DD's girlfriend lying about her degree result

[WhitePolarBear]

DD (22) just graduated and is applying for jobs. Has been updating her LinkedIn profile etc. She worked so hard at uni and was delighted to get a First Class degree, which she has put on her education section.

DD's girlfriend 'Jen'* of 2 years (who we've met, had to stay etc and had become quite fond of...) has also set up her profile, but has listed her degree result as a 'First' when actually she got a (still very good) 2:1.
When DD casually mentioned it, Jen laughed it off and said 'everyone lies on their profiles and CVs' and claimed 'nobody will ever know'.

We're both sad and shocked I think. DD said to me it feels like a 'slap in the face' for those students who REALLY got a first class degree, and we feel sad that Jen thinks nothing of her lying and deception.

Nothing can/will be done, but just wondered what folk thought?

*not her real name!

About 35% of degrees are firsts these days, so not as rare as it used to be, but still an achievement to be in the 'top third' I guess.

You guess?

https://www.rollonfriday.com/news-content/solicitor-suspended-after-lying-about-degree-result

Not sure what area she’s hoping to get a job in but really serious consequences for this woman.

Maybe try that one on your daughter...

What was the degree op?

I'm in design in the construction industry and generally people don't care about the grade of your degree if your portfolio is good.

Doesn't make her behaviour decent but she may get away with it.

Personally I would always have been way to paranoid I would get caught out. Mortifying! I got a very mediocre degree.

Perhaps you missed the slight sarcasm!

Sometimes it feels as if that third of students who work hard and get a first simply aren't acknowledged?

Personally I think it's crazy that it isn't mentioned at graduation?...
As already seen on this thread, people are quick to label first-class graduates as some sort of weird nerds without a social life?
Everyone is quick to jump in and say how unimportant it is anyway...
I find there is a nasty undercurrent of accusations of bragging if it is ever even mentioned!

The UK is weird like this, whoever said they feel like it's a race to the bottom is correct!

What should be mentioned at graduation, exactly?

I don’t know if lying on your CV or to get a job is the same as lying to someone you love. An employer is a corporate entity that will replace you before your body is even cold if you drop dead, they don’t care. She’s in the wrong, for sure but I feel like maybe the assumption she may be lying to your DD is a bit of a false equivalence.

Christ this is so OTT - it is nothing to do with you. If she gets caught out she gets caught out. I have never been asked my degree result, ever. Of course your DD worked very hard and she should be proud, her girlfriend posting that on her LI takes nothing from it. This is very much something she will not care about a few years post-university.

We require all graduates to provide proof of degree along with proof of identity and right to work if it’s a graduate requirement job. We don’t require a 1st - a 2.1 is fine, as it is for most graduate roles. So she’s really dumb claiming a 1st when a 2.1 would work just as well for her.

It depends what kind of job she goes for. Most " professional" jobs like medical, teaching, law etc will want to see her certificates. However some jobs don't require this and in my current profession most of my colleagues admit that they lied about grades etc on their CV's.

Yeah, I am a bit defensive as I got a first also, but it's like I daren't mention it as people are so quick to say it doesn't matter, nobody cares etc etc. It's so disheartening.

I did my degree whilst taking care of three disabled children at three different special schools, all kicking off every bloody day. I am so proud of my first. Yes, it would be awesome if I'd got a 2.1 but I didn't, I got a first. Yay me!

Nope, me neither. Have worked for big FMCGs and SMEs.

She may have the correct result on her CV and just wants her public profile to show a better one. Unless she applies for a job through LinkedIn it's unlikely a recruiter would marry them up. Doesn't mean it wouldn't happen, and doesn't make it right.

I've never been asked to prove I have a degree or what I got.

I know someone who never went to uni who made up a humanities BA to get a grad job. He was never found out.

Your degree classification.

It's not that long ago that awards were handed out in order: Firsts, 2:1s, 2:2s etc (just like we acknowledge different levels of achievement in sport for example?) but then, for whatever reason, it changed and all grads with marks between 40-100% troop up at the same time, for fear of upsetting those who did less well presumably?

I don’t think it’s a race to the bottom. It’s a great achievement- like straight A’s in A levels.

I think people try not to pressurise students by reassuring them they aren’t a failure if they don’t get a first. It’s not about taking away from the achievement.

but the reality is, it makes very little difference to someone’s success or otherwise in the workplace.

that’s just a fact.

Depends what job she does

Nobody has ever asked to see my degree. In fact, I don't really know where it is but then again, it's always been irrelevant to my jobs

But if you have a 2:1, there's no need to lie

Where is this NOT the case these days? It's been like this at 4 different graduations I've been to/watched in the last few years?

Yep, the top of the class smart ones get little recognition, the "most improved" are the heroes.

I think it's a very strange lie to tell. I can't imagine most employers give a shit whether a degree is a first or 2:1 - why would they? Of more relevance I suppose is what the degree was in and whether that is useful for the prospective job.

Jen seems to be lying for the sake of lying. Quite concerning. It's not like she's lying to cover up a third class degree because the employer wants it to be higher. Although, I do know someone whose job offer required a 2:1 and he got a 2:2. So he told the employer he got a 2:1 and they never questioned it. That was 25 years ago and he never got rumbled. And obviously nobody cares now as the degree is ancient history.

Really? I qualified in 1999 and am at my 6th school and I’ve had to bring degree and PGCE certificate to every interview