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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:
Bluntness100 · 26/03/2021 11:11

@LittleGwyneth

Lots of very po faced people on this thread - who amongst us hasn't exaggerated at least a little bit when we really need a job?

I reckon he might well get away with it - as PP said, he was on their books, so he was qualified etc, he just didn't do any actual work for them. Good luck to him I say!

Well that’s an unusual response. Claiming to habe worked somewhere for six months when you’ve never even worked a day there is hardly a slight exaggeration and I’m not sure it’s po faced to say it..

The op might get lucky and they don’t respond. They will know immediately he has lied when they get the request for a ref as his current employer.

If they respond and say he’s never worked here, then it’s possible they will withdraw the job offer. Which would be sad as it’s possible he’d habe got it without lying. Showing that he was willing to do what it took and worked in a supermarket throughout.

Pinkraven · 26/03/2021 11:13

@WombatChocolate

PuzzledObserver, interesting case study. I agree that if someone is found out, the worse thing they can do is to lie and dig themselves in further. Putting your hands up to a mis-judgement is never easy, but the braver thing. You might still lose out, but there is a chance people will value your honesty and see something in your character which is positive, despite the error. Liars who will never admit to their lies or take personal responsibility for their actions are the worst peoole to work with.
We spotted what looked like a lie on a CV, certainly it was a mistake at best - we asked for an explanation and the person told more lies - it was as if they forgot what they actually wrote...to say they were attempting to Gaslight us might have been pushing it but it is what it felt like.
WombatChocolate · 26/03/2021 11:14

And I think this was a foolish and unecessary direct lie on his part.

He could have said he went through the process to do contract work for X firm and was approved. This would have looked really positive and showed they were happy to use him. People do understand some of these things didn't come off and work emerge due to Covid. Someone could mention or perhaps not mention the supermarket work...but directly lying and saying you were doing something different in a 6 month period to what you were doing is never going to be seen as an admin mistake. It could only be seen as a direct lie. That's why it was so foolish.

He might get away with it with no reference taken up. But if it does come out, it really won't look good. A key characteristic all employers want is honesty. This was very much dis honest and those who would then justify it or suggest further lies to cover it up don't sound like they have the honesty characteristic.

I think lots of lying happens on CVs. Most is exaggeration or adjustment of dates and job titles or responsibilities etc. The really direct lies are sometimes got away with but sometimes come out. Lots of people do have job offers rescinded based on this. Often those people feel aggrieved when it happens.....but it should hardly be surprising. But again, it's this thing about taking responsibility for oneself and being willing to accept dubious choices have consequences.

CuthbertDibbleandGrubb · 26/03/2021 11:21

There is a difference between selling/spinning your role and your achievements, and missing off a job altogether. Aside from dishonesty, it gives an employer a reason to get rid of you when they find out at a later date, if they do.

The other issue with missing off a job is that some employers if they see gaps in a CV or find out, the thought maybe that the person was up to something they disapprove of. For example, hiding in a tree or tunnel to protest about HS2.

Pinkraven · 26/03/2021 11:27

!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
This wasn't missing a job off...this way making a job up - big difference!

DropDTuning · 26/03/2021 11:38

@CuthbertDibbleandGrubb
The other issue with missing off a job is that some employers if they see gaps in a CV or find out, the thought maybe that the person was up to something they disapprove of. For example, hiding in a tree or tunnel to protest about HS2.

I love that this was your first thought! Grin

Blankscreen · 26/03/2021 11:44

I guess it depends exactly what he put it on his CV.

If it was just a 1 line worked at X from date to date. Then it could be explained away by not updating the cv

If he has lied about actually working there and what he did then that won't work.

He can't do anything now. Don't fess up as that will automatically discount him for job just wait and see.

LondonMiss · 26/03/2021 11:53

Im a freelancer in the IT sector, it’s very rare for an end client to provide a reference many won’t. I have had to give conformation of dates from a recruitment agency previously but that’s even rare.

daisiesanddaffodils · 26/03/2021 11:55

Oh I hate that ridiculous nonsense that a career gap equals prison.

JingsMahBucket · 26/03/2021 11:57

I think a lot of the people on this thread saying a supermarket stint won't look bad on his CV are lying to themselves and to others. It absolutely does reflect badly on some people in some cases and in certain industries. Let's just be real here folks.

Lockdownbear · 26/03/2021 11:57

As long as someone can explain a career gap, children, illness, elderly parents, no employer should be put off. Candidate should be ready to answer the question at interview.

littlepattilou · 26/03/2021 11:57

That was a stupid thing to do.

Yeah, many people will put a couple of white lies on their CV, but not lie about their LAST job. That's the first place the prospective employer will go for a bloody reference!

I hope he gets the job @PeanutyButtery but if I was the company who was offering it to him, I would withdraw the offer. That's not just a white lie, that is a big one.

JingsMahBucket · 26/03/2021 11:58

Also, @PeanutyButtery fingers crossed for your husband. I hope he gets the job and can style his way out of it.

littlepattilou · 26/03/2021 12:00

@JingsMahBucket

I think a lot of the people on this thread saying a supermarket stint won't look bad on his CV are lying to themselves and to others. It absolutely does reflect badly on some people in some cases and in certain industries. Let's just be real here folks.
A 'supermarket stint' on your CV will not reflect badly on ANYONE as much as saying you never worked there, but worked for a consultancy firm instead! (And then being found out to be a liar!)

It's unfathomable that he thought they wouldn't check. And as I said, if I were that company, I would withdraw the offer for sure. What he has done has shown him to be untrustworthy. What else is he lying about? What else will he lie about in the future? Not the sort of person I would employ.

Lexilooo · 26/03/2021 12:01

Surely he says he put it in his CV as he had agreed to work for them but no work materialised.

KaleJuicer · 26/03/2021 12:01

Amazed at the numerous people who have variously referred to "white lies", "embellishing", "garnishing the truth" on their CVs and suggest that "everyone does it!. I never ever have, not in the slightest, nor has my husband - but then we're both lawyers and pretty big on integrity!

littlepattilou · 26/03/2021 12:06

@KaleJuicer

Amazed at the numerous people who have variously referred to "white lies", "embellishing", "garnishing the truth" on their CVs and suggest that "everyone does it!. I never ever have, not in the slightest, nor has my husband - but then we're both lawyers and pretty big on integrity!
No, I have never done it either. And I am shocked at the amount of people who say they do it.

Reminds me of Joey in FRIENDS. Lying about 4 out of 5 things he could do to try and get work. Shit catches up with you eventually, but lying about what your last job was is bizarre and ludicrous, because (as I said,) that is the first place the prospective employer will check.

DropDTuning · 26/03/2021 12:14

@KaleJuicer Amazed at the numerous people who have variously referred to "white lies", "embellishing", "garnishing the truth" on their CVs and suggest that "everyone does it!. I never ever have, not in the slightest, nor has my husband - but then we're both lawyers and pretty big on integrity!

I've never done it either. I'm not a lawyer, but I was raised by one!

So had all that stuff drilled into me from a very young age. Along with the difference between 'disinterested' and 'uninterested', the meaning of 'without prejudice' and how even taking a biro home could potentially be gross misconduct. Wink

daisiesanddaffodils · 26/03/2021 12:17

Sometimes lockdown you may not want to disclose highly personal and sensitive things.

Weepingwillows12 · 26/03/2021 12:17

We had someone who said thet had been employed 6 months longer than they had by a company. We spent ages querying references thinking it was an admin error and then the person eventually admitted he had left earlier but hadnt been working. This was after giving us the dates and references, us saying they had come back and didnt match and him saying they should so re query.....we didnt employ him in the end. He had lied on his cv and wasted our time. We didnt want those characteristics in the team. If he had been honest upfront or even when the reference came back things might have been different.

TheHallsHall · 26/03/2021 12:20

@WombatChocolate

I think there's a difference between a minor exaggeration or saying something which is open to interpretation and a direct lie....claiming to have been doing a job that you didn't do is a direct lie. I'm not sure pointing that out is being po faced.

But, these kind of threads show that there is a definite spectrum of what people consider acceptable and a number of people are happy to condone outright lies and hope the person who delivers them gets away with it. Personally I think claiming you've done a job for an employer for 6 months that you never did, whilst you were actually working for someone else doing a different job is morally dubious. I can see some people think it's fine though which is interesting.

That's just human nature I guess and goes deeper with understanding how the type of person has been bought up and how they make their decisions as adults. It's very interesting
KaleJuicer · 26/03/2021 12:20

@DropDTuning even though my DH is a senior partner at his firm and I guess technically "owns" everything, he will stop at the post office to buy a single envelope if we need one at home, rather than take one from the firm's stationery supply room as that would be dishonest to his fellow partners!

Original poster
PeanutyButtery · 26/03/2021 12:23

I agree that it was especially silly to put it for the current position, as of course that's going to be the reference they want to hear from the most!

He did put that he was a consultant for this company on his CV, not that he was an employee, but the HR person said can we have contact details from X company as they are your "current employer".

Unfortunately he didn't just put consultancy and the dates on his CV - he copy-pasted the main tasks from the job description, which is really bad because he didn't do any of those tasks!

They didn't ask about the position in either of the interviews and he didn't mention it at all. He spoke about his previous employer and his recent freelance projects.

They were really impressed with him and his portfolio as well as he does have a lot of experience in quite a niche sector - hopefully he's learned a lesson from this...

I just looked on their jobs website and they took the vacancy down today so fingers crossed. It was really dumb of him to do but he's a good person and won't make the same mistake again.

It's a junior role and a pay cut from his (also not so well paid) job from over a year ago, but it's better than his 20-hour per week minimum wage contract at the moment which goes nowhere near our bills in London. I'm trying to work freelance with the baby which isn't very easy.

I think they may have contacted the company, as he did send an email address for a contact person and didn't specifically say no don't contact them, just kind of hinted at please contact this other person instead - which does look really suspicious as previous posters have said.

The contact person is an admin assistant who dealt with the signing of the contract (she definitely still works there according to LinkedIn) - I'm really hoping she just confirms the position title and the dates of the contract and says we can't comment on his work or suitability for the position... and leaves out "because we never sent him any work"! Sad

It's one of their regional offices in another country so I don't know how they do references but I guess they will go with the policy of the parent organisation.

OP posts:
Original poster
PeanutyButtery · 26/03/2021 12:31

Personally I would never dream of lying about a position on my CV, but then I'm the kind of person who would never not buy a bus/train ticket even if I knew I would never get caught or it was just one stop etc.

He's the type who would chance it. Maybe this will be a learning experience for him - it's just unfortunate that it's one that will affect the whole family

OP posts:
WombatChocolate · 26/03/2021 12:38

Op, I know he's your DH, but describing his choice as 'silly' and saying 'hopefully he's learned his lesson' followed by 'he won't make the same mistake again' does suggest a focus on 'getting away with it' more than anything else.

He's hoping he won't get found out....I can see why that is. He wants the job (and you want him to have it too) plus explaining this if it comes out will be pretty uncomfortable. But do you honestly think he has accepted it's wrong and if he's found out is willing to put his hands up to it.....or will it be more blagging and lying to wriggle out from admitting it? A couple of people speaking about their firms experience of this have emphaisised that when these 'discrepancies' have come up, the thing that has sealed the fate of the applicant ha been the continued attempts to cover up and lie.

I'd speak to him about this. Has he got a plan for what he is going to say if he is contacted for an explanation? Is it a plan which will suggest some level of honesty or that he's a prolific liar? Having a plan enables him to think it all through...not having a plan means possibly being caught in the hop and often lies are the easiest thing to come out if your mouth when under pressure and not planned.

So much play down of a deliberate choice to tell outright lies on a job application on this thread. Mention of silly, of embellishment and exaggeration and of styling things out. The reality is it was deliberate and knowing lies which involved cpsaying he had done a job, with the responsibilities of the job named, which has never happened at all....it wasn't embellishment or exaggeration but direct lie. Sorry....I calling it for what it is. I know lots of people don't like plain speaking and want to semi-justify everything and find grey areas, but this was a direct lie.