TalentShield – a guarantee of authenticity for IT candidates
We eliminate fake profiles and embellished CVs before they ever reach your pipeline. Our process combines data analysis, a video interview, and experience verification – so you can be sure you’re speaking with genuine specialists.
How common are fake candidates in IT recruitment?
In 2025, it’s estimated that as many as 16.8% of CVs come from candidates who… don’t exist.
What’s more, Gartner predicts that by 2028, 1 in 4 candidates (25%) may be fake or heavily misrepresented — with the IT sector being especially at risk, as remote work and AI make it easier to create artificial profiles.
That’s why we introduced TalentShield at Team Up — a process designed to protect your pipeline from this threat.
Importantly, every one of our clients can always count on top-quality service. TalentShield isn’t an add-on but a standard — completely free and always included in our recruitment services.
Our process, your protection
How does TalentShield process work?
TalentShield is a three-step candidate verification system that distinguishes genuine specialists from artificially generated profiles. Every candidate we recommend receives a clear status – indicated by the appropriate TalentShield Badge:
Level 1:
TalentShield Verified
The standard verification includes a CV and LinkedIn profile analysis, a phone interview, and confirmation of key elements: employment history accuracy, scope of responsibilities, employment periods, education, and consistency of information across sources.
Level 2:
TalentShield Advanced
Every candidate undergoes a video interview, during which we verify their technical and communication skills. We also ask them to provide materials that confirm their competencies (e.g., code repositories, industry certificates).
Level 3:
TalentShield Max
Extended verification, including references and formal identity confirmation (used only for high-risk roles). To maintain the highest possible candidate experience, this level is applied only at the explicit request of the client.
What does this mean for you?
Minimized risk of fake CVs
You don’t waste time on fake profiles. When you work with us, you’re guaranteed that only real candidates with verified experience enter the process.
A clear status with every recommendation
Every recommendation includes a clear verification status – you know exactly what has been checked and why. It’s a guarantee of full transparency and trust throughout the process.
Safer hiring decisions
Full transparency and thorough profile verification ensure that your hiring decisions are informed and safe – based on facts, not promises.
Knowledge base
Learn more about candidate verification
Read our articles about fake candidates in IT recruitment and how to verify candidates legally.
Fake IT candidates are a growing problem in the recruitment market
Learn more about this phenomenon!
AI tools make it possible to generate realistic CVs, synthetic video during recruitment interviews (deepfakes), fictitious GitHub repositories and fake LinkedIn profiles with an activity history.
Yes. Cases where candidates use real-time face and voice swapping tools (e.g. HeyGen, DeepFaceLive) are becoming increasingly common. Video is not reliable proof of identity, which is why additional verification is required.
Yes, they can do it with the help of AI (e.g. ChatGPT, Copilot) or specialised “proxy testing” tools. Standard online coding tests do not guarantee that the task is completed by the person who applied.
It is worth starting with checks that are invisible to the candidate: consistency between the CV and their online profile, whether the companies they list exist, and their technical footprint (e.g. GitHub, portfolio). If there are no doubts, there is no need to go further. Only specific warning signs justify additional questions, a video interview with identity verification or reference checks. This approach protects the process without harming the candidate experience.
The consequences can be very serious: exposure of system access credentials, lost time and recruitment costs, the risk of a data security breach (GDPR) and, when working for the financial or defence sector, a real compliance threat. That is why verification should not rely on tools alone, but also on the expertise of experienced recruiters.
Yes. Remote work removes physical identity verification, makes it harder to observe behaviour during tests and allows candidates to use AI in real time without the recruiter knowing.
The roles most affected by fraud are developers (especially frontend and full-stack), cybersecurity specialists, DevOps engineers and AI/ML engineers – where salaries are highest and technical verification is hardest for recruiters without a technical background.
Looking for a partner who can deliver verified tech candidates?
Get in touch with us and see the TalentShield process in action.