At a time when jobs are more difficult to come by than ever before, people are concerned any time there is a minor blemish on the job references. As a way of improving their odds of getting a job, they have a new way to make themselves look more appealing to a prospective employer.
Some individuals have taken advantage of the need for these individuals to give a better impression. For those who have a gap or bad reference, they will provide them with job references to hide the blanks or less than desirable references they have. This can include the name of a company in addition to a phone number and logo. They may also create a web site and LinkedIn profile to complete the deception.
Due to a job market that has many more applicants than there are openings, many people are turning to those individuals and companies offering these services. they feel that it is their best opportunity to improve their qualifications even though it is based entirely on lies.
One of the issues that can result from less qualified individuals using fake references to give them a better job history is that it gives them an unfair advantage over those who really do have great qualifications. In addition to the practice being deceptive and misleading, it also minimizes the chances of those persons who are honest about their qualifications from getting the position they apply for and for which they are qualified for.
Reasons for the Demand for Fake References
No matter what reason a person might give for turning to these services, the bottom line is the lack of available jobs. They feel that if they have made a mistake on their job history, then it will be the one factor that stands in the way of their getting future employment.
The economy has affected the job market and the competition for getting a job has grown substantially. To many, it is survival of the fittest and they don’t feel they have the strength to survive. If six people are applying for the same position, the one that is most qualified and has shown to be the most dependable is the most likely to get the job. Rather than take the chance that they have adequate qualifications to back them, they turn to someone who can help them give the appearance of a much improved job history.
While these individuals and companies are creating the fictitious companies and the fake references, it is the individuals that are lying and being dishonest to get what they want. Although many of these individuals might normally never consider doing something this deceptive, they might feel it is their only hope to get the job they need in order to support their families.
Do Fake References Pay Off?
Is it worthwhile to have someone fill in the gaps on your job history or to create positive references for you? Not really. The reality is that most employers don’t even take personal references seriously and they don’t rely on a single job reference to determine who is right for a job. Instead, they will check all of the job references to get a clearer picture of the type of individual they are considering.
The Best Approach
Rather than spending your money in the hopes of making a bad reference go away, work at turning it into a benefit. Mention the issue to the potential employer and explain how much you learned from that one mistake.
Author Resource:
Bela K. is a job writer and contributor to job sites like http://ctwebguy.com and http://2-ct.com.