Orsus Group Blog

Do Small Employers Check for Degrees?

Written by The Orsus Group | Jul 17, 2023 12:00:00 PM

As a small business owner, you want to ensure you always get the best candidates for the job. But, taking steps like education verification can feel intimidating or unnatural if you aren't used to that degree of scrutiny with your applicants. 

Do other small business owners do degree verifications? Learn more about how common education verification is in background checks and why you should care about matching an applicant's claims to their provable history.

The Reality of Degree Verification in Small Businesses

If you consider adding degree verification to your small business hiring practices, you aren't alone. Nearly three-quarters of employers either always or sometimes check applicants' educational credentials.

What employers are looking for varies. About half want to verify a candidate's degree title. A third wants to be sure the candidate attended the school they did. Many experts consider higher education a requirement for many positions, especially for people working in professional roles.

The Importance of Degree Verification

There are a few reasons why even small business owners need to be sure that the people they hire represent their credentials honestly. First, someone must have the capabilities required for the position they are in. Someone who has used a fake degree may not have the skills or experience they claim.

For instance, someone who uses a degree from a diploma mill or falsified their attendance may not have received the education needed to do the job well. This can lead to dangerous shortfalls and expensive liability in some positions.

Second, there is always a chance of someone learning of the employee's fraud. This can cause a credibility problem for your business and harm your reputation. It doesn't matter if you were the one deceived. Your business can look less credible when you employ people who do not have the experience they claim.

Finally, it is a question of honesty. If someone has misrepresented their degree, it may reflect poorly on their character. It can be hard to tell what else they may not be honest about.

Challenges Faced by Small Employers

Of course, digging into applicants' history can be time-intensive. Most small businesses that verify education as part of their hiring process manually go through each application and resume to ensure everything adds up. They need to double-check school names and accreditation, then verify years of attendance.

If your business is too small to have a dedicated HR department, you or a department head must go through the verification process personally. This can be a burden when there are so many other core job functions where you should be spending your time.

Thankfully, there is a better way. The Orsus Group background checks include education verification. We can tell you when and where applicants went to school, their major, and the degree they earned.

Handing off this responsibility to our dedicated professionals means you know the job was done right. You can focus on other aspects of recruiting, knowing that you have the information you need to make the right choice.

Enhance the credibility of your small business's hiring process with The Orsus Group's thorough background check services. Contact us today!