I've been really stupid and lied on my cv

[worriedmum185]

I'm from a finance/banking background but after leaving work to become a carer found it difficult to get back into the workplace. I took a cleaning job so I could help with treats for my kids. I have been offered a job in banking after stretching the date I was a carer for a family member and didn't include my cleaning job on my cv. I'm sure wouldn't even have got an interview if I had left it on my cv. I got great feedback and can certainly do the job no problem. I'm now worried thinking I've blown it. I don't want sympathy I know I've been stupid but I don't have the 3 yrs employment history they want. I'm not sure what they will ask me to provide.

Wouldn't worry about it - it's an omission, that's all. It's not like you've made yourself up an MBA. I don't include all the part time jobs I've ever had onmine - and I'll bet you were doing some caring during those dates

If anyone asks you about it, just say "yes I did do a bit of pt cleaning. Didnt think it was really relevant"

It's usual to put on the relevant work experience for the job you're applying for so unless the specifically asked you to account for all your time since leaving school there isn't an issue.

I would say you showed initiative and did what you had to for your family to make ends meet. It should be commendable.

Agree with others, just say you thought it irrelevant to this job.

Why do you think they would look down on the cleaning role? They're happy to take you on when you've been a carer.

Anyway, not a problem - there's no rule that you have to put every job you've ever done on a CV. Just don't make up fabulous jobs that you haven't done.

Its through an agency, I was in there today, she had said they usually want bank statements to cover gaps in employment but as I was a carer for 5 years she can't see them asking for that many bank statements. Just worried what else they will ask for as dates won't match.

Thanks for your replies, I'll try the I didn't include it because it wasn't relevant to the job if it blows up.

I didn't include the cleaning job as its so far away from the finance job i'll be doing. Being a carer for a family member seems to be acceptable to employers but that then a gap then a part-time cleaning job - by the time they got to what I'm good at they would have already stopped reading!!

I would have done the same (missed off the cleaning job, I mean). But if they do look at bank statements etc then I would just explain you did a bit of part time cleaning to supplement the household income while you were caring.

There is no real way of proving you were or weren't caring. They can't see what you were doing with your free time from your bank statements whether you were cleaning or running the Bank of England. (Most people who are caring don't get Carers Allowance.)

I don't understand why they'd want your bank statements? Is it to check you're a fit and proper person for the role?

I have never heard of a company asking for bank statements - is that even legal? .

Lots of people bend the truth on CVs, I used to work in quite a senior position but there is no point referring to that when applying for a more junior level job so I often change my role title, and drastically reduce the 'last salary' if it is requested. .

I did exactly the same as you. Background in banking, few years off as a SAHM, part time job as a cleaner for Waitrose and recently got a good job in the council. Didn't put the cleaning job on my CV and they weren't remotely interested when they found out I cleaned. The only issue I can see coming up is if they apply for references and the dates don't tally.

I'm not sure about the bank statements thing either. I think that, most simply, it would fall outside the Data Protection Act as being unnecessary to hire someone. The only exceptions I've come across are: 1) Providing bank statement with current balance blacked out to show proof of account ownership; 2) Providing proof of a certain amount in the account, when the employer was providing employees with a bank account (very rare and a long time ago from what I heard).

I don't think the cleaning would be a problem (I've omitted plenty of irrelevant things from my CV!) but I would check the legal position on the bank statements.

They want the statements to show no salary going in from elsewhere as they would want references to cover the 3 years. I've now told them about the cleaning job - isn't an issue that I left it off, they just want a reference. So hopefully all looking good. Thanks for all your input xx