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Original poster

Why do people lie on profiles and CVs?! <rant alert>

32 replies

frakyouveryverymuch · 14/04/2011 10:14

As if this finding-childcare business wasn't actually stressful and time consuming enough when you go through profiles when people add you as a favouriate and carefully eliminate people with too little experience blah, blah, blah (and I wish you could filter by age because a 16 year old patently doesn't have 5 years experience) or you look for qualifications, why do people have to lie? The good ones tell you what experience and qualifications they have in their little blurb but sometimes they don't so I've pursued this and asked for CVs from a couple of candidates who've contacted me without that info. I'm not expecting the moon btw, I'd just prefer someone with experience than without.

Half the time it's turned out that they just didn't read my ad properly and ticked all the boxes on the profile and at least the timewasters who send me helpful but truthful CVs are easily eliminated but I've just had one really shocking experience, with someone I thought was a great candidate - CV looked good, said all the right things in response to my e-mail questions, we had a promising phone conversation - and it all turns out to be completely fake right down to her CACHE PIN number!

I know I'm probably overly cautious but I checked her certificate number with CACHE, no trace, so I asked them to check her name, no trace. I called the college she supposedly obtained it at and she was a registered student there at the start of the dates she gave at least, so I asssume she dropped out. I checked the nursery where she said she'd worked (she'd given the address and had been gone 3 years so fair game IMO - don't disclose info you don't want people using) and nursery say they've never heard of her. I asked her for 2 childcare related referees and she gave me 2 families, 1 she's babysat for 3 times although they said lovely things about her, and a summer job. Nothing from the family she supposedly worked for over the last 2 years until they moved away. I'm left wondering what she's actually been doing!

Now I appreciate that it's difficult to keep in touch with families because they move and the nursery where I did my student placement years ago has closed down but her entire CV seems to be a work of fiction Hmm

And the disappointing thing is that if she hadn't lied I might have considered her just on the grounds of the experience she did have of babysitting and her general attitude :(

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nannynick · 14/04/2011 15:45

Certificates are not worth much if they can't be checked, so someone telling you the certificate info surely knows it will be checked.

Can I ask, does CACHE charge to check certificates? No mention of a charge on the form so maybe they don't charge. They do ask for confirmation that the applicant has given permission for the check to be made, though someone giving you the details from the certificate is in effect saying that you can check it out.

Certificates change in appearance and people don't generally know what one looks like, so you can't tell if a paper document is real or fake. You go on gut instincts and verify with the issuer of the certificate if necessary.

It would be nice if job applicants provided all the information without making things up/lying. Alas some people will be creative with their application. Thus the need to verify things as best you can once you have narrowed down the applicants. It's good that you are bothering to check.

Original poster
frakyouveryverymuch · 14/04/2011 14:46

Intellectually I know that, and I spend far too much time on here telling people not to take things at face value. But then it comes to doing it and you do wonder whether you're being overly paranoid!

I can see the temptation if she'd produced a shiny, official looking certificate not to check it out....

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harrietthespook · 14/04/2011 12:55

Never hesitate to check just because you met them face to face. Never. You have to be equally rigorous and not let emotions get in the way.

I shoudl know better and learned the hard way on this.

Original poster
frakyouveryverymuch · 14/04/2011 12:53

Okay, being more rational about this why would she give me a fake CACHE number? If I'm asking surely I'm planning to check?

I'm still worried how much is unverifiable though.

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Original poster
frakyouveryverymuch · 14/04/2011 12:47

I haven't seen a real copy of her certificate - I asked for a scan, she said her scanner was broken, so I asked for the info that I have on mine which I know is verifiable because I've checked myself (that sounds odder than I mean it to....). I'm happy to give her the benefit of the doubt on a typo on the PIN number, which is why I asked CACHE to check for her name but surely they'd have found something?

Good point about personnel files and how long the manager has been there. I was more than a tad flummoxed so didn't think to ask that. Will ring them back.

I've not said anything to her yet, I'm going to compose a calm and measured e-mail.

If I'd met her face to face I might not be being so thorough checking.

OP posts:
harrietthespook · 14/04/2011 12:39

The scary thing is that many agencies wouldn't have been this thorough for you. There is no substitute for doing this yourself. Did she have a forged certificate then? Is there ANY CHANCE that the nursery's personnel records are stored elsewhere? How long had the manager been there?

I have done references where professional bodies who should know better claim that someone isn't registered with them, causing chaos for the client. Then when we ask the question a different way they find them somehow.

what did you say to her?

PutAnotherShrimpOnTheBarbie · 14/04/2011 10:43

Oh poor you, there are alot of time wasters out there but once youve eliminated them youll have yourself a fabulous nanny! I dont think you can be too cautious when it comes to someone looking after your children!