Verification of qualifications consent form

If you intend to check qualifications listed on an applicant's CV or application form, use our consent form to secure the release of documents or information from a third party. It's a data protection requirement that the applicant is aware of your verification process and has consented to the release of documents or information from any third party.

Verification

The key benefit of checking qualifications directly at source with the relevant educational or professional body is certainty that the applicant actually holds the qualifications they claim. Whilst visually checking qualification certificates is a good idea (by asking the applicant to produce them before they start work), these days the quality of fake certificates is so good that even the educational establishments themselves acknowledge they are difficult to spot! You can verify qualifications yourself or pay an external organisation to do it - you can find a number of reputable organisations online that offer this service at reasonable rates. To keep it simple and cheap, you might want to just check the applicant's highest and/or most relevant qualifications. If an applicant is going to lie, these are the ones they will most likely try to manipulate. In addition, previous qualifications will have been verified to gain access to the subsequent qualification, for example A-levels will be verified to gain a place on a degree course, so checking the highest and/or most relevant is the most efficient and cost-effective approach. Ensure that your offer of appointment letter makes the job offer conditional on production of documentary evidence of stated academic and/or professional qualifications. Our Offer of Appointment includes this condition.

Data protection

The Employment Practices Code, made under data protection legislation, states that you should explain to job applicants as early as is reasonably practicable in the recruitment process the nature of your verification process and the methods you intend to use to carry it out, including any external sources that will be used. In addition, where it's necessary to secure the release of documents or information from a third party, you should obtain a signed consent form from the applicant, unless consent to their release has been indicated in some other way. Ask the applicant to sign our Verification of Qualifications Consent Form at the final interview stage. Explain your verification process to them and make clear that you'll only be carrying out qualification checks if their application for employment is successful and they're to be made a job offer. Once you’ve received the documents or information from the third party, rely on the processing of them being necessary for the purposes of your legitimate interests, i.e. conducting due diligence on prospective staff and assessing their suitability for employment, as your lawful basis for processing under the UK GDPR.