Understanding applicant faking 

What is applicant faking? 

Applicant faking happens when someone tries to present themselves more positively when completing a psychometric or other job-related assessment. Rather than answering honestly, they choose what they think an employer wants to hear, or what the job will require of them. This is also called "impression management" or "response distortion." 

Why do people fake? 

Faking sometimes happens when the stakes are high, like applying for a job. People want to make a good impression, so they may answer questions in a way they believe will increase their chances of being hired, considered for promotion or development opportunities.  

When does it happen most often? 

Faking is more likely in personality or behavioural assessments, with no clear right or wrong answers. These assessments rely on candidates' honesty about themselves. On the other hand, cognitive ability assessments, which measure aspects such as numerical or verbal reasoning, are more challenging to fake because they have clear, correct answers. 

Some personality traits, like diligence, discipline, and emotional resilience, are more prone to candidates' attempts at answering more favourably. However, research shows that even when faking does happen, it rarely makes a significant difference in the candidate's results. 

Does faking only occur in psychometric assessments? 

Not at all. While psychometric assessments provoke a lot of debate about faking, candidates are also very prone to faking in interviews, on their CVs, and on job applications. Some may even argue that it is normal human behaviour for candidates to present themselves in the best light, especially when they desire a job. 

Factors that influence faking 

Several things can influence whether someone tries to fake their responses: 

• High-stakes situations: The more a person wants the job or feels pressure to perform, the more likely they are to fake.

• Social desirability: People sometimes try to say what they think the employer wants to hear, even if it is not entirely true. 

• Ability to fake: Faking is not just about motivation. A person also needs to understand which answers are considered "better" or more appealing. Well-designed assessments can make it more challenging to identify the answers easily, thus reducing the risk of applicants faking. 

• Cultural differences: Cultural background can influence the extent and nature of faking. What seems like faking in one culture may be normal communication in another. 

Is faking something to be concerned about? Does it affect hiring accuracy? 

Some people may be concerned that faking undermines the validity of assessments and leads to incorrect decisions. However, research shows that faking does not significantly affect candidates’ assessment accuracy. Some studies suggest that people who know how to present themselves well may also be good at adjusting to workplace expectations. 

How Thomas minimises the risk of faking

At Thomas, our assessments are designed with fairness and accuracy in mind. We make use of several factors to reduce the risk of faking: 

• Forced-choice assessments: Our Behaviour assessment asks people to choose between equally desirable options, making it more challenging to determine the most favourable option.  

• Real-world norms: We base our scoring on data from real assessment takers, not idealised samples. This ensures that candidates are fairly compared to others in realistic settings that reflect actual conditions. This means that some level of faking is accounted for. 

• Thoughtful design: Using carefully considered and validated questions that are clear, relevant, and well-structured. 
• Ongoing research: We continuously refine our tools based on the latest psychological science to ensure they remain effective and fair. 

Faking detection scales: 

Some assessments use scales to flag responses that may indicate applicants are faking. However, research cautions that such scales should be used with some consideration. Studies have found that using such scales can introduce bias, especially against certain demographic groups, even if those people were not faking. For this reason, Thomas’ assessments do not contain any faking detection scale. Instead, we continue to refine and evolve our assessments based on ongoing research to ensure scientific validity and fairness.  

Final thoughts 

Although faking can happen in some assessments, it has little significant impact on the accuracy of candidates’ overall results. Well-designed assessments are built to be fair, robust, and accurate, even when people try to manage impressions. Assessment publishers are responsible for ensuring assessments are designed to provide fair, accurate insights into candidates, despite the tendency for applicants to show some faking behaviour. Organisations like the British Psychological Society can provide independent reviews of such assessments to improve confidence in their use.  

While no method is completely perfect, using the right tools and benchmarks helps organisations make confident, informed hiring decisions. When making any people-related decision, it is always best to combine assessments, interviews, and other methods to get a comprehensive picture of a candidate or employee.