Lying on your CV to get a better job
Discussion
"Tailored embellishment" I believe is the phrase.
A cautionary example.
A good friend left school with one 'o' level but the right attitude that got him a reasonable job in insurance. He accelerated through the ranks using a completely fabricated CV that listed all manner of professional academic and achievements.
10 years or so ago, he had an opportunity of significant promotion and was put forward for such by his employer. This required him to study and take a professional exam, the entry requirements of which were all the various certificates and diplomas he'd claimed to have attained but hadn't. It was an important exam and required presentation of proof of achievements.
He was good at his job so didn't get fired but was obliged to sit the exams he said he had on his CVs which took 18 months and a lot (most) of his spare time. And he had to pay the course fees!
There's nothing wrong with a little tweak but outright lying does tend to catch up on you!
A cautionary example.
A good friend left school with one 'o' level but the right attitude that got him a reasonable job in insurance. He accelerated through the ranks using a completely fabricated CV that listed all manner of professional academic and achievements.
10 years or so ago, he had an opportunity of significant promotion and was put forward for such by his employer. This required him to study and take a professional exam, the entry requirements of which were all the various certificates and diplomas he'd claimed to have attained but hadn't. It was an important exam and required presentation of proof of achievements.
He was good at his job so didn't get fired but was obliged to sit the exams he said he had on his CVs which took 18 months and a lot (most) of his spare time. And he had to pay the course fees!
There's nothing wrong with a little tweak but outright lying does tend to catch up on you!
A lot of it is to do with titles -which are inherently b
ks, as already alluded to.
"cell leader" means nothing to me - and in a massive company could well be a very junior management/supervisor role". In a smaller company what's to say he wasn't doing the job of a production manager but for whatever reason didn't get the title that suited the role he felt was competent.
There's a difference between lying about qualifications (fraud) and lying about experience (prove it). If he's competent and stacks up...
ks, as already alluded to."cell leader" means nothing to me - and in a massive company could well be a very junior management/supervisor role". In a smaller company what's to say he wasn't doing the job of a production manager but for whatever reason didn't get the title that suited the role he felt was competent.
There's a difference between lying about qualifications (fraud) and lying about experience (prove it). If he's competent and stacks up...
I never lie on my CV, and I try not to in interviews either, I am just not very good at it.
And I have seen the results of people doing it, and I could not live with myself quite honestly. Have seen people escorted out of companies etc too due to lying.
If you do it routinely, I would look down on you completely, but I suppose I wish I could do the same
And I have seen the results of people doing it, and I could not live with myself quite honestly. Have seen people escorted out of companies etc too due to lying.
If you do it routinely, I would look down on you completely, but I suppose I wish I could do the same
The problem with lying about your experience is that sooner or later you'll be called upon to use the skill you don't have, and then you're in the crap. Not worth the stress in my opinion...
You can get promotions, pay rises and new jobs by just applying for the next level up and showing in interviews that you're competent. Most companies understand that people don't want to move from job A to job B at the same level unless they're out of work - most move for a pay rise, promotion, or both.
You can get promotions, pay rises and new jobs by just applying for the next level up and showing in interviews that you're competent. Most companies understand that people don't want to move from job A to job B at the same level unless they're out of work - most move for a pay rise, promotion, or both.
DanL said:
The problem with lying about your experience is that sooner or later you'll be called upon to use the skill you don't have, and then you're in the crap. Not worth the stress in my opinion...
You can get promotions, pay rises and new jobs by just applying for the next level up and showing in interviews that you're competent. Most companies understand that people don't want to move from job A to job B at the same level unless they're out of work - most move for a pay rise, promotion, or both.
you'd have to be a monumental bell end to lie about a 'hard' skill such as excel or speaking a foreign language fluently. But equally you'd have to be a bell end not to check these skills at interview. However a job requiring 'extensive leadership' experience. You could lie about that I'd guess. And you subsequent lack of leadership experience could be put down to being an 'old skool' manager...You can get promotions, pay rises and new jobs by just applying for the next level up and showing in interviews that you're competent. Most companies understand that people don't want to move from job A to job B at the same level unless they're out of work - most move for a pay rise, promotion, or both.
I've never lied on a CV or job application but I do wonder how many more interviews and opportunities I might have got - for jobs I know full well I could do - had I embellished things a little. I've had a miserable career while watching incompetent gobstes promoted into the stratosphere without doing anything of value, so I do wonder sometimes if I'd have had a fairer share of the breaks if I'd spend less time being competent and more time lying through my teeth to get what I wanted.
tes promoted into the stratosphere without doing anything of value, so I do wonder sometimes if I'd have had a fairer share of the breaks if I'd spend less time being competent and more time lying through my teeth to get what I wanted.MitchT said:
I've never lied on a CV or job application but I do wonder how many more interviews and opportunities I might have got - for jobs I know full well I could do - had I embellished things a little. I've had a miserable career while watching incompetent gobstes promoted into the stratosphere without doing anything of value, so I do wonder sometimes if I'd have had a fairer share of the breaks if I'd spend less time being competent and more time lying through my teeth to get what I wanted.
Almost defiantly tes promoted into the stratosphere without doing anything of value, so I do wonder sometimes if I'd have had a fairer share of the breaks if I'd spend less time being competent and more time lying through my teeth to get what I wanted.
I think bending the truth, vastly over exaggerating experience and potentially lying are just par for the course. It gets you in, it's too expensive for them to sack you, you end up gaining the experience you need. You earn double, triple what should in a short time .
Sure the above may not work for pure technical skills, but otherwise it does work. Men do it more. Why? Men are comfortable taking risks. Risk much, gain much.
Unfortunately, people with this attitude are rewarded in a capitalist market. Think of all the high paying jobs (eg bankers). Equally, how many incompetent directors of large enterprises have you met? They've got the gift of the gab coupled with bending the truth about their accomplishments. After that, they form alliances and make buddies, then protect each other. Easy career, six figure bonuses.
Look at it from another angle. Uber and their ilk break numerous laws and regulations to get their product to market. It's a big risk but they know once they penetrate the market, the cat's out the bag and there's nothing regulators can do. Rinse and repeat for your favourite tech companies, oil companies, banks...all too big to fail once they've made it. Was the risk worth it? Absolutely - if you're calculated.
So yes, lying does get you ahead if you're selective about it. It's a risk-reward game and playing it straight gets you average. I'm not condoning it but that's the world.
Sure the above may not work for pure technical skills, but otherwise it does work. Men do it more. Why? Men are comfortable taking risks. Risk much, gain much.
Unfortunately, people with this attitude are rewarded in a capitalist market. Think of all the high paying jobs (eg bankers). Equally, how many incompetent directors of large enterprises have you met? They've got the gift of the gab coupled with bending the truth about their accomplishments. After that, they form alliances and make buddies, then protect each other. Easy career, six figure bonuses.
Look at it from another angle. Uber and their ilk break numerous laws and regulations to get their product to market. It's a big risk but they know once they penetrate the market, the cat's out the bag and there's nothing regulators can do. Rinse and repeat for your favourite tech companies, oil companies, banks...all too big to fail once they've made it. Was the risk worth it? Absolutely - if you're calculated.
So yes, lying does get you ahead if you're selective about it. It's a risk-reward game and playing it straight gets you average. I'm not condoning it but that's the world.
JohnsMCS said:
I’ve just found out that a guy I interviewed and hired based upon his great experience has lied to me. Being that I am just a manager and do not own the company, and he’s actually turned out rather good and competent, I’m not going to say anything, but it really did get me thinking.
This guy turned up and claimed to have 3 years experience as a production manager in his previous post, I happened to find out through a mutual friend outside of work that he was in fact just a ‘cell leader’ for around 3 months before leaving. HR presumably sought appropriate references.
He’s now production manager where I work, doing a reasonably good job so far 3 months in, and no one suspects a thing. This guy has gone from a 25k p/a worker to a 45k p/a manager with private healthcare, company car allowance etc.
Is this a common thing? Have you ever known anyone successfully ‘blag’ or actually I guess fraud their way in to a good job?
Sorry not a chance I would keep quiet.This guy turned up and claimed to have 3 years experience as a production manager in his previous post, I happened to find out through a mutual friend outside of work that he was in fact just a ‘cell leader’ for around 3 months before leaving. HR presumably sought appropriate references.
He’s now production manager where I work, doing a reasonably good job so far 3 months in, and no one suspects a thing. This guy has gone from a 25k p/a worker to a 45k p/a manager with private healthcare, company car allowance etc.
Is this a common thing? Have you ever known anyone successfully ‘blag’ or actually I guess fraud their way in to a good job?
So if theres a major muck up in his department will you put your hands up or keep on keeping quiet?
Yup my mate lied to a paint and decorator firm. "Done it for 10 years" etc etc.
Sacked after a week as he obviously had zero clue and thought "how hard can painting be" well played.
Downright lying about qualifications I wouldn't do, but downright full on exaggeration to the fullest? Yes.
Sacked after a week as he obviously had zero clue and thought "how hard can painting be" well played.
Downright lying about qualifications I wouldn't do, but downright full on exaggeration to the fullest? Yes.
JohnsMCS said:
I’ve just found out that a guy I interviewed and hired based upon his great experience has lied to me. Being that I am just a manager and do not own the company, and he’s actually turned out rather good and competent, I’m not going to say anything, but it really did get me thinking.
This guy turned up and claimed to have 3 years experience as a production manager in his previous post, I happened to find out through a mutual friend outside of work that he was in fact just a ‘cell leader’ for around 3 months before leaving. HR presumably sought appropriate references.
He’s now production manager where I work, doing a reasonably good job so far 3 months in, and no one suspects a thing. This guy has gone from a 25k p/a worker to a 45k p/a manager with private healthcare, company car allowance etc.
Is this a common thing? Have you ever known anyone successfully ‘blag’ or actually I guess fraud their way in to a good job?
Sack the guy for bring dishonest? All the jobs I have had do reference checks, any lies and you are out. They wanted all my certs also.This guy turned up and claimed to have 3 years experience as a production manager in his previous post, I happened to find out through a mutual friend outside of work that he was in fact just a ‘cell leader’ for around 3 months before leaving. HR presumably sought appropriate references.
He’s now production manager where I work, doing a reasonably good job so far 3 months in, and no one suspects a thing. This guy has gone from a 25k p/a worker to a 45k p/a manager with private healthcare, company car allowance etc.
Is this a common thing? Have you ever known anyone successfully ‘blag’ or actually I guess fraud their way in to a good job?
Pit Pony said:
It's actually a criminal offence to knowingly make a false statement with the sole aim.of financial gain.
I've had people do phone interviews, be really good, then turn up on site for physical interview and it's blatantly a different person, could barely speak English in one case.Have also met a contractor from abroad who was utterly useless, asked him why he worked in that industry and his game was to blag the interview with some buzzwords, then first month bad performance can be put down to settling in, second month you start with excuses "oh it's not very well documented", or "you weren't clear you wanted X so I've done Y", if you're still there in the third month then go fully on the blag or just hide in the bogs etc. Usually binned by month 4, having earnt 3 months of decent contract rates, then onto the next company. Do that for 2-3 years, go home and buy a house with the money. I've come across several others from same part of the world who were clearly on the same game.
Nothing happened to any of them, big employers don't typically report it as it makes the hiring manager look bad and we can't have that!
For some people lying on their CVs is a career ending move - Tania Bains was a solicitor and, like the chap in the OP, was apparently pretty good at her job.
Trouble is she'd lied on her CV to get in the door (law remains highly competitive- god knows why, it's an awful job). And because that's deemed to be dishonesty it was a one way street out of the profession for her.
So, after the costs of university and law school and then having an established CV she's out on her ear and working out what else she can do with her life....
Link
for the OP, while yours may not be so highly regulated as this part of the law, nonetheless you should protect yourself at work by having an off the record conversation with someone more senior.
Trouble is she'd lied on her CV to get in the door (law remains highly competitive- god knows why, it's an awful job). And because that's deemed to be dishonesty it was a one way street out of the profession for her.
So, after the costs of university and law school and then having an established CV she's out on her ear and working out what else she can do with her life....
Link
for the OP, while yours may not be so highly regulated as this part of the law, nonetheless you should protect yourself at work by having an off the record conversation with someone more senior.
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