Lied on CV!

[Shitgotreal]

Hi,
Before anyone tells me I’ve made an error I know I have and can’t think right now.

For the last year I’ve stepped up in my role as my manager has left. I’ve essentially gone from being an assistant to a managers role with no recognition and pay rise. My job title and pay have not changed. I have worked my butt off for the last year or so without any recognition despite multiple attempts to have this changed.

I found a job which is very much suitable for me, however my job role currently is more of a executive role therefore stated on my CV that I am a sales executive rather then a sales assistant. I’m not super worried that my reference will say I am a sales assistant and my new job offer will be rejected.

Please help and tell me how I can rectify this. I am hundred percent sure that when my current employee will be asked about my job details they will confirm everything I have said but not confirm my job title as an executive.

I work in sales and have recruited people. I wouldn’t give this a second thought. Why don’t you tell the recruiter if it worries you? They will manage the situation.

I’ve got passed two stages of the interview and on the last stage which is just a HR stage. I have stated about myself the responsibilities I have had to step up to and how I have been failed to be recognised. Shall I just say I have checked the contract to make sure everything is aligned and however noticed that although they said it was an executive role I have noticed it is an assistant role. As mentioned by @FlasherMcGruff and ask to change it accordingly?

Don’t mention the difference in role as that suggests you exaggerated your responsibilities. Focus purely on the wording of the job title. Just say the official job title is ‘assistant’.

Honestly I doubt they will look at the job title and your reference is likely to just be your current employer confirming the dates you worked at the company rather than anything to do with job title etc. If it will help you feel more confident then do raise it with the recruiter but don't worry about it too much. I'm often a hiring manager and I wouldn't even consider this a lie on a CV! That's for when people say they can do something that they can't do or make up responsibilities etc. Good luck with your final interview

OP you are waaaay overthinking this.

Nobody will give a stuff.

In my company we probably have half a dozen job titles for the same role.

@AhNowTed

Don't fret. In sales people are called sorts of titles that don't reflect the actual role.... Sales Manager when they don't actually manage anyone.

I wouldn't see much difference between executive and assistant.

Haha I love this one. My colleague was sales manager. He managed no one, it was just him!

In my team we can have literally 50 different job titles for the same role - the role is informally known by all by only one of them and I’d bet every single person doing a cv would call themself this one title despite their contract saying something different.

Also I’d expect a reference for me to state I’d worked with the company from x date to y date and very little else. This is quite common now so you might find your reference has way less on it than you think, especially if it’s sent from a HR department.

I don’t think I’d say anything until it comes up and at that point just say it’s an old title and not reflective of your current role.

I know I know! I’m such an over worrier! It’s just this just will make a massive difference to my life and my child’s. I think on Monday I will call recruiter and say I thought I’d check my contract at current work place and it’s official name is sales assistant however my responsibilities are exactly as stated

OP DON’T get in touch with them honestly just leave it! I have several times changed the wording of job title on CVs to make it sound more relevant to the job you are applying for even just a bit fancier and it has never, ever been an issue. You are going to end up creating an issue by getting in touch with them. Just leave it. There’s absolutely no way they are going to decide against hiring you over the difference between the words ‘sales assistant’ and ‘sales executive’. Not in any universe.

You could say you have been seconded into the role (not a lie with the sounds of it!) but they I doubt they'll care about the title.

If they've decided they want you then there will probably be no issue. I never ever check references and HR just check that you:

A. Worked there
B. Worked there for the amount of time you said

I'd forget about it

I'd seriously say nothing and do nothing...

No one will say anything and, if they do, then say something. Not before x

OP, your suggestion to call the recruiter and give them a heads up is a good one. No need to make a big deal out of it (like you were lying or anything) but just say you wish to clarify in case this came up. This arms the recruiter with the tools to manage the situation.

Maybe for a sales job, which is commission, hence performance-based, is not an issue but I would say that people bigging up their previous role is a bugbear of mine when interviewing. It does make a significant difference to salary in my field and so, any lie would immediately make the candidate suspect. I recently interviewed 2 candidates who outright lied or were so vague I could not make out what their experience really was. I work in a profession and lying on a CV will actually get a sanction from the regulator even if there were valid reasons for the lie (e.g. they could not get an interview them due to perceived discrimination on CV).

Since it is just title and if in sales, title is fluid, then a quick note to the recruiter should do, so you cover all bases since this job is so important to you. I would say don't do it again. Just explain in the interview you were performing above your level.

You guys are amazing! Really appreciate all the advice. I think I will just leave it then. If it is raised then I will say that It is definitely an sales executive role and my responsibilities are as stated. I will check the original contract, upon checking the original contract and I was shocked to see it says assistant

If you want to cover yourself you could just ask your nice boss if you're OK to call yourself an acting Sales Executive.

Ahh still stressed. Not sure what to do, shall I inform recruiter or not? Or wait till someone has said something. Or just completely leave it out and wait till the new employer says somethings. Then what do I say?

Don't do anything. It'll be fine.

I used to work in recruitment.

Enjoy your new job!

I worked as an in house recruiter for a large financial services company for years. I would say absolutely do not contact them about this, it makes a big issue out of something that isn't remotely an issue.

@Ihaveaskedyouthrice

I worked as an in house recruiter for a large financial services company for years. I would say absolutely do not contact them about this, it makes a big issue out of something that isn't remotely an issue.

This. You making a big deal of it looks far worse than the issue itself.

I am also an in-house recruiter for a large corporate company. As PP, I would do absolutely nothing OP, this is not a big deal. People call themselves all sorts, please try not to worry about this

I believe sales exec/assistant are used fairly interchangeably. And that's what I would say if asked anything about it.