Discussion
A little bit of history first. Not digging for sympathy or whatever, just telling it as it is so maybe you understand.
When I was in senior school I was bullied pretty much the entire time. Throughout year 10 it got worse and I started not turning up for school at all. Year 11 started and before xmas something happened and I bailed. I "left school" with no GCSEs at all. Totally qualification-less.
I'm 29 now and for the last 10 years or so I've put that I achieved 5 GCSEs of C grade or better. It seemed to be the only way I would be considered for job interviews. It's not like I put false O levels or masters degrees on there. Anyway, I've flitted from job to job and not once has the employer double checked or requested to see my GCSE certificates. I didn't even consider it a thing any more. Until today.
I'm in the middle of applying for a job with a large UK company. I passed the online application and I passed the telephone interview about an hour ago. Next step is a half day at their training centre and they have requested that I take my GCSE certificates with me. I tried to wriggle out of it saying it was 13 years ago and I'd lost them in a move. Then they asked if I could apply to have them sent out to me.
I've spoken to a friend who got me to apply for this job and he said that a couple of other applicants had failed grades on their CV so were made to take the equivalency tests. They passed and everything continued as normal for them. I'm worried that because I outright lied that I won't be given such an opportunity.
A few years ago I took a few NVQs while I was in a retail job. Funnily enough the woman who I did the course with didn't even check my GCSEs, she just took my word on it and put me on the appropriate level NVQ.
I suppose my question is can I actually get past this? I'm hoping when the day comes that I need to give the certificates in that I can just tell the truth and it falls on a sympathetic ear and not a jobsworth. It's not the end of the world if I don't get the job, I'm already employed but this new position is with a friend and doing something that I have more of an interest in.
Anyway, inb4 flames.
When I was in senior school I was bullied pretty much the entire time. Throughout year 10 it got worse and I started not turning up for school at all. Year 11 started and before xmas something happened and I bailed. I "left school" with no GCSEs at all. Totally qualification-less.
I'm 29 now and for the last 10 years or so I've put that I achieved 5 GCSEs of C grade or better. It seemed to be the only way I would be considered for job interviews. It's not like I put false O levels or masters degrees on there. Anyway, I've flitted from job to job and not once has the employer double checked or requested to see my GCSE certificates. I didn't even consider it a thing any more. Until today.
I'm in the middle of applying for a job with a large UK company. I passed the online application and I passed the telephone interview about an hour ago. Next step is a half day at their training centre and they have requested that I take my GCSE certificates with me. I tried to wriggle out of it saying it was 13 years ago and I'd lost them in a move. Then they asked if I could apply to have them sent out to me.
I've spoken to a friend who got me to apply for this job and he said that a couple of other applicants had failed grades on their CV so were made to take the equivalency tests. They passed and everything continued as normal for them. I'm worried that because I outright lied that I won't be given such an opportunity.
A few years ago I took a few NVQs while I was in a retail job. Funnily enough the woman who I did the course with didn't even check my GCSEs, she just took my word on it and put me on the appropriate level NVQ.
I suppose my question is can I actually get past this? I'm hoping when the day comes that I need to give the certificates in that I can just tell the truth and it falls on a sympathetic ear and not a jobsworth. It's not the end of the world if I don't get the job, I'm already employed but this new position is with a friend and doing something that I have more of an interest in.
Anyway, inb4 flames.
Pull out of the application citing something that will ensure you have not burnt the bridge for the future.
Take some GCSEs - Sounds a bit blase but I'm sure sitting the exams for Maths and English wouldn't require any effort to get a pass. Quite possibly History, Science and others for many too.
Armed with certs you can then forget about it.
Take some GCSEs - Sounds a bit blase but I'm sure sitting the exams for Maths and English wouldn't require any effort to get a pass. Quite possibly History, Science and others for many too.
Armed with certs you can then forget about it.
jonnydm said:
Pull out of the application citing something that will ensure you have not burnt the bridge for the future.
Take some GCSEs - Sounds a bit blase but I'm sure sitting the exams for Maths and English wouldn't require any effort to get a pass. Quite possibly History, Science and others for many too.
Armed with certs you can then forget about it.
Sounds like your best option - and hope on reapplication someone doesn't remember the GCSEs being listed previously. Take some GCSEs - Sounds a bit blase but I'm sure sitting the exams for Maths and English wouldn't require any effort to get a pass. Quite possibly History, Science and others for many too.
Armed with certs you can then forget about it.
I interviewed for a position at our place and a guy had claimed he had a certain qualification - transpired at interview that he'd taken the exam and failed "only by 3% so I figured that was good enough" was his reply.
Whilst pissed off that he'd wasted my time, I was then harassed for f
king weeks by the agency who wanted to know why we hadn't progressed with his application. I'm surprised an employer wants to see GCSE certs.
If it was me, and it's not me, so this is observation not advice, I'd come clean and explain what and why. They might appreciate the honesty. It's certainly better than no job, or being turfed out having being discovered later.
You (OP) seem to have s pretty good grasp of written English, hopefully your potential employers see that.
If it was me, and it's not me, so this is observation not advice, I'd come clean and explain what and why. They might appreciate the honesty. It's certainly better than no job, or being turfed out having being discovered later.
You (OP) seem to have s pretty good grasp of written English, hopefully your potential employers see that.
I'd be 50/50 on coming clean now or quietly withdrawing my application. Cetainly don't get yourself any further down the line and risk wasting more of people's time. If you really want to work for this employer you'll need to come clean now otherwise any future CV will show a discrepency, so they'll spot the lie anyway.
Long term take some evening classes and get some actual pieces of paper. It might even be fun
Long term take some evening classes and get some actual pieces of paper. It might even be fun
tenpenceshort said:
I'm surprised an employer wants to see GCSE certs.
If it was me, and it's not me, so this is observation not advice, I'd come clean and explain what and why. They might appreciate the honesty. It's certainly better than no job, or being turfed out having being discovered later.
You (OP) seem to have s pretty good grasp of written English, hopefully your potential employers see that.
Don't be. Joined my last employer 4 years ago and they wanted every certificate on my CV - and I mean everything. Originals, not copies too (had to get one resent to me as I"d mislaid it). If it was me, and it's not me, so this is observation not advice, I'd come clean and explain what and why. They might appreciate the honesty. It's certainly better than no job, or being turfed out having being discovered later.
You (OP) seem to have s pretty good grasp of written English, hopefully your potential employers see that.
CasuallyDressed said:
(Edited)
I've spoken to a friend who got me to apply for this job and he said that a couple of other applicants had failed grades on their CV so were made to take the equivalency tests. They passed and everything continued as normal for them. I'm worried that because I outright lied that I won't be given such an opportunity.
I suppose my question is can I actually get past this? I'm hoping when the day comes that I need to give the certificates in that I can just tell the truth and it falls on a sympathetic ear and not a jobsworth. It's not the end of the world if I don't get the job, I'm already employed but this new position is with a friend and doing something that I have more of an interest in.
I'm sorry that you've found yourself in this awful situation. As someone who was bullied, I can empathise. As someone who hires a lot of people, I want to yell at you.I've spoken to a friend who got me to apply for this job and he said that a couple of other applicants had failed grades on their CV so were made to take the equivalency tests. They passed and everything continued as normal for them. I'm worried that because I outright lied that I won't be given such an opportunity.
I suppose my question is can I actually get past this? I'm hoping when the day comes that I need to give the certificates in that I can just tell the truth and it falls on a sympathetic ear and not a jobsworth. It's not the end of the world if I don't get the job, I'm already employed but this new position is with a friend and doing something that I have more of an interest in.
Your first loyalty needs to be to your friend: don't make him look bad in front of his employers. If your industry is as small as mine, it could affect both of you for a long time.
Next, don't try faking certificates as that takes you into seriously fraudulent territory.
In your shoes, I'd either withdraw from the whole process or turn up without the certificates and ask to be allowed to do the equivalency tests "because you can't find them and it's expensive to order new ones".
Do not, under ANY circumstances, be tempted to turn up on the day and tell the truth to a junior HR flunky who has absolutely no ability to bend the rules. This will not go well...
Good luck, and I hope you've learned a lesson from this.
toasty said:
I just put I have 8 O-levels which is true.
I never mention which grades I got, there were a few Ds and Es.
It's not though, is it? A-C was an O Level pass, D-E was a CSE (so not an O Level)I never mention which grades I got, there were a few Ds and Es.
I agree that some of this is rarely asked, and even more-rarely important, but honesty is key.
OP - either 'fess up right now, or withdraw, qualify and re-apply. Good luck.
CharlesdeGaulle said:
toasty said:
I just put I have 8 O-levels which is true.
I never mention which grades I got, there were a few Ds and Es.
It's not though, is it? A-C was an O Level pass, D-E was a CSE (so not an O Level)I never mention which grades I got, there were a few Ds and Es.
I agree that some of this is rarely asked, and even more-rarely important, but honesty is key.
OP - either 'fess up right now, or withdraw, qualify and re-apply. Good luck.
Possibly hypocritically, I agree with you on the OP's situation though.
To the OP: What you have done, time and time again is actually commit a criminal offence of Fraud. You have lied in order to gain something to which you wouldn't be entitled to. Not sure how serious this is, and I doubt you'd get more than a police caution, and whilst I think most people would understand why you did this, it's WRONG (as in living a lie, that will and has come back to bite you)
What you need to do is find an excuse for NOT taking your application further, and then when you apply in future start telling the Truth. Then you need to go to night school, and get some relevant qualifications. Perhaps start with the Local Council's adult careers advisor. - I had a 3 hour session with a nice lady from Connexions about 13 years ago and it put me in the right direction for a career change.
What you need to do is find an excuse for NOT taking your application further, and then when you apply in future start telling the Truth. Then you need to go to night school, and get some relevant qualifications. Perhaps start with the Local Council's adult careers advisor. - I had a 3 hour session with a nice lady from Connexions about 13 years ago and it put me in the right direction for a career change.
CharlesdeGaulle said:
toasty said:
I just put I have 8 O-levels which is true.
I never mention which grades I got, there were a few Ds and Es.
It's not though, is it? A-C was an O Level pass, D-E was a CSE (so not an O Level)I never mention which grades I got, there were a few Ds and Es.
I agree that some of this is rarely asked, and even more-rarely important, but honesty is key.
OP - either 'fess up right now, or withdraw, qualify and re-apply. Good luck.
toasty said:
don't believe you are correct, I took Olevel French for example and got a D. This is the equivalent of some form of CSE grade but is still Olevel grade D.
Possibly hypocritically, I agree with you on the OP's situation though.
Grades D and below were fails. Grades A-C were required to pass an O level.Possibly hypocritically, I agree with you on the OP's situation though.
Pit Pony said:
You have lied in order to gain something to which you wouldn't be entitled to. Not sure how serious this is, and I doubt you'd get more than a police caution
Yes, the police love nothing more than spending time on fictitious CV's. I once said I played for the village football team on my CV, after lengthy investigations it was discovered I only had trials, luckily I only got a suspended sentence.
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