Verity journal

Introduction: The Real Cost of a Bad Hire

A bad hire doesn’t just waste recruitment time. According to HR research, the cost of hiring the wrong employee can reach 30% of their annual salary — and in some cases, trigger reputational damage, lawsuits, or compliance penalties.

Here are five red flags that show you may have hired the wrong candidate — and how background screening could have prevented the risk.

Sign 1: Lies on the CV or Application

From fake degrees to inflated job titles, CV fraud is rampant. Without proper checks, these lies only come to light after costly mistakes

Horror Story – Education Fraud in Malaysia:
In 2023, 70% of job seekers admitted to falsifying information on their resumes, with the highest proportion coming from professionals holding a master’s or doctoral degree
Source: Most job-seekers admit to lying on their resumés | FMT

How Screening Helps:
Verity BGC verifies education, credentials, and past employment to ensure your candidate is exactly who they claim to be.

Sign 2: Poor Cultural or Ethical Fit

A candidate may tick all the boxes on paper but clash with colleagues or demonstrate toxic behavior.

Horror Story – Retail Misconduct:
In Singapore, a Malaysian cashier was jailed for stealing over RM185,000 from her employer to fund her online gambling habit. She had prior issues with financial integrity that were never screened.
Source: Malay Mail

How Screening Helps:
Reference checks and integrity screenings uncover past behavioral red flags before you extend the job offer.

Sign 3: Legal or Compliance Issues Surface

Your new hire may be facing undisclosed lawsuits, sanctions, or regulatory bans. If you’re in finance, real estate, or other regulated sectors, the liability falls on you.

Horror Story – Reckless Driver in Johor:
A company driver from Johor was convicted of deliberately crashing a Hilux during a road rage incident. It was later discovered that he had multiple prior traffic violations that had gone unchecked.
Source: The Star

How Screening Helps:
Regulatory and court record checks from Verity BGC highlight undisclosed legal troubles, keeping your business compliant.

Sign 4: Unexplained Performance Decline

A bad hire often starts strong, only to quickly underperform. This is common with candidates who exaggerate their skills or fabricate prior experience.

Horror Story – Fake Experience in Logistics:
A logistics company in KL hired an “operations manager” who claimed 10 years of fleet management experience. In truth, he had been terminated for theft. Within six months, RM400,000 in goods went missing under his watch.

How Screening Helps:
Employment verification confirms job history and performance, eliminating fabricated CVs before they hurt your business.

Sign 5: Catastrophic Consequences of Neglect

Sometimes the wrong hire doesn’t just cost money — it costs lives.

Horror Story – Gerik Bus Crash (2025):
A chartered bus ferrying university students crashed near Gerik, Perak, killing 15 students. Investigations revealed the driver had 18 prior traffic summonses. No comprehensive screening had been conducted before hiring.
Source: The Straits Times

How Screening Helps:
With Verity BGC’s criminal and traffic checks, employers can identify repeat offenders and prevent high-risk hires in critical roles.

Why Verity BGC Is the Safer Choice

• Comprehensive Coverage: From ID verification to litigation, credit, education, and employment checks.
• Flexible Models: Postpaid for corporates, Prepaid for SMEs, À La Carte for one-offs.
• Trusted Security: ISO 27001 certified, PDPA-compliant, and MOM-approved for Singapore education checks.

Conclusion

The warning signs of a wrong hire are often clear, but we often only discover them after the damage is done.

👉 Don’t wait until it’s too late. Start screening smarter with Verity BGC and protect your business from costly hiring mistakes.

Visit: https://www.verityintel.com/employment-background-check