Check your academic credentials

In today's world it is never a good idea to just take someone's word that everything they say on their employment application is true. Smart hiring managers will check everything out. That is the best idea, especially with all of the degrees out there. People trying to pull off a degree are easily avoided if a hiring manager learns how to check academic credentials. The Federal government highly recommends employers always check every school and even degree pages they come across so they can avoid the hassle of dealing with a diploma. Fake college degrees can come from made up colleges or even well known colleges because they are not real. The person who created them can put whatever they want on the degree. That is why checking it out is the only way to ensure it is real.

check academic credentials

To verify academic credential a hiring manager should follow these steps:

1. Contact the school. Call the registrar and get confirmation that the person attended the school and the dates of attendance. They should also be able to confirm the degree earned is not a fake university degree. With the applicants permission the hiring manager can also get a transcript from the school that will show their course work, as well.

2. Research the school. Just because the information the applicant gave was confirmed does not mean the school is a real school. The hiring manager should check out the school to ensure it is accredited. This can be done by checking with the college accreditation agencies.

3. Check out the accreditation agency. Go one step further and check this out with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

4. Lastly, check out the schools website. Look at the coursework and make sure that it is legitimate. There should be a focus on attending classes and doing real work, not just paying a large "tuition". Tuition is usually charged per course or credit, not per degree like for fake online university degrees.

If the school checks out then a hiring manager can rest assured it is real. However, if all of the above steps can not be verified then it is wise to be cautious as the degree programs may just be fake. As a last resort the hiring manager can ask the applicant to provide proof of the degree's legitimacy. They can request that the student order fake transcripts and provide them to back up the degree. It should not be something that is too difficult for the applicant to do and if they are hesitant or refuse then the hiring manager will know the degree is likely a fake. People take for granted that employers are not likely to check out their academic background because so many do not. That is why people are trying to use fake degrees. By doing academic credential checks an employer can ensure they are hiring people who are really qualified for the job.