Fraud by candidates, rejection top worries of recruitment firms: Report

Job candidates committing “fraudulent practices” in online assessments is the major worry of recruiters and talent acquisition (TA) specialists, says a report by HirePro, a recruitment firm that uses artificial intelligence (AI).

The second concern is anxiety over finding the right candidate for roles, news agency PTI reported. HirePro’s report is based on a survey conducted among 837 industry professionals from October 2023 to March 2024. It highlights key apprehensions and challenges faced throughout the recruitment process.

During recruitment planning, finding the right candidate for a role tops the list of concerns (37 per cent), followed closely by uncertainties regarding meeting hiring targets (32 per cent), especially in cases of high-volume hiring and specific skill set requirements.

As  many as 29 per cent of recruiters expressed worries about candidates exploring multiple job offers and the potential for offer rejections or candidate no-shows (28 per cent). Budget constraints leading to the loss of potential candidates also weigh heavily on recruiters' minds during this phase ( 25 per cent).

When it comes to the interviewing phase, managing candidates' and hiring managers' availability poses a significant challenge. Recruiters report concerns about candidates not showing up for interviews (30.5 per cent), as well as issues such as candidate impersonation and delays in feedback from hiring managers ( 27 per cent).

In the context of college hiring, the absence of automation or reliance on manual processes stands out as a major obstacle (23 per cent), closely followed by the challenges associated with high-volume hiring (19 per cent).

"The findings from this report act as a mirror, reflecting the unfiltered emotional challenges and apprehensions faced by recruitment teams every day. The anxieties are real, be it fraudulent practices of candidates in assessments, finding genuine talent, overcoming offer rejections, or combating candidate impersonation," said Said S Pasupathi, Chief Operating Officer of HirePro

The report also sheds light on the genuine emotional challenges and apprehensions faced by recruitment teams on a daily basis. Pasupathi underscores the need for organisations to prioritise addressing these challenges to ensure a smoother and more effective recruitment process in the future.