Would you lie about your grades on an application form?

[girlsmum]

Hi, I'm just looking to go back to work and am filling out an application form.

Really want this job and have just written down my Maths GCSE as a grade C (I wish!).

Would you do this? Have you done this? Am I really terrible? Can they find out - this is the only thing I have lied about.

I wouldn't tbh - they may want to check and you will be caught out. Also, some employers ask for school certificates !!

Some places do check.

Oh crap!

Think I'll change it then.

No, you can be sacked if you lie on an application form. I mean, a downright, specific lie rather than exaggerating a little which I think many people do.

I know someone who got the sack over lying about grades on an application form so it is serious. (They were looking to get rid of her anyway and found a legally watertight excuse.)

A girl who works for us lied on her application form that she had 5 gcse's when in fact she had none.

She's very good at her job so in fact exams were irrelevant anyway,quite funny when we pulled her up on it when she let slip in a conversation that she left school with no exams.

I think I may have just done that! I had to write grade that I got in 1984 fgs! I cant remember what I did yesterday, half the time! I know I got those GSE's, but I really can't remember what grades I got.

I did get an interview though, so hopefully I got away with it!

When they find out they will sack you.

I wouldn't, I have been asked for certificates in the past. However, I have never been in the position where I thought my grades would stop me getting the dream job, if I was in that position and I thought I could get the job unless I told the truth, I might think about it. You could get sacked true, but are you worse off than not getting the job in the first place. I don't think I would do it in these circs, but I would have to think hard about it.

I recentl applied for a job in the public sector and had to produce my exam certificates from the 1970s, despite having over 20 yrs work experience

I wouldn't lie - if they were a long time ago, most employers will discount them anyway. If they're recent then they may ask for certificates to substantiate them. You can be dismissed for lying on an application form.

Mind you, I've never been asked to produce my academic certificates in nearly 20 years of working . I had to take them to university to enrol though.

Can you work mathematically at GCSE Grade C? Your grades indicate not, but if you think you can then that is what matters I suppose - that you are competent.

I would not lie, and after a Grade C in maths I would imagine they'd rate honesty and integrity quite highly also,surely?

Nope. As bookwormmum says if they were a long time ago it won't be important anyway. But the fact that you lied on your application form might well be important.

And if for some reason it is important for the job that you got a C, then retake it. Tell a prospective employer that you are going to retake it- that shows inititative, determination and a desire to improve. All much more important than a C.

initiative

Definitely not. Of course they could find out.

I had to present professional exam certificates, degree certificates, A level certificates and O level certificates

Why not lie? Well apart from the chance of being found out, there is the chance that I may not be able to do this job if I didn't have the qualifications for it. Also there is such a thing as honesty and trust between employer and employee - both parties need to be honest and open

Do you need to give the grade? I just say O levels including Maths and English. What was your actual grade, and is a C given as a requirement? Lying is a very bad start and as others have said a sackable offense. I have never been asked to produce certificates (and I work for the NHS which is quite beurocratic).

Agree - don't lie - employers can, and do, check.
I personally never list my Inter and Leaving Cert results (equiv of O and A levels in those days) because the way I look at it I have a degree, and a post grad, and 15 (shit ) years of experience, so what the hell does it matter what result I got when I was 15/17.

My current employer asks for qualifications taken in the past 10 years. Quite a neat way to figure out someone's age without actually asking in some respects.

I say '3 A-levels, grades X, X, X; 8 O-levels, grades XXXXXXXX'.

i have to say i also leave out 1 exam I failed, plus 1 postgrad certificate in a subject completely unrelated to anything else I've done. you are supposed to include everything and they could find out about the failure by looking at my certificates, but no one has ever asked!

if they really care, they can find out. Don't actually lie, though.

can we have a smug emoticon?
i dont have to lie about my grades. only thing they werent good enough for was medical school.

If anyone asks me to look at their cv and they've put GCSE's on there my immediate advice is to take them straight off unless they're 18 with no work experience and need something to fill up the space. That's how irrelevant it is most of the time.

Having said that, I know some organisations do insist on producing application forms with spaces specifically for this kind of stuff, so you feel you must put it down rather than leave a gap. But unless it specifically says must have GCSE grade C for whatever reason, it won't be important so don't worry about your result, and if it does say that, you need to get the right result, not lie about it.