Dennis
This article by Patrick Collinson appeared in Saturday's Guardian and seems
to answer some of your questions (maybe you should read a better class of
newspaper!)
Jacky
The Guardian
Saturday January 15, 2000
Job applicants who dress up their CVs with fake qualifications or inflated
grades are in for a nasty surprise.
Experian - a credit reference agency which already holds files on 44m
Britons - plans to make computer records supplied by the higher education
statistics agency available to employers. The deal has the blessing of the
Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals.
The database will hold details of all degrees awarded by British
universities since 1995. Experian says it plans to add school qualifications
later.
To comply with data protection rules, employers will have to seek an
applicant's permission before consulting Experian but to refuse may reflect
badly on a job candidate.
Nottingham university's vice-chancellor, Lord Dearing, said: "The door of
employment is wide open to unscrupulous job applicants and this situation
makes a mockery of educational qualifications."
In the past credit reference agencies have been accused of holding
inaccurate data that has blighted people's lives. Experian says it will open
a help desk to correct any errors and for a fee individuals will be able to
obtain a copy of their details.
It is believed that only one in three employers check academic results
because the process is laborious and expensive.
In a survey of 1,500 employers commissioned by Experian this week, 71% said
they had encountered "serious lying".
"A common theme is the people who have not actually completed a course, but
award themselves the qualification," said Steven Edwards of Q-Check, a CV
verifying company that is Experian's partner on the database.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|