To miss at least half my qualifications (especially the highest) off an application for a job?

[Shakti]

Ok, is it?

I do not think that it is okay

I understand why you think that it is necessary but I think that the employer has the right to choose the criteria and to measure any applicant against those criteria

I did this and finally got a job.

Is the UK dumbing itself down? Its definitely anti intellectual. thats why they tax everyone with a degree an extra 9% tax.

So if she gets a job without declaring all her qualifications, that will be fine then MonkeyTastic. She will have performed as well or better than the other interviewees and got the job on her personal merits.
DH didn't own up to all his qualifications because he needed the job.
He got it. Stayed 6 years.

YADNBU. Anyone who says you are is living in a fantasy world.

You tailor your CV for the job you're going for. If you want a job shelf stacking, you don't put your first in Natural Sciences from Cambridge on it.

As for monkey saying you are never turned down because you're over qualified, of course it happens. It was only when I dumbed down my CV in the last recession that I even begun to get interviews. And rightly so - the employer was absolutely right to assume I'd probably look for a better job when companies in my actual field started hiring again.

Its advisable to remove some of your higher qualifications if going for a job below your standing as it were, agencies tell you to do it all the time, if you go in over qualified you just wont get the job. If you go in with just enough qualifications thats dandy.

Monkey, don't think for one minute that has not crossed my mind! Two interviewers have stated that they think I will be bored, not stay in the job when asked for feedback post interview. I have not asked for reasons why I have not even made the interview phase of job selection.

I categorically deny that I am 'too good' You are addressing someone who has done everything from people's ironing (one customer introduced me to her friends as her little ironing lady who was a clever thing - has a Ph.D. you know!!! Now that evening I had to take several very deep breaths!) to clearing up people's shit - quite literally!

I am now seeking work that uses my skills, I happen to think that those skills would be useful in a particular job that few formal qualifications are needed for. I also think I would be able to earn a living and be happy doing this for some time; probably for at least five years. There is a big part of me that is pissed off with the politics of higher grade jobs in my industry anyway!

I just want a chance to show I can do it and unfortunately it appears that hiding some of my academic stuff will help.

I don't like it though. Deceit is not a fun game. Part of me thinks it is wrong too.

Shakti - there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing it if it's a large company with high staff turnover you're applying for AND you're applying directly (not though a recruitment agency).

The times I think it's unfair to the company is

• where there is significant training involved and you are only considering it a temporary role
• where the company is small and is recruiting you as a key member of staff
• where the company has to pay a finders fee to a recruitment agency.

At the end of the day all that is obvious and you'll know if you're doing something ethically wrong. If it feels OK, you're fine.

Should clarify in all the above cases it's only wrong if you're going into the job already planning to escape for something better. If you are not, then no worries at all.

YANBU! A CV is always tailored to a particular position so it is fine if you choose to omit something you feel is not relevant.

YAalittleU to lie on an application that specifically asks for a complete description of qualifications and work history though. You will get found out, and if they have asked for all of the information then you have to just cross your fingers.

Just out of curiosity how would they find out if you lie? No-one has ever asked to see my degree certificate. I presume it's the same with my other many and varied qualifications. So how would they find out if you omit information?

Ok guys, I'll be the first to say it...

Every time I've ever been turned down for a job was either due to a) not holding the suitable qualifications and/or experience or b) not performing well enough at interview (compared to other candidates).

I'd never be arrogant enough to say to all and sundry after receiving a rejection that it was because I was TOO good for the role. Or that it was a conspiracy based on my education/qualifications.

Getting back into work is hard and demoralising, you'll apply for more jobs and receive more rejections than positions you'll ever hold. It's the way the world works!

And no one thinks degree holders are more likely to get bored than anyone else working in an office (compared with someone who left school at 16) as is often claimed. If you can't or won't show genuine interest for the role at the interview then that's the conclusion they'll draw and you won't be offered the job.

Sorry but claiming it's a conspiracy is bullshit. It's job hunting ffs of course it's hard.

I have worked as a recruiter for years and also work now getting the long term unemployed back into work. I can totally understand why people would leave things off their CVs to get jobs, however, I also can see why employers may not want to choose a graduate for a more menial job. I have had my fingers burned several times when placing bright young people into labouring jobs/ cleaning jobs etc, as they do quickly realise it isn't for them. This may not be the case for all graduates/ overly qualified people, but certainly a significant number.

Why would you need to? I have 2/3 of a masters in Public Health but didn't miss it off my supermarket application and got the job in a bakery dept. It has been hugely beneficial in that they know I am not daft and therefore tend to leave me to get on with my job most of the time, unless I say I need help . Also, it will be an advantage if you choose to progress later on. Lots of skills are transferrable.

scarlett, it depends what you need and your circumstances. i.e. I still work in the said supermarket but also work PT as an HV.

I have 2 CV's one with my professional credits and another with my crap jobs...neither sector would understand the relevance of the other.

I leave out small things like CPD or hobbies that don't apply to the job, but never leave off big qualifications even if they seem very different to what I'm applying for

it helps at interview because you can be 90% sure that they'll ask why the change so its one question you can prepare a fantastic answer for, and its a topic of conversation and getting conversation flowing instead of all question-answer-question-answer is what gets you through interviews!

I don't think its wrong, like lying about ones you don't have UNLESS the application form is worded in such a way that by leaving it out you are implying (lying) about not having it, instead of just not mentioning it IYKWIM

No-one is saying they are 'too good' for a role monkey. But it is mine and plenty of others experience that submitting a CV detailing a bunch of irrelevant stuff to the role is detrimental to your chances of getting an interview.

I would never say I'm over-qualified for a job - but I would say some of my skills/qualys are completely pointless for some jobs I might apply for and it's possible an employer would judge me for having them.

scarlet does that not happen with people without higher qualifications too? cleaning and labouring jobs are high turn-over are they not? My DH used to do labouring and it was really common for people to walk off. Are the highly qualified people really sodding off more than everyone else does or do they just stand out to you more IYKWIM?

I am not so much even thinking of super market work, more very menial, repetitive work with no customer interaction. For example, a supermarket job may not be the most exciting or challenging but you are dealing with people, generally in a warm and clean environment so it is bearable and there is less of a social stigma attached. However working on a cleaning contract or on a building site can be quite insular and unpleasant, cold and dirty work. In my experience graduates will not stick with this, so there is little point selecting them as you only create more work for yourself having to replace them. I interviewed for 6 cleaning positions today and it was all people with no qualifications and literacy and numeracy issues who had applied- we didn't even get any graduates applying.

grumple- you may possibly be right, however those with few qualifcations have fewer options so if they have the right work ethic they may stick with it- especially as they will find it even harder to get a job than a graduate.

it needn't even be deliberate, it's just that employers are skimming through a load of CVs in a short time and the more stuff there is on there about your non-relevant skills, the more likely it is that they'll miss the stuff about your relevant ones.

but my question was, is it not the case in the very menial jobs that NOONE "sticks at it"? certainly in labouring people come and go daily, cleaning is similar, at work we rarely get to know a cleaner (I don't work in a nice glam warm office block, its not one of the nicer cleaning jobs!) because they turn over so often.

oh sorry x post

do graduates have more choice? by the time they apply for very menial jobs are their days of chasing the dream grad job not over? they still have to pay the bills, surely they walk off a site for the same reason as everyone else? graduates cant go without earning any longer than anyone else IYSWIM