Have you ever lied on your CV? Were you found out?

[Shirleyphallus]

I’m in the process of applying for jobs and am keeping to the letter of the law on qualifications / results etc as I’m terrified of being found out for embellishing it somehow!

Has anyone ever lied on their cv and if so, what was the outcome?

I’ve never actually lied on my CV. For reasons that I still don’t understand I once answered the question of ‘what’s your biggest weakness?’ as ‘lying on my CV’. In my defence it was my absolute dream job and I hadn’t slept in 48 hours as I was so nervous about it. That was 8 years ago and I’m still working there.

I am 60 and have never been asked to show my exam or degree certificates.

In terms of actual lying I often downplay my previous roles as I seem to have gone for ‘lower’ grade type jobs over the years. My current job is a part time shop manager, I didn’t really want to say I used to have national responsibility for a chain of 200 shops so I just said ‘previous retail experience’ and no one really queried it. I also never put down my previous salary - I earn about a third of what I used to earn over 20 years ago , so if that is considered ‘lying’ then yes, I suppose I do.

@Hwory that’s incredible!!

I started my current job at age 32 and had to provide a level and GCSE certificates. I'm stunned at the number of people who lie.

Oh and if lost you have to pay each exam board for replacements. Best to keep them safe.

@m0therofdragons what job / industry was that in?

Stunned 🤣 people have just said they can’t remember or wouldn’t work for such an organisation

The problem for me is that the company was no longer in existence and they can easily check that, for the time I was homeless. It took him about 2 months to provide a reference for my last job. But he did. He's still the most recent employer prior to last one, so they're going to ask for a reference from him. Unless I say he died or something lol.

NHS. Not clinical.

Interesting m0ther - I'm also non-clinical NHS and they didn't ask for any certificates (I was surprised tbh, as it's a fairly qualification dependent role) so it can't be a national policy.

When my mum went back to work at 50 she worked for the police in admin. They asked for her gcse certificates but she just told them that they didn’t have GCSEs in those days, she sat her exams 35 years ago and wouldn’t be able to get them certificates. They were fine. Common sense prevails

Our HR team is very good.

Having said that, many in my hospital assume I have a degree. My experience is accepted as equivalent to a degree but generally my role would expect one. My boss knew at interview but I'm sure he's forgotten from a recent comment. I did go to uni but personal circumstances meant I dropped out intending to return but was offered a job with training that was in the career I wanted and met dh so never did.

I've never lied but did miss out that 10months from my cv. I used to include it but interviewers always pushed my reasons not taking personal circumstances and I didn't want to say "I was raped and felt unsafe"

I've only had to show any certificates in admin jobs in my 20s. I'm now in 41 and I have my BA,MA and MSc but nothing else. I could re buy I think my a levels and gcses if really needed.but I've never been asked for them. In my current job I hadn't worked for 3 years (sahm) the 3rd party referencing didn't ask for any certificates or work reference but a reference for the last 2 years. I ended up getting my Rabbi to write one which was really bizzare as the questions were all about whether I could do the job. I offered them many different work references as I used to be a contractor but they only wanted one from the last 2 years

I have never applied for a job that I didn't have to complete an application form for. Either in the private sector or the public sector.

Even if an agency put me forward for a role, I've always had to fill in the company's own application form before interview.

After leaving abusive ex in a rush without anything I don't have any copies of my certificates

I keep within the truth though and as I've forgotten what grades I got I don't list the grades.

School and those early qualifications seem meaningless when I've got 15 years experience in my specialism.

Same with LinkedIn, I just keep to my last two positions.

No one needs to know I had a stint at carphone warehouse for 6 months when I was 19.

From the other view- we once hired a maternity cover for me. His cv was amazing. Thought we'd be getting someone who could not only cover my position amazingly but also be kept on permanently.
When he turned up he couldn't even use excel (the main part of the job).
He was gone within 2 days.
What's the point of lying that badly?!

I think you already said its quite different in NI though treacle? Application forms are really old fashioned here. They tell you very little about the candidate and are completely unsuitable for senior or professional roles. It’s the kind of thing people fill in to apply for a job in a shop here

I work in Financial services executive search and candidates have rigorous checks by the client once they have been offered. The clients use external checking agencies like Hire right and candidates have to produce original certificates. The checks can take up to 6 weeks.

teachers I work in Financial services too which was why I found it bizarre.

Application forms definitely still used in U.K. in many industries to ensure decision to interview/short listing is fair and based on skills matrix. This includes the all senior roles.

Yes in the public sector.

I’m applying at the moment for senior roles in professional services and haven’t yet been asked to complete an application form. It’s all CV based with a competency matrix completed during interview.

Application forms would really put me off

I dumbed down a cv once. Omitted some of my higher qualifications. Does that count?

I think it’s essential if you’re over qualified mm888

Well this thread is an eye opener. And explains why our HR staff spend so much time getting yelled at on the phone by people who have applied for jobs with us from England and haven't been shortlisted...because they haven't filled in the form and have just said they will send their CV in an email.

Well I shall remember this when I move to NI post brexit