Pre-Employment Screening: The Executive Candidate Who Wasn't Who He Claimed to Be

The Situation

A mid-sized Perth company was in the final stages of appointing a senior executive to a newly created role. The candidate had presented impressively throughout the recruitment process — he had a polished CV listing senior positions at a number of well-known companies, strong references, and performed confidently in interviews.

However, before making a formal offer, the company's HR manager decided to commission a professional background check. She had an uneasy feeling she couldn't quite articulate, and she wanted peace of mind. She contacted Alpha Investigation Services.

Our Investigation

We conducted a comprehensive background check covering employment history verification, qualification checks, directorship and insolvency searches, and a review of publicly available records.

Employment history verification involved direct contact with the HR departments of the organisations listed on the candidate's CV, as well as checks against corporate records for the periods and roles claimed.

What We Found

Our investigation identified several significant discrepancies:

• A senior role at a well-known multinational listed on his CV for a period of three years — he had never been employed by that company. This was confirmed directly with their HR department.
• A postgraduate qualification from an Australian university — the university had no record of him having completed this qualification.
• A directorship in a company that had been wound up following insolvency — information that had not been disclosed.

The Outcome

We delivered a full written report to our client, clearly documenting each discrepancy and the source of our findings.

The company withdrew the job offer. They later told us that the role would have involved the individual having significant financial authority and client-facing responsibility — and that the deception, had it gone undetected, could have had serious consequences for the business.

Key Takeaway

CV fraud is more prevalent than most employers realise — particularly at senior levels, where the stakes are higher and candidates know the rewards are greater. A professional background check is a small investment that can prevent enormous problems.

Alpha Investigation Services conducts employment screening checks for businesses of all sizes across Perth and Australia. Contact Pete to discuss what's right for your organisation.