Author: By René Seifert, co-founder of TrueProfile.io

With Brexit fully underway, recruiters across the UK are now trying to stem the recruitment gap by sourcing new, qualified professionals from across the globe. As a result, various sectors such as healthcare are facing significant challenges which include bridging the skills gap, while ensuring that international candidates’ academic and professional credentials are authentic.

Traditionally, professional document verification is known to be a complex and lengthy process, made even more complicated by a high rate of unverified candidates and fraudulent applicants. For example, an investigation by the BBC found that in 2013 and 2014 more than 3,000 fake qualifications were sold to UK-based buyers. Similarly, in 2017 YouGov found that one in ten Brits lie on their CVs.

However, a primary source verification (PSV) solution enhanced by blockchain technology is one of the latest innovations in the market that has the potential to transform the recruitment process as we know it.

What is blockchain-powered verification?

A blockchain is a shared file which records transactions. Each of the transactions, e.g. information, is added in as a ‘block’ and is stored decentralised in the chain which means that once added in, no one can interfere with or control its content. In practice, this means that once an applicant’s documents have been added, the applicant nor the recruiter or anyone else can tamper with the records because every member has to agree to its validity and can access the history of record changes.

Ethereum blockchain is an example of a type of public blockchain, which can easily be used across industries to validate documents. It allows users to always retain the ability to access their validation proof, even if the verification provider ceases to exist.

The privacy and security element of document verification

As passports or university certificates are highly sensitive documents in terms of the information they contain, blockchain technology allows such documents to be stored as “fingerprints” instead. Each fingerprint is individual and does not reveal any information about the document it belongs to, which of course safeguards the information it contains and enables the owner of the document – in this case, a job applicant – to choose exactly who can access their verified personal information. In computer science lingo, these fingerprints are called “hashes.” Bundled together, the signature of these hashes is stored on the blockchain and can be checked against an individual’s credentials.

Transforming the recruitment process

Blockchain technology is an innovation that could have enormous implications when it comes to recruitment and document verification, especially in a post-Brexit world. It allows recruiters to create a secure portal for applicants, allowing them to upload and verify their professional documents and data onto blockchain, which acts as a form of portable credentials. UK regulators, HR managers and recruiters will then be able to view and verify candidates’ credentials against the blockchain.

So, for regulators and HR managers, blockchain can drastically streamline the verification process by eliminating the continual churn of verification requests on employers and educational institutions every time a new candidate applies for a role.

Due to the decentralised nature of blockchain, this scenario offers a ‘verify once, use forever’ approach to verification, further reducing the strain on those in charge of hiring applicants from overseas. In addition, by offering an online and on-demand primary source verification (PSV) solution, it will also ensure that candidates’ credentials are authentic and issued by an accredited institution, eliminating the risk of hiring unqualified, fraudulent individuals.

For candidates themselves, the process is also expedited as their credentials only need to be verified once before being saved on the blockchain. They can then share this with potential employers at any point during their careers, who can check the validity of the verification against the blockchain, rather than having to verify the same information over and over every time an individual changes a job.

The concept of self-sovereign identity

In addition to the security benefits, the blockchain ‘fingerprint’ also constitutes an important building block within the concept of self-sovereign-identity, something that can be controlled by the user and only the user, so it can never be taken away. In practice, this means if someone secures a university diploma, they can add the ‘fingerprint’ of that verified diploma to their self-sovereign identity from one of the leading providers like for example uPort and the individual handles the control of their identity and how it is used entirely at their discretion

For individuals in highly regulated sectors such as healthcare, education and financial services, whenever they move jobs, they encounter the same background check process each time. It’s a nuisance for all involved and delays the recruitment process. Through the self-sovereign identity model, the individual can eliminate this friction through providing their pre-verified documents. Not only does this save the recruiter time and money, but it also makes the individual powerful, credible and ultimately, far more employable.