Got the job but my cv says I have GCSEs that I don't have I'm in a state and need advice

[Donkdonkgoo]

I've just landed my dream job and due to start in a few weeks, I've got the job based on my skills and experience not my few school based qualifications from the 80s. I did the really stupid thing of lying on my cv that I have 3 GCSC's, when i don't. I have had my starter pack saying on my first day of work I need to take my P45, signed contract and copies of any relevant qualifications. What should I do? I tried to obtain a copy of my gcsc grades a few years ago and the exam board said they didn't have reacords for my school that far back. I don't even know what I got grade wise but I know they were rubbish as I had traumatic few teenage years. What should I do? Come clean to my new boss? Or just say I don't have the certificate? I'm having sleepless nights and really cross with myself and would never do anything like this again. What would you do???

Just say you don’t have the certificate. Are GCSEs your latest qualification or do you have other more recent ones? I’ve never been asked to produce GCSE certs for a job as an adult. I really don’t think you should worry about this, it’s a white lie and not as if you’ve lied about having a medical degree for a job app as a doctor.

Nobody cares what GCSEs you got 30 years ago. I wouldn't class them as "relevant qualifications". I just wouldn't mention it at all.

Also, note the wording of “relevant qualifications” - if you got the job based on your skills not your quals, your GCSEs aren’t “relevant”, are they?

Tell them what the exam board told you!

The first year of GCSEs was 1988 - so 30 years ago (or 29 years of you took them in 1989?) which would make you mid-forties? I’ve lived in over 25 houses in three different countries since then, computers were in their infancy and I don’t have a single certificate from that era - I can’t imagine many people do!

Just say you’ve lost track of them - it has to be one of the few advantages of being middle aged & growing up before the technological age surely!?

No, they don't need to see GCSEs. You will be fine.

It's totally not relevant, you didn't get the job based on a GCSE. That's just a paperwork formality

I'm really annoyed with myself, I'm just worried if I hand my notice in to my current employer and I get found out I could lose my job. My new boss is old school and I recon if he found out I lied it would be a breach of trust between us. I left school at 16 started on a yts and worked up the ladder through sheer hard work and determination I'm 47 and single father of two children i need to pay a mortgage. I feel like coming clean with my new boss so my conscience is clear but I would risk losing the job.

I don't have any qualifications due to a traumatic childhood from 13 to 16, then I got myself back on track, maybe they weren't GCSEs then 🤔

I really don’t think it’s a good idea to “come clean” - you haven’t got this job on false pretenses. Seriously, stop fretting about it. And congrats on the new job by the way!

Thanks for your feedback and support I've not told a soul in real life cos I'm so ashamed. The background checking agency have only come back so far to ask for my mothers maiden name. I've sent a mesg to the agency saying that I lost it and exam board don't have a copy. My worry is that my job is a position of trust and I'm so annoyed cos im usually a very honest person, in fact too honest 🙈

I think relevant qualifications is the key - if you need a qualification for the job then you need to produce the certificate.
Don't worry. Say you've lost them. You might have to provide evidence that you have tried to find them, but if the exam board say they can't provide it then there is not much else you can do. And I say this as someone who worked in HR recruiting and had to ask people for their qualifications as part of my job.

At 47 and having worked your way up, your experience is way more important here than the GCSEs. I don't think any one would feel they are "relevant".

I don't think the are relevant to the job at all. My experience throughout my career over these 30 years is what is relevant. I will never lie about it ever again it's just not worth the stress.

As others have said, they are not relevant qualifications. But they are obtainable from that far back, I wonder why the exam board fobbed you off like that. I got mine from 1989. But your job really really don’t care about a couple of exams from 1987, your experience is what got you the job.

I've just got a bad feeling about it all. I've had a really rough 10 years and this job was such a positive step and Im so willing to work really hard. Wish me luck

I'm completely sure they won't bat an eyelid about you saying you don't have the certificates, especially as it was so long ago (no offence ). Stop worrying and definitely don't come clean when you experience is so much more relevant than GCSEs, or lack thereof!

It's not a "white lie" though, it's just a lie. I would be unimpressed if I were your employer.

You're unlikely to be be found out however.

Sorry I've just read back and typo I'm 45 not 47

You don’t need to even mention these exams, they’re not relevant. Try not worry about it, just go and enjoy the new job. Congratulations, by the way!

The school was one of the worst in the country and closed down years ago, it doesn't surprise me they dont have records. The lady on the phone definitely said they didn't have them and records were not kept that far back

say you lost them and filled in the form from memory.

I've not filled any forms in with them on they were quoted on my cv. I am utterly disappointed and ashamed of myself for what I've done and lesson definitely learned.

Exactly how big is the gap between your cv and reality?

It sounds like you took some gcse examd but don't have certificates/info about what the grades were. That's OK. The question is did you claim specific grades on your cv or did you just state GCSEs with no grades?

how sure are you that you got grades better than U (ungraded)?

It sounds to me that you didn't exactly lie so much as state as fact something that has a pretty good chance of being true but just you don't have the paper to prove it.

Unless you think it's possible that you failed altogether it should be fine to just say that you just don't have the certificates.

However, it's unlikely that there would be no record at all. There are many different exam boards and although they tend to be named after regions, schools have no obligation to go with the one that is named after their region. I have GCSE's from 5 different exam boards as my school liked to pick and choose the most favourable syllabus for each subject. Try some different exam boards?

Jobs that are offered on the basis of experience and skill will generally state that maths and English at grade C or better is needed just because this is an easy way to check that someone has a basic minimum of numeracy and literacy. The job descriptions usually say "or equivalent" because actually its fine to provide different evidence of numeracy and literacy. Adult education colleges offer basic equivalence courses which allow you to get a qualification proving you are numerate and literate if need be.

Don’t feel guilty, everyone adds a sprinkling of ‘extras’ on their cv. Just explain you’ve lost the certs, and can’t obtain a copy. You’re unlikely to get found out, because if you can’t get a copy, surely they’d be unable to get a copy too? Worst case scenario they obtain a copy, it was 30ish years ago, which is a long time to remember your exact results!

Congratulations on the job!