How Do Employers Verify College Degrees Before Making a Hire?
In today’s job market, a degree is a symbol of your qualifications, knowledge, and ability to succeed in a professional role. But do employers verify these credentials? Yes, and they are doing it more often and more thoroughly than ever before.
With the rise of fake degrees and exaggerated resumes, many companies are under pressure to verify qualifications listed. If you’re a job seeker or HR professional, you must know that how potential employers check degrees is key in today’s hiring process.
In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into how employers easily verify your degrees, why it matters, and what steps job seekers can take to gauge the legitimacy of their degrees and ensure their resumes stay credible.
What Is Degree Verification?
Degree verification is the process of confirming the accuracy and authenticity of a person’s educational credentials, including their degree, attendance records, and graduation invitation date. Do jobs ask for proof of degree? It checks if the information provided by an individual is accurate and legitimate. Degree verification typically involves confirming:
- Degree Title: The exact degree earned (e.g., Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts).
- Graduation Date: The date the person finished their studies and received the degree.
- Institution: The school where the degree was earned.
- Major: The field of study the person pursued.
Degree verification is a crucial component of the background checking process for employers. It ensures that the candidate’s education aligns with the job requirements, thereby reducing the likelihood of fraud or misrepresentation.
The Prevalence of Fake Degrees
Fake degrees, often from diploma mills or unaccredited institutions, are everywhere. These organisations award degrees based on “life experience” or minimal coursework, so it’s easy for people to claim unearned education. One infamous example is Chester the dog, who was awarded an MBA from a known diploma mill for a fee. While this may sound ridiculous, it highlights how easily fake degrees can slip into professional resumes. Unsuspecting employers may encounter fraudulent credentials, especially when diploma mills offer verification services that look legit at first.
Not all employers thoroughly verify educational credentials. A study by the Society for Human Resource Management found that only about 34% of employers always check the degrees on resumes. That leaves a significant portion of job applicants’ credentials unverified. When employers verify degrees, they typically only check attendance dates or graduation status, which may not confirm whether the institution is accredited. Without proper verification, individuals with fake degrees can slip through the hiring process undetected, potentially harming the company’s reputation and operations.
Hiring someone with a fake degree is more than just a bad hire; it’s a serious issue. Companies may face serious consequences, including reputational damage, legal exposure and wasted resources. If an employee’s credentials are found to be fraudulent, especially in fields that require public trust or specialised expertise, it can lead to a public relations crisis. Employers may also incur financial losses through tuition reimbursement programs if an employee claims a fake degree as a legitimate educational expense. The cost of replacing such employees is a key reason why degree verification is important.
Do Companies Verify College Degrees?
Yes, companies can easily check your degrees, and this practice is becoming more common.
Types of Companies That Do It:
- Corporate: Many private companies verify degrees to ensure candidates meet job qualifications and reduce hiring risks or errors.
- Government: Government agencies require degree verification to maintain integrity and gauge whether you’re qualified for public service.
- High-Trust Sectors: Fields like finance, healthcare, and law, where qualifications are crucial, place great importance on verifying educational credentials.
Employers Taking Action
With growing awareness of the risks associated with fake diplomas, an increasing number of employers are now verifying educational credentials. Background screening companies, professional verification services, and accreditation checks are now integral to the hiring process. By knowing how to spot diploma mills and unaccredited institutions, employers can protect themselves from fraudulent credentials.
In a world where fake degrees can be purchased online for a fraction of the cost of a genuine education, due diligence is crucial to maintaining trust in the workplace. So, there you have it: while many employers still don’t check degrees, given the prevalence of fake degrees, degree verification is a must. Be more vigilant and utilise the right verification tools, and you’ll hire qualified individuals with genuine credentials and a competent workforce.
Why Is Degree Verification Needed?
Degree verification is important for these 4 reasons:
- Prevents Fraud: Make sure candidates haven’t lied about their educational background.
- Ensures Qualification Match: As a candidate, you have the right education for the job you’re applying for.
- Builds Trust: Verification provides transparency and builds trust between employers and prospective employees.
- Protects Employers: Employers may contact and rely on accurate credentials to make decisions and protect their organizations from potential legal risks or damage to their professional reputation.
Why Does Degree Verification Matter in Today's Hiring Process?
In today’s competitive job market, employers want to hire individuals who meet or exceed the requirements for the role. It’s not just about trust; it’s about making sure the person is fully capable of handling the job’s responsibilities.
Employers don’t solely depend on a resume to assess qualifications. Educational verification ensures the degree listed is valid and that the candidate has the necessary academic qualifications they claim for the role.
Employers, especially in regulated industries, must follow specific standards when verifying candidates. Hiring someone with a fake diploma or degree can lead to legal risks, harm the company’s reputation, and cause compliance issues, making degree verification essential. “I remember for my first job out of college, I had to bring in my physical diploma during the onboarding process.”
What Caused the Rise in Education Verification?
The widespread availability of fake degrees online, particularly from diploma mills (fake schools that offer degrees for a fee without requiring any real education or coursework), has prompted many employers to tighten their hiring processes. It’s now easier than ever to obtain a degree from a questionable institution, so employers have intensified their efforts to verify credentials.
In addition to these fake degree mills, applicants sometimes exaggerate or falsify their educational achievements by inflating GPAs, listing unearned degrees, or misrepresenting the duration of their studies. To combat this, companies have adopted more robust and automated background check systems to ensure they hire people with genuine credentials.
Do Employers Really Verify Degrees?
Yes, employers verify degrees, and the frequency and thoroughness of this Verification have increased over the years.
While not every company uses an in-depth background check, degree verification is standard practice for many sectors, especially when hiring for roles where trust and competency are crucial. It’s common for employers to check educational qualifications in jobs that require specific academic credentials.
Who Verifies Degrees?
- Corporate Employers: It is especially for senior roles or positions requiring technical or advanced degrees.
- Government Agencies: Government jobs usually involve thorough background checks to ensure candidates are qualified for their positions.
- Regulated Sectors: Companies in healthcare, finance, law, and education routinely verify degrees to ensure compliance with industry regulations and legal requirements.
How Do Employers Check Degrees?
Employers conduct degree verification in various ways, depending on their resources and the role for which they are hiring. Let’s talk about the most common methods how do employers check your degree.
1. Direct Contacting Universities
In some cases, employers can contact the university directly to verify qualified candidates. You can call through a phone call or email the registrar’s office.
- Pros: An Easy and reliable way to confirm education details.
- Cons: Time-consuming and challenging if the institution is unresponsive or closed.
2. Using Background Check Companies
Large or high-volume employers often use background check companies to help employers verify candidates. These companies provide specialized services to verify a candidate’s educational credentials.
Popular background check firms: HireRight, Checkr, Sterling, and GoodHire.
- Pros: Fast, reliable, and automated. These services verify various aspects of an applicant’s background.
- Cons: Expensive for small companies or startups.
3. Accessing National or International Databases
Many countries maintain national databases in which educational institutions are required to report graduates, including their graduation dates, degrees earned, and other relevant details. For example:
National Student Clearinghouse (NSC): A central database used by many U.S. employers to verify degrees quickly.
HEDD (Higher Education Degree Databases): In the UK, this system enables employers to verify higher education degrees easily.
- Pros: Provides quick and comprehensive Verification for schools participating in these databases.
- Cons: Not all institutions participate in these databases, especially for international degrees.
What Specific Information Do Employers Verify?
When employers discover a candidate’s educational background, they typically verify the following:
Degree Title
The degree title listed on the resume should match what is recorded by the university. For example:
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
- Master of Business Administration
Any discrepancies between the title listed on the resume and what is officially recorded could raise red flags.
Graduation Date
Employers will likely check that the graduation date listed matches the official records. It helps confirm that the candidate graduated when they claim to have done so.
If the candidate lists a graduation date that is significantly earlier or later than expected, this could indicate an attempt to conceal missing years of education or exaggerate their qualifications.
Institution Name and Accreditation
- Institution Name: Employers verify the name of the institution to ensure the university or college is legitimate.
- Accreditation Status: Many employers also verify the accreditation status of the institution to ensure that it is recognized, or verify education.
- Check Networking: Employers may also cross-check education details listed on your LinkedIn profile to ensure they match your resume and official records.
Accreditation confirms that the institution meets certain academic standards and is recognized as a credible educational source.
How Long Does the Verification Process Take?
College degree verification time varies based on the methods to verify:
- Instant Verification (via database): Many institutions offer instant Verification through a centralized database, which leads to immediate confirmation of a degree.
- Manual Verification (1–10 business days): When conducted manually, degree verification typically takes 1 to 10 business days. It is contacting the institution directly for confirmation, which may take time, depending on their responsiveness.
- International Verifications: It can take longer due to additional paperwork, time zone differences, and communication challenges.
- Delays with Older or Closed Institutions: Verification from older or closed institutions may experience delays due to outdated records or difficulty accessing archives.
What Happens If a Degree Cannot Be Verified?
If you cannot verify a degree, the employer may:
- Withdraw the job offer if the Verification was done prior to hire.
- Terminate employment if Verification is done after hire.
- Issue a warning or request additional documentation if the discrepancy is minor.
In regulated sectors, employers often legally required to terminate employment if a degree cannot be verified. This is because these positions often require licensed qualifications that can’t be substituted with fake credentials.
Can Fake Degrees Pass Background Checks?
In some cases, high-quality fake degrees might pass a visual inspection. However, they almost always fail once the employer conducts a formal background check.
Low-Quality Fakes:
These are easily identified by inconsistencies in formatting, misspelled names, or the lack of legitimate accreditation. They are flagged almost immediately.
High-End Fakes:
These can appear impressive at first glance, but they still fail when subjected to a formal verification system. Accreditation issues and absence from verification databases will reveal them as fraudulent.
Can Employers Check Education from Foreign Universities?
Yes, employers can verify degrees from foreign universities, but the process can be a bit more complex. For international degrees:
- Employers utilize global background check services, such as WES (World Education Services), to verify foreign credentials.
- Verification services also often involve contacting foreign institutions directly or using country-specific databases.
While the process is more complicated for international degrees, it’s becoming increasingly common as global talent recruitment grows.
As technology continues to evolve, so do the methods employers use to verify that their candidates are who they claim to be. Degree verification is now a critical part of the hiring process in almost every industry, from government jobs to corporate offices.
For job seekers, it’s clear: honesty is key. Falsifying your education or inflating your qualifications could jeopardize your entire career. Ensure your degrees are legitimate, accurately listed, and verified to give yourself the best chance of success in today’s competitive job market.
FAQs
- What happens if my degree can’t be verified?
If your degree can’t be verified, the employer may withdraw the job offer, terminate your employment, or request additional documentation. In regulated sectors, this can lead to legal consequences.
- Do employers verify degrees even after hiring?
Yes. Degree verification can occur during internal audits, promotions, or even as part of a compliance check.
- Do employers accept open university degrees?
Yes, if the school is accredited. Many online degrees are now fully recognized.
- What degree do most employers look for?
Employer explores degrees depending on the role. For most general jobs, a bachelor’s degree is typically required. For technical or senior roles, a master’s degree or relevant certification may be preferred.
- How often do employers verify degrees?
Very often, for entry-level hires, especially in professional fields. Frequency varies by company policy.
- How do I verify my original degree?
Contact your university registrar or use a national service, such as the National Student Clearinghouse.