What Is Employment Verification and Why Does It Matter?

What Employment Verification Checks

Employment verification confirms that a candidate's stated work history is accurate. It typically covers:

• Employer name: Did the company they listed actually exist?
• Dates of employment: Did they work there for the period they claimed?
• Job title: Does their stated title match what the employer has on record?
• Rehire eligibility: Many employers will indicate whether the person would be considered for rehire (though some have policies against sharing this)

Employment verification does not typically include reasons for leaving, performance reviews, or salary history (salary history inquiries are restricted or banned in many states).

Why Resume Fraud Is More Common Than You Think

Studies consistently show that a significant percentage of resumes contain material inaccuracies. Common forms of resume fraud include:

• Extended dates of employment to hide gaps
• Inflated job titles (e.g., "Manager" instead of "Associate")
• Fabricated employers that don't exist
• Listing a company as an employer when the candidate was actually a short-term contractor

A single employment verification catch can save an employer from a significant hiring mistake.

How Employment Verification Works

Most verification is done by contacting the HR department or a designated employment verification contact at the previous employer. Many larger companies use third-party verification services like The Work Number (operated by Equifax), which returns results electronically in minutes.

Smaller companies may require manual outreach, which can take several business days if HR is slow to respond.

What Happens When There's a Discrepancy

When a candidate's stated dates or title don't match what the employer has on record, the screening provider typically flags the discrepancy. Minor variations (a month off in start date) may be explainable. Significant discrepancies — a fabricated employer or dramatically inflated title — are serious red flags that warrant further conversation with the candidate.

How Many Years Back Should You Verify?

Standard practice is to verify the last 7–10 years of employment history, or as far back as needed to cover the candidate's claimed experience in the role they're applying for. For executive positions or roles requiring specific experience, going back further may be warranted.

Best Practices

• Always verify employment for every candidate, regardless of how well they interview
• Require candidates to provide accurate contact information for former employers
• Have a consistent policy for how you handle discrepancies
• Document the verification process and outcome for each employer contacted

At Do It Right Screening, employment verification is included in all of our standard pre-employment packages. We proactively follow up with employers who don't respond promptly so your hiring process isn't delayed. Contact us to learn more.