ONE IN 20 CANDIDATES FIBS IN THEIR APPLICATION, SAYS EXPERT
Graduates keen to land a job should not be tempted to massage the truth when completing their application, an expert has warned.
Richard Connelly from Agenda Security Services told Graduate Fog he’s seen a rise in the number of employers asking about his company’s services, which involve pre-employment screening, vetting and background checks. Employers are definitely becoming more cautious about who they hire, he says.
It seems they may have good reason to be suspicious. When we asked Connelly how many people lie on their CV, he said:
“We average one in 20 candidates provide some form of inaccurate information during the screening process, ranging from address history to work experience – but details concerning education contain the most areas of doubt.
“A candidate stated to us that she had a Masters degree but when we checked it was discovered that she had not paid for this qualification and therefore could not use it on her CV. When we informed the client, the candidate was refused the employment.”
Is missing out on a job the worst that can happen? It’s not illegal to tell a white lie, is it?
“Yes it is and can constitute a criminal offence under the Fraud Act 2006. There are well documented cases where people have even received prison sentences.”
Gulp.
Connelly is right. In December 2009 NHS human resources manager Kerrie Devine, 33, received a six month suspended prison sentence and an order to pay £9,600 for lying about her qualifications to Devon Primary Care Trust. She was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of community work.
What did Devine fib about?
In fairness, it was a whopper. In fact, it was several whoppers.
She falsely claimed to be part way through a Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) course and to hold a degree in Human Resource Management from Oxford Brookes University.
She also said she held a certificate in Marketing from the same university, and a Chartered Institute of Marketing Advanced Certificate from Swindon College.
She didn’t. Oops.
And for any Foggers still thinking of taking an ‘elastic’ approach towards the truth in their next application, Connelly warns you to think through the consequences carefully before making things up:
“Being a retired police officer I would never advise anyone to lie about anything. What they have to understand is that if they lie about something and they get the job, that lie will remain a threat to them forever and if it is found out many years later and they are still in the same job they could still be dismissed or even prosecuted.”
*Have you ever fibbed in a job application?
Did you know it was illegal – and if not, do you think someone should have warned you? Did you get rumbled, was the stress not worth it – or did nobody ever find out? If you’ve never lied before, are you desperate enough for a job that you might consider taking your chances? (Remember, no judgment! You just might not want to use your real name when you post your comment…)
Errr…don’t think you really found out that 1 in 20 grads lie in their application as you tweeted – Richard Connelly from Agenda Security Services did….
I have stretched the dates of jobs I have had in the past (not the most recent job). I do not do that anymore because I have improved my CV. When I graduated I registered with recruitment agencies and work experience was required for even the easy minimum wage jobs anyone can do. Many graduates did not do any work experience as part of their degree so it would be very tempting for them to lie on their CV. After I graduated a degree seemed to be a barrier to employment when I saw that my friends who had no degree (some did NVQ’s instead) were not expected to work unpaid in internships and had paid jobs.
@Grad26
Like you, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a rise in the number of graduates who are prepared to fib on their CV if it means getting a job. As you say, the fact that so many entry-level jobs seem to require ever-longer periods of experience as well as a degree before grads are even eligible to apply has backed thousands of young people into a corner.
I suspect we will see this practice on the rise – especially among those who can’t afford to do the lengthy unpaid internships now required for so many professions. When grads find themselves faced with a choice of giving up their ambitions or fibbing about their experience, I can see it would be tempting to choose the latter…
Boy, this situation is crazy, isn’t it? So now, if you’re poor, you have to break the law if you want to get a graduate job???!
There’s lying, then there’s being creative with words 😉
I haven’t lied on my CV about work places, dates or qualifications, there’s no point, really. You’ll only get found out, or have a crap day at work when you’re asked to do something you can’t.
But a CV is about selling yourself, so whilst I haven’t lied, I’ve certainly stretched my abilities. My justification? Most experience employers ask for isn’t quantifiable. But I know I’m a quick learner. If a job requires me to know how to do something, for example a certain computer programme that I’ve never or only used maybe once before, then I’ll say I’ve got experience in using it, or am familiar with it. Why not? I’ve heard of it, opened it up on my computer, it’s not rocketscience, I’d pick it up. Not strictly lying, not strictly “experience”.
It’s up to the employer to question me in an interview if they’re that hot on it, then it’s time to be honest.
Thing is, with so many people applying for jobs at the moment, the challenge is ticking boxes and getting yourself to the interview stage. It’s then you get the chance to charm the socks off an employer, so that actually, they employ you because they like you, not because of a list of jobs or qualifications on your CV.
But I agree if you lie about actual quantifiable things, like work dates or positions, then yeah – you deserve to be in a world of pain when you get found out.
@Jo
Sorry for not replying sooner – this one slipped through the net somehow!
I totally agree that graduates should be totally focussed on doing everything they can do get into the interview room – short of outright fibbing of course! ; ) Also, it’s worth remembering that the person who does the initial shortlisting may not be the same person who actually decides whether you get the job, so by that stage, so the ‘big boss’ probably doesn’t even know what was on the original ad for the job… NOT that i condone lying of course! x
Should universitiy big wigs with their bull about over 90% of their graduates getting jobs six months after graduating in what could any conceivable S**** not face the jail for breach of the Trade Descriptions Act then?
This country is a farce-recruitment consultants are allowed to lie and advertise jobs that don’t even exist.
This country will jail someone desperate for work, yet led an illegal immigrant rack up a sheet as long as their arm and still not deport them.
Come one Cameron your taking the piss.
#ookaboo
Recruiters are NOT allowed to lie at all. If you do find one that you can prove is lying you should report them to the REC immediately.
As a recruiter I can assure you that the amount of lying on CV’s is massive. In fact I would say at least 30% of CV’s are ‘stretched’ for experience and suitability.
Client ‘racism’ is also a problem. If you have a non-english sounding name many clients will be suspicious straight away. Its unfortunate but true.
Good luck job hunting!
I’m not surprised so many people fib on their cvs – the more people who do it, the more people need to do it. The economy right now is so bad that honest hardworking people who don’t lie on their cv will end up in jobs they are quite overqualified for, and be bored stiff. It’s unfair of employers to overstate the qualifications needed, or the training offered by a job – they just give candidates greater justification! Not to mention that when you start working inside some organisations (in my case two very prestigious organisations) you realise what goes on behind the scenes, that makes a few cv fibs look pretty harmless really!
I’m not saying lying is a good idea, just that the way things are right now, it is no surprise. So employers- caveat emptor!
Agree with Anon’s comment above-I’ve never lied on my CV but the fact lots of other people are (friends have admitted it to me) means I’m at a disadvantage for being honest-as I end up looking less good than the liars do on paper. I’m considering some exaggeration myself now. I’m sick of seeing assistant jobs for only £20,000 a year demanding 1-2 years experience, where are entry level roles?!
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Don’t worry people put whatever lies you want on your CV. It’s all about selling yourself and getting the job!!
is it not d hardship of d economic dat makes youth to do wat der are doing?
Quite frankly anyone Police Force or judge that committes a Human being to prison for lying on a CV should be in their with their victim. It should be for employers to make checks on the person they seek to employ and if any discrepancies arise should simply be dealt with in line with their own company policy. Prison is for dangerous people.
What is this world coming to?
Im an mp and i lied on my cv. Didnt even go to cambridge.
Having read some of the comments on here I wouldn’t give most of them a job because their written English is pretty abysmal. I have never lied on a CV and I don’t recommend anyone doing so – it is illegal and could get you into some serious trouble.
Another thing that I don’t agree with is unpaid internships as young people have nothing to live off and can end up with a terrible amount of debt – on top of the debt that they leave university with.
I’ve lied on my CV, but only to fill a gap. For example, instead of having a six month gap, I said I worked at Next. It’s the kind of lie that isn’t going to get me a top job anytime soon, but perhaps it stops my CV getting screened out. At the end of the day, who gives a fuck? I have a first class degree and positive references and non of it helps. They can’t do anything to you if you lied on your CV. People get charged with manslaughter and come out in 14 months. It is universities and governments who should be in prison.
My dad had a carer from Kenya who said she was a qualified nurse, she could hardly speak a word of english then it turned out she was not a nurse at all and had lied to get the job, they did not even check up on her?
I left school in the 80’s and worked for my dads business for years till he got ill and since he passed away 4 years ago i cant get a job and im actually qualified!