Have you ever exaggerated company perks to attract staff to your workforce? Or noticed how the new hire who boasted their strong time management skills is always late to the office? If so, you may have been involved in recruitment catfishing.
Catfishing, in a general sense, refers to people intentionally misrepresenting themselves. So, in recruitment, it is when either party deceives in this way during the hiring process.
This could be prospective employees exaggerating, or even lying, about their skill set or experience. For employers, catfishing could mean making false commitments about your company: like claiming prioritisation of work/life balance when in reality your staff struggle to book time off.
If any of this sounds familiar, that’s because recruitment catfishing is on the rise. Recent research in the US found 13% of employees admit to catfishing – but this might not be accurate, as 67% of staff believe their coworkers have catfished! Surprisingly, 79% of employers interviewed also admitted to catfishing.
Why might a candidate catfish?
They would most likely be trying to get ahead in the queue for a desirable job. At worst, the catfishing may mean they overreach, and you find out too late that they are not capable.
But what if they are capable and they are trying to counter a perceived or real prejudice against them?
Take age for instance, and let’s look at an extreme example. Is 35 old? Well, according to employers in China, it’s ancient!
The Chinese workforce is currently facing the “curse of 35”, which has employers openly expressing a preference for younger, unmarried workers. There’s a perception that “older” workers are less willing to work long hours and can’t adapt as well to new technologies.
This stigma pervades several industries in the country, with many civil service departments even having an age limit of 35 and under for entrance exams.
Whilst age and marital status discrimination does exist in the UK (and is illegal), this is to a very different extent! It may be extreme, but serves as an illustration of why someone who feels highly capable might be less than transparent during recruitment if they feel they are unfairly disadvantaged.
The impact of recruitment catfishing
Recruitment catfishing might seem harmless – but it can put you at risk of some serious consequences. If you’ve embellished just how great your company is, staff will become disengaged when they discover your business isn’t quite what you’ve made it out to be.
This will likely impact morale and work ethic: decreasing performance, productivity and your overall output. Retention will likely be an issue, with staff potentially leaving for companies that deliver on their promises.
For successful recruitment, transparency from all parties is crucial. The truth will be revealed sooner or later, so it’s important to cultivate an honest dynamic from the beginning.
During the recruitment process, encourage candidates to be honest about their skills and experience, and keep your wits about you for any holes in their story.
You should be transparent, too: ensure your recruitment team are honest about your positions and company culture, and respectful of equality law – from the initial job listings to interviews.
