Lying about degree on CV?

[tropicalbird]

I completed 1 year of university 3 years ago and took a 1 year break due to pregnancy. I've attempted to complete my second year in 2 years and have failed due to lack of support around me and other personal difficulties.

I want to withdraw and get a full time job in an industry I'm interested in and I think my degree is now useless as its not directly related.

I got a high 2:2 in my year at university (58%). Could I put this on my CV as BSc(Hons) X subject 2:2 2014-2018 even though I didn't actually successfully complete the degree, or would that be misleading and dishonest?

I’ve now read the full thread.

Yes, you’ve had a shit time. But unfortunately you didn’t finish the degree so you absolutely cannot did you did.

Speak to your uni and get your certificate, it’s an academic equivalent to an HNC (iirc- May even be an HND in your case) so is still useful. It doesn’t get graded, it’s a straight pass or fail.

Say you have what you have attained. I know of someone who got away with lying about a qualification on a cv. Kinda makes a mockery of the people who have actually worked towards to full qualification.

What @Ginandsonicscrewdriver said - put that. Plus if you lie on your cv and they ever found out you could get dismissed.

Can I add, ive a member of staff who went through a shit time (entirely different situation.) it wasnt education related but she did feel it might affect her chances of getting work.

It came up in the interview. She chose to frame the situation as part of her answer but had skewed it to the positive "this shit happened, it affected me at the the time in this negative way but i knew i had to turn it to the positive so i did this and that and now im here"

She was an impressive lady. I hired her.

Dont lie. Use your past experiences to drive you now to better things.

Lots of people go through horrific stuff at university. That doesn’t minimise your suffering but it does mean you can’t use it to justify lying.
I suffered several terrible traumas in quick succession. Some quite publicly (not of my choosing). As a result others would confide in me as they knew I would “get it”. Many many people are fighting battles just to keep going. It is understandable that yours floored you but you must realise you cannot use those circumstances to justify lying.

Someone tried this on me but not quite so blatant.

Put that they had studied x subject at Y university. Didn’t actually state they had passed their degree but implied it.

However my dh had been one of their tutors, they had been a nightmare student and was only studying on the 1 year foundation course.

I have a Degree. I've written on application forms and referred to it when completing person spec - not once in the many years since I've left Uni - & I'm 55 now - have I been asked to show/provide proof that I have a degree.

I guess a financial institution may ask for it as you have to be honesty & credit checked. Maybe NHS would check too? Who knows.

Apart from that, based on personal experience I don't think checks out there are as rigid as some assume or try to make you believe.

@MistressDeeCee

You have never had to show your degree certificate ever? I really find that hard to believe.

based on personal experience I don't think checks out there are as rigid as some assume or try to make you believe.

So what are you saying? That it's ok for the OP to lie on her CV? It's not ok and I'm really shocked that she even asked.

MistressDeeCee

I’m an admin in Higher Education and have been asked to provide my certificates, so it does happen elsewhere.

I've been asked to show my degree certificate for every job where a degree was part of the desired/essential criteria.

I’ve only ever had to show my degree certificate once in my life, in my first job. Six years (and a few jobs) later and no one has asked since. I still wouldn’t lie.

Say what modules you completed and that you left uni due to personal family issues.

I’ve been teaching for twenty years so have A levels, degree, PGCE, DFEE number etc

For my most recent teaching job, I had to bring all my GCSE certificates! I would never lie about something like this.

I think it’s an absolute cheek to write that on a CV. I know of an equality spokesperson who constantly refers to her time studying X subject at X university without mentioning she didn’t finish the degree.

I know of somebody else who does it on Twitter (completed 1/4 of her degree). Very dishonest and I judge them
For it.

The thing is you didn’t get a 2.2 In first year either did you? The first year at uni isn’t even counted in most universities.

Unless you have graduated you are lying and that wrong. If you are still distance learning your degree you could say you are part through a degree in ...

I've been asked to produce my certificate etc

If you haven’t quite you can write

“Degree, university 2014 - present”

based on personal experience I don't think checks out there are as rigid as some assume or try to make you believe.

Are you joking!
We have recruited quite a few new staff in the last month. Along with their forms of ID they had to bring in certificates to be verified.
Also a woman who has worked with for the authority has been offered a chance of a career change which will be paid for by our employer Several people went for the interview ( it was internal). She has since been told that she has to bring her O level certificates she in. She hasn't a clue where they are, which examination board it ŵas that she sat them with and if she can't prove it she will lose this . She is in her late forties.
I would never suggest that ny one lies about their qualifications.
I know plenty of people have over egged their expierences in ways that can't really be proved as easily as having to show a hard copy of your qualifications.

What part of "based on personal experience" did you miss?🙄

My reply to the OP is based on my personal experience not whatever yours may be.

In shocking news...not all things are the same.

Please dont get to mislead with your CV
When/if you get caught out, it will make you seem like a tool.

You sound very angry. We all have reasons for doing / not doing things. I’m sorry terrible things happened to you but you have NO IDEA what has happened to anyone on here. To use this as a basis of attack on us because you have been correctly been told your plan to lie is not on.

based on personal experience I don't think checks out there are as rigid as some assume or try to make you believe.

Based on my personal experience, I have worked for the same government body for 14 years. I recently applied for internal job, and still had to bring my original degree certificate.

DH has had his fingers burnt by lies in CVs and by fake degree certificates. He always rings the college/university the candidate says that they studied at even if they bribgbjn a certificate.

By lying about your qualifications, dint you run the risk of not actually being able to do the job? 25 years on, I use skills and sums I learnt in my degree every day!

Hi OP sorry you've had a tough time. My DH has started and not completed two degrees and it's shit but they are not on his CV. It looks bad to have started but not completed, surely? Regardless of circumstances. He still has a well paid job in his chosen profession from working up from the bottom. You can achieve a lot in your career from hard work. Just sadly you'll have to leave the degree years off the CV because there is no acceptable way to word it succinctly without it being off-putting to an employer.

I’ve interviewed lots, I’d discuss somebody’s qualifications in depth at your level at interview. It would be very hard to hide a lie.