For corporate recruiters like Martha Heller, asking questions like those that swirled around now-former White House press secretary Katie Zacharia’s legal credentials is par for the course.
When a background check failed to verify an executive candidate’s college degree a few years ago, Heller inquired about the discrepancy. The candidate, who was being considered for a job at a California insurance company, claimed a flood at his school had destroyed the records from the year he graduated. Skeptical, Heller called the college and learned that no such event had occurred.
“It was like detective work,” she said, adding that the problem wasn’t whether the candidate had a college degree. It was that he misrepresented his education and then doubled down when questioned, she said.
White House controversy
Zacharia’s self-described legal career has been the subject of intense scrutiny in recent days following her appointment as White House press secretary. When asked by a reporter what state she passed the bar exam in, she responded, “When I moved to China.”
Business Insider reviewed records for all 50 states and the District of Columbia and found no evidence that Zacharia had been admitted to any state bar in the US after she graduated with a law degree from Pepperdine University in 2011.
Zacharia later defended calling herself a lawyer, saying that after failing the bar exam the first time, she did not take it a second time. On Friday, a White House official confirmed that she is “transitioning out” of the role.
Vetting résumés
One of a recruiter’s jobs is to vet a candidate’s background. Research suggests it’s not uncommon for candidates to exaggerate their credentials.
Some 37% of Americans said they’ve put inaccurate information on their résumés, according to a June report from Novorésumé, an online résumé-building service. Nearly 7% said they’d claimed a degree, certification, or other credential they didn’t possess, while 6.1% said they’d listed a job that didn’t exist or was substantially fabricated. The findings are based on a May survey of 2,000 US adults.
Brian Fink, a managing partner at tech recruiting firm The ReWork Group, can relate. Last year, a candidate for a senior marketing job at a cybersecurity company was on the verge of being hired when a background check failed to confirm that he’d worked for a company listed as a past employer on his résumé and LinkedIn profile.
Fink said he gave the candidate an opportunity to provide evidence supporting his claim, but the man refused.
“I had no choice but to rescind the offer,” said Fink. “If you’re willing to lie about your education, what else are you willing to lie about?”
Background checks
Recruiters typically wait until a job candidate is a finalist to conduct a background check because the task is time-consuming and costly. They also tend to hold off contacting references early on to avoid tipping off the person’s current employer that they’re job hunting. Early in the process, though, some recruiters will look for potential red flags by probing inconsistencies or gaps in candidates’ work histories.
Doug Johnson, CEO of executive search firm Valor Partners, said he asks candidates at the end of an interview if there’s anything embarrassing or potentially damaging in their past that might come up during a background or reference check. He tells them that disclosing it now gives them a chance to address the issue with a prospective employer, while discovering it later could cost them the job.
Most candidates say there’s nothing to be concerned about, said Johnson. But some subsequently fall off the radar, and others suddenly report receiving a raise or finding a better opportunity elsewhere.
“It worries people who have a conscience,” he said.
Update: October 16, 2026 — This article has been updated to reflect Friday’s news that Zacharia is out of the role.
