Help! Really f**ked up!

[ToastyTots]

So DS slightly inflated his degree grade from a 2:2 to a 2:1.

It took him a long time to find a job after graduation so I told him to put 2:1 on his CV and he got a good job soon after. That job didn't check and he was there for 3 years. A management change early this year made the culture very toxic and it took a big strain on his MH so he resigned and was without a job for a few months until he was offered another much better job last month.

He had kept the 2:1 on his CV. New job had a screening process which asked him to put his degree grade in and as he'd kept the 2:1 on his CV, I told him he needed to put that down.

They've now asked for his degree certificate!

He's already started working for them and really loves it.

WTH can he do? He'll be sacked in the spot when he produces the certificate wont he!

Obviously not going to alter it as that'll land him in worse trouble.

Yikes encouraging him to do that wasn’t great.

Not much he can do now than face the music

No that's even worse. Waiting a month until a 'new' certificate arrives with a different grade then presenting it will almost definitely make the employer not want to employ ds any more
He should admit the 'error' now. Maybe explain he didn't realise it was wrong on his cv until being asked as previous employer didn't ask and hopefully it will be ok

Do not encourage him to tell more lies.

He needs to say he made an error and hope for the best.

And I don't think you should be giving your son any more employment advice at all based on your op AND your update. Both bad advice

It isn't Pearl clutching. It is a lie.

I am HR and I would absolutely spot this and I would make sure his manager knew immediately.

As an employer you would ask what else would he lie about? Massage his figures and add a few noughts.

If he's smart, and doesn't listen to his feckless parent, he will come clean rather than wait under the bed to be found out. He should be ready to offer an unconditional apology and be prepared to resign rather than be sacked.

If he's performing well, that may count in his favour. Better to get in front of the problem now.

The problem is he's put 2:1 on both his CV and the screening portal so can't be a typo! We did discuss it when he was filling it out and I said to leave it as a 2:1 as that was what was on his CV and they'd pick up on it so best to leave it! I did say why the hell did you not change it but too late.

The degree is not relevant to his previous job or the one now. They didn't even ask about it in interview, it was down to previous experience.

He should be escorted off the premises. Gross misconduct.

So let's lie again on top of the other lie.
Bloody hell.

To the poster who said if the HR Dept is large they won't notice, that's utter bollocks. I've worked for massive internationals and the chances are higher as they outsource to companies whose business proposition is to detect fraudulent applications.

I worked with someone who told a similar cv lie. They tried to make excuses why they couldn't get the cert. Was eventually sacked a year or so down the line when the lie caught up with them. He needs to either hand in the cert and deal with the consequences or quit.

I would just say it was a typo on the cv

He should give his certificate in now and not lie any further as it would just create more mess. They might not even notice and just file his certificate.

If they do question it he should own up and treat it as a life lesson.

While this was a stupid thing to do I can see how it’s hard to watch your DC struggle to get a job - having worked in HR for years generally the office junior get the certs does a photocopy files them and returns to the employee/applicant - checking the grade is not generally a thing, however, I worked in local government so this could be different in the private sector. I would advise to leave the grade off his CV in future.

Exactly this. No one knows the whole situation. Ds could have been struggling to get a job, struggling mentally, could have been desperate, no one knows.

Think I'd be inclined to advise him to hand it over and wait, then if challenged, say it must have been a mistake in my application, really sorry. Then it's up to the employer. Depends on the level of job, required qualifications (is it a minimum 2:1 for eg) , what's on the rest of his CV, how he's done in the job so far etc etc.

Wasn't the best advice but hopefully you know that now. There seems to be a myth out there that 'everyone lies on / inflates their CV'. It's not reality though so make sure he knows that going forward.

Agreed. I cannot understand why a 24 year old needs mummy holding their hand to begin with. Maybe mummy should have encouraged him more at uni to study and aim higher and the lying needn't have occurred.

We do at my company.

Doesn't matter. "He" didn't get the job a fake version of him with a lie of a CV did.

he might get away with omitting or exaggerating aspects of on his cv after 20 years’ experience, but never lie about qualifications as many employers will check up. Better not to disclose class of degree at all than lie. My DH has a 2:2 and a salary in 6 figures. It is possible with perseverance to overcome a mediocre effort at university.

At this point, I think your DS should be brave and face the situation. Don’t delay in a shady way - hand the certificate in asap. Personally as an employer I would find honesty refreshing at this point. Further lies will just be so obvious; in such a short career only an idiot mistypes the class of their degree.

in his shoes, I would ask for a 15 min call with HR / manager - I would apologise and say very simply that Im handing in my degree certificate as requested and they will notice that the class doesn’t match what is stated on cv. If asked why, I would say “I don’t have a good excuse for the discrepancy and I understand that this may mean that you now won’t wish to employ me. However, if there is any way you could consider keeping on for a probationary period despite this problem, I would love an opportunity to prove to you that I will be an excellent fit for the role and I will work very hard to demonstrate that to you.”

and then just leave the ball in their court.

Don’t use the word “lie”, and don’t try to pretend it wasn’t a lie. Just appeal to their mercy and take what’s coming.

I honestly doubt HR will even cross check it against his grades. They’ll probably just take a copy and upload it to his file. I really couldn’t see him being marched off the premises or whatever.

And mine. Anything that doesn't tie in with CV will be questioned or just fail the check.

Oh @EmilyGilmoresSass you sound like the perfect parent 🙄

Agree with this. If he was going into a graduate trainee role straight from Uni it would probably be more significant but as he now has significant work experience it might not be considered too big a deal. Probably more the fact that he actually has a degree they are checking.

Why do you say that, does your company not check documents?

We have to very carefully check documents at the large multi-national I work for, because so many people lie!

Haven't you learnt your lesson with the first lie? Does he have a morally responsible parent or grandparents to steer him? You need to stop interfering.