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Original poster

Husband lied on CV - offered job but they want a reference!

260 replies

PeanutyButtery · 25/03/2021 21:34

DH lost his job last February and he's finally been offered a job back in his field. He's been working in a supermarket for the last six months.

He left the supermarket job off his CV because it's not relevant and instead put that he's been working as a consultant for an organisation (prestigious well-known company that's relevant to the new role) from last March until now. Problem is that he won a tender to provide that organisation with services, signed a contract and everything but they never actually sent him any work.

HR called this week to say that they are offering him the job and does he accept. He said yes and then they asked for references. He gave two people from his previous employer but HR replied asking specifically for a reference from X organisation as it's his "current employer".

He replied to say that since that consultancy has ended, HR can contact the company he is working for right now (which is a freelance client he has actually been working for). But he did put the email address for a contact person at X organisation.

I'm so worried they are going to contact X organisation who will say sorry but this guy never worked for us, and that they'll rescind the offer (it's only an oral offer anyway). DH doesn't seem so worried. He was convinced they wouldn't contact references, but actually his previous employer and freelance client have both said they've already been contacted.

Is there anything he can do to fix this situation? It's been two days and nothing... they contacted the references immediately who both replied that same day

OP posts:
lmao88 · 25/03/2021 22:21

Doesn't he know someone at that consultancy company to provide a reference, it doesn't need to be someone in HR. Just someone to vouch for him. I don't think it will be a big deal. Slightly cavalier and charlatan of him thou

Fuckityfucksake · 25/03/2021 22:34

@queenofthenorthwest

I thought that on a reference you can literally only put, I would/would not employ this person?

If this is true I'd brazen it out

I wish! It would then only take me 2 mins to do one. It depends what information you're being asked for but in general you can write what you like so long as it's the truth.
Original poster
PeanutyButtery · 25/03/2021 22:45

Thank you for the good lucks and fingers crossed. It was a silly thing to do but he's learnt his lesson.

I agree there's absolutely nothing wrong with working in a supermarket and it demonstrates a lot. I think he was worried about putting it as it's a field where they expect you to be constantly up to date with the trends in the field.

OP posts:
GellerYeller · 25/03/2021 22:47

Worst case scenario this comes out and the offer is withdrawn. But some organisations use external vetting companies for referencing now and they can be strict in covering all recent employment dates and even personal referees for any gaps. Most people exaggerate their successes to some extent and the job market is competitive to say the least right now.
But I was told it's technically an offence of fraud by false representation to obtain work by seriously misrepresenting yourself on your CV. Speaking as someone who's been on the receiving end of a pretty much fictional employment history on a CV and employed that person , that was the advice of the legal department. Wasn't enforced but the person lost their job when it was discovered. I am not suggesting that's the case here OP! It sounds easy to rectify if he says he made a mistake offering contact info as they can't reference contractors who are not directly supervised by the client/company.

aprilanne · 25/03/2021 22:50

Well hopefully fingers crossed they don't ask because would u honestly want to employ someone you can't trust to tell the truth .

TomHardyAndMe · 25/03/2021 22:55

@GellerYeller

Worst case scenario this comes out and the offer is withdrawn. But some organisations use external vetting companies for referencing now and they can be strict in covering all recent employment dates and even personal referees for any gaps. Most people exaggerate their successes to some extent and the job market is competitive to say the least right now. But I was told it's technically an offence of fraud by false representation to obtain work by seriously misrepresenting yourself on your CV. Speaking as someone who's been on the receiving end of a pretty much fictional employment history on a CV and employed that person , that was the advice of the legal department. Wasn't enforced but the person lost their job when it was discovered. I am not suggesting that's the case here OP! It sounds easy to rectify if he says he made a mistake offering contact info as they can't reference contractors who are not directly supervised by the client/company.
I’ve fired several people for this (HR Director).
HundredMilesAnHour · 25/03/2021 22:59

In my industry, being caught lying on your c.v. is gross misconduct and usually means instant dismissal.

VenusTiger · 25/03/2021 23:01

If they've already contacted his other refs, sounds like they've already contacted the faux one OP - that's why you've not heard anything for a few days - expect a letter in the post.
I understand the leaving out the supermarket work, but in the current times we're in - it's actually a great 'excuse' to say, there was simply nothing else in his field available with so many ppl being laid off and furloughed.

theshadeofgreen · 25/03/2021 23:04

Oh God OP I'm stressed for you Blush
Initially I thought it serves him right but honestly I'm hoping it all works out ok!
Keep us posted please!!

GellerYeller · 25/03/2021 23:04

@TomHardyAndMe sympathies, not a pleasant situation.

FontyMcFontface · 25/03/2021 23:08

memberofthewedding I hope you’re not serious 😱😱😱

OysterMonkey · 25/03/2021 23:10

@CuteOrangeElephant

My husband used to work in referencing and it would happen quite often that he uncovered a discrepancy like that and the company would still employ that person!
Whereas the company I work for rescind offers if information in references doesn’t match CVs; or there are discrepancies re qualifications etc...
CorianderBee · 25/03/2021 23:19

I mean it's not really a lie - he was contracted to them they just never sent him work

friendlycat · 25/03/2021 23:28

Sadly it was a very silly thing to do but only time will tell. But if it does go ahead he will have to give his P45 to accounts department and whilst that doesn’t list the previous employer name it will show his tax bracket etc for the past year and I’m assuming minimum type wage salary scale for the time he has been working for the supermarket. That isn’t going to match consultancy level pay from what he has stated he has been doing.

If he gets that far maybe accounts department won’t flag that up and will just process pay etc. But the potential is there that the two scenarios don’t match.

TomHardyAndMe · 25/03/2021 23:37

@friendlycat

Sadly it was a very silly thing to do but only time will tell. But if it does go ahead he will have to give his P45 to accounts department and whilst that doesn’t list the previous employer name it will show his tax bracket etc for the past year and I’m assuming minimum type wage salary scale for the time he has been working for the supermarket. That isn’t going to match consultancy level pay from what he has stated he has been doing.

If he gets that far maybe accounts department won’t flag that up and will just process pay etc. But the potential is there that the two scenarios don’t match.

P45s are redundant now with live tax reporting.
friendlycat · 25/03/2021 23:40

Oh ok didn’t know that about P45s. Well that’s one less problem to worry about then.

mixedfeelsaboutthispl · 25/03/2021 23:47

What he did was spectacularly stupid. If you're going to lie you have to make sure you can back it up somehow! Not just presume they're not going to call your references Confused

Best to just stay quiet tbh. If they retract the offer oh well - he'll know not to do that next time!

I'd get him to start job hunting again tbh, he won

MiddleClassMother · 25/03/2021 23:58

It was a stupid thing to do. but he might be okay with 2 other references. However, as it's the most recent employer they might be concerned. I'd be looking for other jobs.

ChronicallyCurious · 25/03/2021 23:59

At my work the basic reference is “x worked here from this date to this date”. The only time they get anything different is if they’ve built up an amazing relationship with their line manager and they personally write it themselves.

mixedfeelsaboutthispl · 26/03/2021 00:00

@mixedfeelsaboutthispl

What he did was spectacularly stupid. If you're going to lie you have to make sure you can back it up somehow! Not just presume they're not going to call your references Confused

Best to just stay quiet tbh. If they retract the offer oh well - he'll know not to do that next time!

I'd get him to start job hunting again tbh, he won

Whoops have no idea why it says 'he won' at the end of my last sentence he most definitely hasn't yet
queenofthenorthwest · 26/03/2021 00:00

@Bluntness100

No I've never been asked to provide a reference (other than a personal reference) but in the last six months I've been asked for referees.

One of them said "I can, but all you are legally allowed to say is either I would/would not employee this person"

queenofthenorthwest · 26/03/2021 00:04

Sorry op I'm really wrong in what I've said!

Thank you again mumsnet, another life lesson learned!

MrMucker · 26/03/2021 00:28

Actually they wont, or shouldn't, contact those people.
This is because they specifically requested after the job offer if they could have a referee from most recent employment, and his response relates to what he is currently doing. He expressly said no, as that consultancy has ended.
When an employer asks for referees, your permission to contact them is also confirmed, and DH was clear in saying "no" according to the last bit of your post. He denied permission.
So even if he supplied the email address, then they shouldn't contact them, because they are not allowed to.
If they do this, they ought to have also included a message in their job advert that by submitting the application you are also accepting that may use any route at their disposal to verify your work history. You normally only get this in public service jobs though, and jobs requiring DBS clearance.
Check the job ad and the small print on the application form-that is how you will find out.

CaraherEIL · 26/03/2021 01:42

If he won the tender and signed a contract he was technically employed by the company so that isn’t a lie- is that right? He then had to take other work because that company never sent any work through, but there is a chance they could have sent work through a few months later. Surely the worse that company will say is that he was employed by them but they have no record of any work he did. But I think if he interviewed and presented to a prestigious company and was selected then that is a success I would have put on my CV. The dateline is obviously suspect but did he stay in touch with them, keep chasing them for the work during that time? I don’t think he has done anything too outrageous and I hope it doesn’t jeopardise his chances.

FelicityBeedle · 26/03/2021 02:01

I’d be tempted to leave it u til they ask. If they do act a bit surprised and explain he updated his CV when he signed the contract, was never given any work and forgot to remove it

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