Fake degrees

[4x4Tyke]

Dog Star said:

I have a degree in computer science, I have 26 years experience as an analyst/programmer/tester - the last 15 have been in software test and dev. However to get past recruiters, many of who are thick as mince and have no idea what they are asking for, you will often get asked for an "ISEB" - these are a pretty low level certificate - especially compared to a degree, decades of experience with some big clients and excellent references. However if you haven't got one you aren't getting past the recruiter. I haven't got one. But I just say "yes" if asked by the agency. Gets me past the recruiter and in no case has the actual employer wanted it.

My response is usually, strong but entirely fake indignation and a comment such as :-

"Would you ask doctor if he had a first aid certificate"

[Plymo]

HD Adam said:

I have a fake degree

Working for a multinational oil service company, they transferred me to Brunei.

I was already in country when the visa paperwork was being sorted and it turns out that if you are an ex-pat, you need a degree, which I don't have.

My manager sorted one for me.

Quite fancied a Doctorate in Astrophysics or similar but he got me a 2.2 in Sports Science from the University of Lagos.

Barst

Was accepted though.

It was quite common in one of the shipping companies I worked for to "issue" qualifications for visa purposes.
More concerning is a lot of the Russians paying someone to take some of their Officer's exams for them - because it's cheaper than having to travel across half the country!

Sadly I never got a fake degree, but I did get a Marshall Islands "Seaman Discharge Book" which gets a few laughs!
Oh, and the ships ID cards I made one afternoon with a phone camera and excel...

[TheGuru]

kev1974 said:

This, I can see why people might resort to fake degrees to get past dumb HR department front-line robots classifying a random degree over a couple of decades of useful experience!

Yes, they are a big problem IMO, even worse some companies will have recruitment agencies that are only allowed to say submit 2 CV's for a role, which go to the HR department and finally the hiring manager. 2 layers of dumb, inexperienced graduates to get through. Always galling when you have 20 years experience with C Suite executives and when applying for new roles you have to meet with the 22yo agency worker for an interview first.

[King Herald]

HD Adam said:

I have a fake degree

Working for a multinational oil service company, they transferred me to Brunei.

I was already in country when the visa paperwork was being sorted and it turns out that if you are an ex-pat, you need a degree, which I don't have.....

I worked for Shell in Brunei on a huge oil survey project many years ago, in Kuala Belait. No worries about degrees, but the absolute maximum age permitted by Shell was 55, and several of our seniors guys were well over that age. Our rather large oil company produced fake papers etc to get them their work permits.

Oddly enough, I was 39 at the time, and the youngest expat on our crew.

[Dog Star]

4x4Tyke said:

My response is usually, strong but entirely fake indignation and a comment such as :-

"Would you ask doctor if he had a first aid certificate"

Martin - you get it!

[bongtom]

sanguinary said:

People want it all. Now, not tomorrow.

I did not go to University. I could not walk off the street and expect to be considered for my job - in fact my employer would probably seek a certain level of candidate (I would hope! ). However, I've spent the last 20 years working to the point I can demonstrate my competency and experience.

The number of people I interview, or read their CVs, wanting the world on a stick increases every time I advertise a new role.

One member of staff (straight out of college) left after 3 weeks on the shop floor, when he realised he 'wouldn't be sitting in my chair' as he put it, within a year.

It does seem there’s a generation who do expect everything, are offended easily and are pretty weak generally. “He called me shorty. I want compo”.
I blame their parents. So mainly 40 to 50 year olds!

At a job interview - I guess I was about 20 - the director asked me where I’d like to be within the company in five years. “In your seat” was my reply. Got the job.

I should have said shagging Nicky in sales after banging Angela on reception. (Which did happen. Names have not been changed to protect the not so innocent).

[Popeyed]

Plymo said:

HD Adam said:

I have a fake degree

Working for a multinational oil service company, they transferred me to Brunei.

I was already in country when the visa paperwork was being sorted and it turns out that if you are an ex-pat, you need a degree, which I don't have.

My manager sorted one for me.

Quite fancied a Doctorate in Astrophysics or similar but he got me a 2.2 in Sports Science from the University of Lagos.

Barst

Was accepted though.

It was quite common in one of the shipping companies I worked for to "issue" qualifications for visa purposes.
More concerning is a lot of the Russians paying someone to take some of their Officer's exams for them - because it's cheaper than having to travel across half the country!

Sadly I never got a fake degree, but I did get a Marshall Islands "Seaman Discharge Book" which gets a few laughs!
Oh, and the ships ID cards I made one afternoon with a phone camera and excel...

A discharge book is not a qualification, just a record of sea service. I once applied for a Liberian Chief Officer’s Certificate of Competency. I received back a Chief Engineer’s ticket, steam and motor!

[jimPH]

bongtom said:

sanguinary said:

People want it all. Now, not tomorrow.

I did not go to University. I could not walk off the street and expect to be considered for my job - in fact my employer would probably seek a certain level of candidate (I would hope! ). However, I've spent the last 20 years working to the point I can demonstrate my competency and experience.

The number of people I interview, or read their CVs, wanting the world on a stick increases every time I advertise a new role.

One member of staff (straight out of college) left after 3 weeks on the shop floor, when he realised he 'wouldn't be sitting in my chair' as he put it, within a year.

It does seem there’s a generation who do expect everything, are offended easily and are pretty weak generally. “He called me shorty. I want compo”.
I blame their parents. So mainly 40 to 50 year olds!

At a job interview - I guess I was about 20 - the director asked me where I’d like to be within the company in five years. “In your seat” was my reply. Got the job.

I should have said shagging Nicky in sales after banging Angela on reception. (Which did happen. Names have not been changed to protect the not so innocent).

That line is as old as the hills, you must be one of those guys who can say anything and make it look jovial. If I tried to pull that off, I wouldn't get a second interview.

[Dog Star]

jimPH said:

That line is as old as the hills, you must be one of those guys who can say anything and make it look jovial. If I tried to pull that off, I wouldn't get a second interview.

If someone tried it with me I'd think they were a total bellend - a bit of a Colin off the Fast Show. I'd be trying to end the interview as quickly as possible and get them out of the door.