Malpractices by candidates during online assessments is one of the biggest fears among recruiters and talent acquisition specialists, according to a report by India-based recruitment automation firm HirePro and the Press Trust of India.

The report showed that fraudulent practices by candidates during online assessments have emerged as the biggest fear of the participants (39%), followed by anxiety over finding the right candidate for a role (37%). The lack of effective tools to gauge specific skills has emerged as the next significant worry among 26% of recruiters.

During the recruitment planning phase, the anxiety of finding the right candidate for a role (37%) is the biggest concern for recruiters and talent acquisition specialists, followed by the uncertainty of meeting hiring targets (32%), in case it concerns planning for high-volume hiring and hiring for specific skill sets.

In the candidate engagement phase, the report found that the inability to ascertain whether candidates are exploring multiple job offers (29%) and the anxiety surrounding offer rejections or candidate no-shows (28%) are among the top fears. This was followed by the stress of losing candidates due to budget constraints (25%).

During the interviewing phase, the management of candidates' and hiring managers' availability is a concurring challenge, the report noted.

The responses from recruiters revealed that candidates not showing up for interviews (30.5%) is ranked as the top fear and candidate impersonation (27.5%) and delayed feedback from hiring managers (27%) add to this stress, it added. When it comes to college hiring, the report highlighted that the absence of automation or the dependency on manual processes (23%) is the most significant challenge. This is closely followed by the stress arising from high-volume hiring (19%), it stated.

HirePro Chief Operating Officer S Pasupathi said, "The findings from this report act as a mirror, reflecting the unfiltered emotional challenges and apprehensions faced by recruitment teams every day. The anxieties are real, be it fraudulent practices of candidates in assessments, finding genuine talent, overcoming offer rejections, or combating candidate impersonation," HirePro Chief Operating Officer S Pasupathi said.

The report by HirePro is based on a survey among 837 recruiters, talent acquisition specialists, and HR professionals during October 2023 to March 2024.