Let’s be honest—recruiting the right person in Indonesia isn’t as easy as it sounds.
With more people applying for fewer jobs, the pressure to stand out has made some candidates take shortcuts. We’re talking about fake CVs, made-up work experience, and even diplomas that don’t exist.
And for you—a business owner, HR manager, or startup founder—that means risk. Big risk. One bad hire could lead to fraud, poor performance, or even legal trouble.
That’s why employment verification before hiring is more important than ever. Especially if you’re trying to build a team you can trust in a competitive Indonesian job market.
Why This Is a Real Problem in Indonesia
In cities like Jakarta, Surabaya, or Medan, you might find yourself hiring through WhatsApp groups, job boards, or even personal referrals. Sounds easy, right? But here’s the problem:
Not every candidate is as honest as they look on paper.
In fact, some small businesses in Indonesia have learned this the hard way. Fake diplomas from “universities” that don’t exist. Previous jobs that were never held.
And let’s not forget SKCK (the Indonesian police certificate). Some applicants submit expired or fake ones. That alone could put your business in serious trouble if you’re hiring for a sensitive role.
A Real-Life Example (That Happens More Than You Think)
A small logistics company in Jakarta recently hired someone for a finance role. His resume looked great. Solid education, relevant experience, and glowing references (or so it seemed).
But just two months in, they discovered discrepancies. The so-called “degree” was from a fake institution. And the references? His own friends.
By the time they let him go, the company had already lost money due to small-scale fraud.
That’s where pre employment verification comes in.
What Is Pre Employment Verification, Anyway?
Basically, it’s a way to double-check a candidate’s background before you say yes.
This can include:
- Checking school or university certificates
- Confirming previous job experience
- Verifying identity through government ID
- Validating SKCK or criminal record info
- Making sure licenses or certifications are real
In Bahasa-friendly English, it’s just making sure they’re telling the truth.
Pre employment verification isn’t about being paranoid. It’s about protecting your business.
How Fake CVs Lead to Bigger Business Risks
Let’s break it down. If you hire someone who faked their background:
- They might not actually know how to do the job.
- They could misuse company data or steal money.
- They could damage your company’s reputation.
This is where risk management of businesses in Indonesia becomes essential. Hiring is part of your overall risk strategy. And making the wrong decision can cost you much more than a few extra weeks of recruitment.
Especially in industries like finance, logistics, or tech, a bad hire can lead to fraud or data breaches. That’s a serious headache you don’t want.
In Real Life, It’s Not Always That Simple
We get it. You might be a small business with no HR department. Or maybe you’re in a rush to fill a role quickly.
But hiring based on gut feeling or a quick interview isn’t enough. Especially not in today’s world where fake information is just a Canva template away.
And let’s be honest—some interviews even happen over WhatsApp or video call. No documents are checked. No background is verified. That’s risky.
Let’s Make It Easy: What You Can Do
Even if you’re not a big company, you can still build a safer hiring process.
Here’s what you can start with:
- Ask for original documents: Not just PDFs. See their actual certificates or IDs.
- Call previous employers: Just a quick call can reveal if they really worked there.
- Use SKCK properly: Make sure it’s valid and recent.
- Use a pre employment verification service: Plenty of agencies in Indonesia can help.
- Train your team to spot red flags: Gaps in CVs, vague job roles, or inconsistent timelines.
These steps help you build a smarter approach to business risk management in Indonesia.
Don’t Wait for a Bad Hire to Learn the Lesson
It’s much easier to avoid a problem than to fix one.
Hiring someone with a fake background doesn’t just waste your time. It could lead to financial loss, legal issues, or even safety concerns, depending on the role.
Investing in pre-employment verification now saves you bigger trouble later.
Why This Matters for You
In Indonesia’s fast-moving job market, where informal hiring is still common, you need to protect yourself.
And that starts with hiring smart.
By making pre-employment verification a regular part of your hiring process, you’re not just screening candidates. You’re taking charge of your company’s safety and reputation.
You’re also aligning with smarter business risk management Indonesia practices, which are becoming the standard even for small and mid-sized companies.
Final Takeaway
Fraud and fake CVs aren’t just big-company problems. They’re happening to small and medium businesses all over Indonesia.
But the good news? You can do something about it.
Start small. Start smart. But start now.
Because when you hire with your eyes open, you protect everything you’ve worked hard to build.
Let’s keep your business safe—one verified hire at a time.
