Games Job-Seekers Play:

Many small businesses find misspellings and fibs on résumés; but that will decline, If only because many small businesses say they won't be hiring

Two-thirds of the small businesses in a recent survey said up to half their job applicants lie. And two-thirds said up to half the résumés they receive have misspellings.

"In human resources, we knew this kind of thing was getting worse," says Vic Tanon, chief simplicity officer for Emplicity, a California professional employer organization. "But we had no idea it had gotten this bad."

As part of its quarterly NAPEO's Workplace Today survey, the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations in early August questioned 352 businesses that outsource human resource chores to its members, such as recruiting and administering health benefits.

As workers change jobs faster these days, businesses need to know why so they can figure out how to keep talented people. In the survey of recruiting and retention, the single biggest reason for leaving was personal.

The next most common reason: Better pay. But nearly as many companies said people left because these businesses fired them. That indicates a problem at the beginning of the hiring process - a glitch that lets unsuitable employees through the net, and a place where small businesses could use help.

"It's bad news for any company when trained and experienced workers walk out the door," says Tanon. "But it's especially hard on small businesses that don't have the deep bench of larger companies. That's why it's so important for small businesses to stay on top of how they recruit and retain people."

Half these small businesses said they won't be hiring or firing people in the last three months of the year. Parts of the economy, like housing and the credit markets, are wobbling, and a key piece of this puzzle is how the labor market will hold up in the coming months.

Even as most of the other half of these small businesses said they would hire, it's clear many - at least for now - remain cautious.

Emplicity, with locations in Irvine, Silicon Valley, Sacramento and San Antonio, Texas, simplifies the lives of its clients and their 3,000 employees nationwide, eliminating the human-resources burdens of employers with five to 250 employees.

To review the survey report, visit the NAPEO Web site.


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