interview.

Professional Appearance and Background

I once had a candidate conduct a video interview with a poster behind him that said, “Let’s get drunk and dance naked on the table”. 

Yep. 

While the hiring manager thought it was funny, she also questioned his judgment. And no, he didn’t receive a job offer. 

The second key aspect of successful video interview preparation is ensuring both you and your surroundings are professional. I strongly advise conducting a practice session, or dry run, before your interview. This allows you to evaluate how you appear within the video frame and make necessary adjustments to your background.

During these dry runs with candidates, we almost always recommend adjusting the camera angle to achieve a flattering and clear view of your face. Position yourself so that you are centered in the frame, with the camera at eye level, and avoid sitting too close or too far from the camera.

As you prepare, carefully assess your background. Ensure that bookshelves, tables, and desks are neat and orderly. Remove any inappropriate items or images from view. Pay close attention to lighting; natural light from windows can fluctuate throughout the day, potentially causing visibility issues during your interview. Therefore, test your setup at the same time of day as your scheduled interview to guarantee consistent lighting.

Conclusion

A video conference interview doesn’t have to be more daunting than a traditional face-to-face meeting. By incorporating these video interview preparation strategies, you will be well-equipped to present yourself confidently and professionally. Have questions? Please do not hesitate to reach out because we are here to help. 

We also offer coaching. If you would like 1:1 coaching to help with your interview prep, just let us know.

The post Simplifying Video Interview Preparation 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.

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.

The topic of hidden agency fees is a hot one for both job seekers and companies alike. When I first entered the job market, I was afraid of approaching a recruitment company because I was worried I would have to pay a fee as a job seeker. What I didn’t understand is that job seekers should never have to pay a fee! 

On the flip side, while companies do expect to pay recruitment fees, many companies are not clear on what types of charges are standard. Let’s talk a little about what you should expect as well as the pitfalls and sneaky billing practices that can put your company (and your budget) in jeopardy.   

Sneaky Billing

Imagine receiving a credit card bill that only listed a total amount due. Would you pay the bill without asking for transaction details?

Call me old fashioned, but I wouldn’t. And I wouldn’t expect my clients to either.

Several years ago, the Accounts Payable representative of one of our Sponsors sent an email to me asking about the Project Management fees on the last three invoices received. The email startled me because we don’t provide project managers to this Sponsor – only CRAs.

When I opened the invoices in question, I sighed a little bit of relief when I realized they were actually from another recruitment agency. It was interesting though, because as I viewed these invoices, what I found to be most interesting was that this “other” agency doesn’t provide PMs to this Sponsor either. 

They also don’t provide operational oversight to the CRAs, so in my mind, I just couldn’t understand what the ‘Project Management Fee’ was for.  I was curious about these fees so called my client to discuss. She told me this was the cost of the agency’s Account Manager to handle escalations when the CRA wasn’t meeting expectations! 

Wow! She then told me that these surprise and hidden recruitment fees were the reason why they were in the process of ditching that agency.

What Should Account Management Cost?

There should be no costs associated with an agency handling escalations. Here is why: When one of my clients calls me to complain about a CRA, I do four things:

1. Apologize profusely that there is an issue, while ensuring I gain full understanding as to the details of that issue from the client’s perspective. 
2. Immediately contact the CRA to discuss the root cause of what is going on.
3. Work with the CRA and Client to put an action plan in place to resolve.
4. Track that action plan to closure, ensuring every item is resolved to the Client’s satisfaction.

I never charge for my time when it comes to handling escalations. If a CRA that we have vetted and placed isn’t meeting expectations, it therefore becomes my responsibility to resolve the issue. 

An Acceptable Invoice

There was an additional (and significant) issue with these invoices outside of the surprise recruitment fees: there was no documentation to support any of the charges. 

We live in an industry that has to be audit-ready at any given time. Along those lines, I feel that invoices for time and expenses should be just as audit-ready as the data gathered from clinical trials. With that being said, invoices that simply provide the total costs shouldn’t be accepted.

• For hours, there should always be a client approved timesheet included in the invoice. How else will the Client be able to confirm the hours are accurate?
• Additionally, from a competency standpoint, all time should be broken down into meaningful categories. For example, clients may want their spend tracked to different project codes or different charge categories such as site management, training, monitoring, report writing and travel time.
• And for Pass-through expenses, there should always be an itemized listing of what the expenses are for, and receipts should always be included. Providing this detail not only ensures there are no mistakes, but also enables the client to confirm the charges adhere to their travel guidelines.

Shame on any agency that a) isn’t transparent in their billing, fully disclosing the associated timesheets and expenses or b) charges recruitment fees for handling complaints and escalations.

Avoid Surprises by Automating Time and Expense Tracking

There are a lot of benefits to having an automated time and expense tracking system in place. If your company doesn’t already have one (and there isn’t the budget to establish one), consider leveraging a recruitment agency that uses an automated system.  

Why? 

Improves Accuracy and Efficiency

Several years ago Ungerboeck produced the results from a controlled study where 215 students were given 30 data sheets that contained six types of data to process. The studies made an average of 10.23 errors when manually analyzing the data sheets. However, when using an automated system, the error average dropped to 0.38 mistakes.  

Why does this matter? A recent survey from the Workforce Institute shows that 49% of US based workers will leave a company after two paycheck errors. And what a silly reason for attrition! 

Additionally, when the administration team doesn’t have to spend time manually calculating timesheets, they will be able to spend more time on higher priority tasks. Better accuracy and increased productivity? Seems like a win/win. 

Provides the Ability to Analyze Spend

A robust time and expense tracking system will provide the ability to monitor and control costs associated with every project. Additionally, outside of tracking the time and expenses per project, you can also break down the labor into specific charge categories which will enable your leadership to quickly identify billing outliers. 

For example, perhaps 9 out of 10 CRAs only bill between 3-5 hours to write a report while 1 charges 10 hours. As an operations manager, wouldn’t you want to be able to see this type of outlier so you can dig into the root cause? This type of data will certainly enable a proactive management approach for your projects. 

Tracks Tangible Data for Future Project Estimates

And for those of you with future projects in queue, knowing the actual spend of previous similar projects will give you the data needed to more accurately estimate these upcoming project budgets. 

Not Sure What Normal Is? 

Call us for a safe discussion. We are happy to answer your questions without strings (and no stalking afterwards). We look forward to hearing from you! 

The post Beware of Hidden Agency Fees 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.

We have identified over 7,000 Fraudulent CRA resumes in circulation today.  I am not talking about fudging minor details on the resume such as stretching dates or exaggerating a previous role.  I am speaking about out-and-out fraud.

The ACRP has agreed that the prevalence of this movement is both shocking and frightening.  The fraudsters have become sophisticated, therefore the ACRP has created a Podcast where I and Terri Hinkley (ACRP’s Workforce Innovation Officer) discuss this frightening trend.

We cover warning signs and potential solutions with the goal of decreasing the chance you and your organization will hire a Fake CRA.

I would love to hear your thoughts and questions!

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
Facebook

The post Are your Job Applicants Lying to You? appeared first on craresources.

I understand why people may think there is a shortage, but I believe the information given is misleading.

Here is why: While I will not argue there may be thousands of unanswered open CRA positions posted on Indeed.com (as well as other places), I don’t agree there is a shortage of High Quality Experienced CRAs.

I will let that sink in…and for the sake of saying something controversial will even repeat it – I don’t believe there is a shortage of High Quality Experienced CRAs.

This isn’t an attempt to shamelessly plug our organization’s ability to recruit CRAs (although I can speak to the high numbers of CRAs we have on our books if someone is interested). What I would like to do is redirect this audience from believing there is a shortage of High Quality Experienced CRAs to what I believe to be the real problem.

First, organizations falsely believe that if they post a CRA position, High Quality Experienced CRAs will apply. The “build it and they will come” motto doesn’t work when it comes to attracting High Quality Experienced CRAs. Why? Because this caliber of CRA doesn’t have to look for a new assignment. Their reputations proceed them and they are therefore already engaged. These CRAs seamlessly move from one assignment to another because they are retained by the same companies over and over again or referred by colleagues because of their qualifications. The primary way to engage this level of CRA is to network with them, know when their current project is wrapping up, and snatch them up before someone else does.

Second, it has been our experience that the candidates who typically apply to open CRA positions are either

a. always looking for an assignment (eek),
b. under-qualified, or
c. falsifying their credentials and can’t do what their resume says they can do.

While I like to avoid using the words “never” and “always”, I am comfortable stating that I rarely see High Quality Experienced CRAs apply to our open positions with the exception of those individuals who are dissatisfied with their current company’s culture – which brings us to the third problem.

Third, High Quality Experienced CRAs are passionate about what they do. They love their jobs. They love working with sites. They love making a difference and can’t imagine doing anything else. Companies who respect the role of a CRA and embrace this passion have an extremely low attrition rate. However, there are companies out there with the reputation of treating CRAs as nameless monitors hired to do a job with a key focus on meeting metrics.

When faced with a decision of working with an organization that shares their passion versus working with an organization that focuses on meeting metrics, which company do you feel will attract highly sought after High Quality Experienced CRAs? Don’t get me wrong, I do agree that metrics are important. As a certified PM, I also agree that maintaining your budget and timeline is important. High Quality CRAs understand and are sensitive to these points too – but their passion lies in making a difference and they want to align themselves with a company with this primary passion and focus.

By the way (and as a side note), many recruiting agencies post fake jobs to fish for talent. Out of 14,000 open job posts, I would be willing to bet that a high percentage of them are not real.

In conclusion, if your CRA ads are not being answered by High Quality Experienced CRAs, I challenge you to evaluate two things:

1) What are you doing to engage the “already engaged” CRAs? If your organization doesn’t have the expertise to network within this extremely important group of individuals, hire an agency like ours that does. With currently over 12,000 seasoned, “tried and true” high quality CRAs in our network, we can certainly help you meet your needs.
2) Your brand and reputation as a Hiring Authority is critical when it comes to attracting top talent. What are you doing to show these high caliber CRAs that your passion lies in the difference you make to the patient?

The last point I want to make is an agreement to the industry wide concern that there is a lack of training opportunities for those who want to break into the CRA role. I am aware of several initiatives in this area, including the ACRP’s focus on defining the core competencies for entry level CRAs as well as several degree programs being developed and offered at the university level (more on this in an upcoming article).

As always, let us know how we can help. If you are one of those struggling to find high quality CRAs, what do you have to lose by engaging our firm?

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
Ang’s LinkedIn
Facebook

The post Let’s stop saying there is a CRA shortage and start focusing on the real issue appeared first on craresources.