Perfecting the Job Application

Nursing Spectrum, February 25, 2004
by Lisette Hilton

Falsifying applications is commonplace among job candidates. A nurse applying to your institution might not outright lie, but rather stretch the truth.

Barry J. Nadell, president, InfoLink Screening Services, Inc., based in Los Angeles, CA, talked with a client recently about a job candidate who stretched the truth, indicating on his job application where he worked (which was true) but saying he was there three years longer than he actually was. "What did he do during those three years?" Nadell asks.

Employers can better screen candidates’ characters, skills, and criminal potential by having "solid" job applications and then following with background checks on the information. You might not only uncover a criminal conviction, but perhaps, a more subtle black eye of character - a white lie.

The Long and Short of Applications

In an effort to make it easy on job candidates and HR departments, many employers make job applications quick and easy. Nadell calls them short forms (the front and back of a piece of paper). The problem is they fail to ask many questions that can be revealing and are legal to ask.

For example, he says, many employers don’t ask potential employees about previous Driving Under the Influence (DUI) convictions. It’s a grey area, he says — especially if that employee is not expected to drive for her job. But you should ask it, Nadell says. The question is legal, according to the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). If the employee lies and says "no," and you run a background check, you might uncover the lie.

Other questions to include are: Tell us about periods of unemployment. Why are you applying with our particular company? Don’t shy away from leaving a paragraph for the answers. The answers reveal not only the information but also a candidate’s communication skills and writing ability. Nadell also recommends that employers ask about job skills in detail.

Employers should devote a page or so to legal issues, including things such as a paragraph on at-will employment and one about arbitration (if that applies).

Nadell suggests that employers make it clear that candidates need be forthright on the application by including a clause: "If you are convicted of a crime during your employment or during the period of application, you are required to tell us." And have the candidate agree to that on the form. And employers should also almost boast about their practice of doing background checks to deter people from lying on the application. Often, Nadell says, if employers do mention it on the application, "...it’s in the smallest print possible in the back of the application. Our application has it in a very distinct box on the front of the application at the top, where is says. ‘We’re concerned about violence in the workplace, theft, and falsified applications. We do background checks on all candidates."

The same goes for drug testing policies. Employers might word it: "We’re concerned about drugs in the workplace, and we have a drug free workplace policy. We do drug testing on all candidates."

These recommendations are not only for print applications. In fact, Nadell says, people have more room online to ask revealing questions. Include that you do background checks even on job postings to deter those you wouldn’t want to hire, anyway. Making your policies clear also sends the message that you care about your current employees and clients, according to Nadell.

Lisette Hilton is a freelance healthcare reporter, specializing in covering local, national, and worldwide news for nurses, pharmacists, physicians, and other allied health professionals.