Colleague lied on CV/at interview and got job - do I say anything?

[Waferbiscuit]

A member of my team, who I will call 'Dave' applied for a role as a Senior Mgr in a different arm of my organisation. I sat on the interview panel (but not the chair) so was 1 of 4 people reviewing and scoring the applications. Panel members scored Dave highly and he was invited to interview.

Dave has been in my team for 5 years in a relatively junior/asst role. He is very good and we get along well. In the last 3 months he was upgraded to a management post, which was a big jump. So to be clear he worked for 4 years 9 months in a Asst role and 3 months as a Manager.

On Dave's CV he stated that he worked as a Manager the entire last 5 years. He never stated that he was an Assistant, he just put Manager on his CV with dates covering the last 5 years. I was very surprised to see this on his CV as it suggests he's much more senior than he is. However, I didn't want to 'out him' to the whole panel as a liar (because it would have repercussions on his reputation and future opportunities) and so I asked to talk to the Chair privately about it after the interviews. Dave did well in the first interview but came in tied for 3rd so I didn't think he would progress further. However I still asked the Chair for a conversation in private.

The Chair didn't contact me despite me asking for a call a few times, specifically saying that I wanted to talk to him about Dave. And as agreed the Chair set up second interviews with different panel members. Turns out a number of people pulled out of the interviews and Dave ended up being invited to interview and was their first choice. Dave got offered the job. Dave agreed to the job, contract is signed and Dave has resigned from his current post.

I can't change that Dave has been offered the job but (a) do I say something to the Chair or (b) do I say something to Dave? I appreciate that it's a done deal but I do feel lying isn't on and doing so put me, as a panel member and his manager, in a difficult position.

3rd sector @Bitsyholla

I'm sorry. I don't mean it in that way.

I used the word 'flummoxed'. I genuinely can't understand how you just ... sat there & said nothing!

I know for a fact I would have clearly spoken up - I interview a lot as part of my job.

As to what you should do now, it's difficult. I think you probably have no choice but to very clearly make sure this information is communicated. I feel it will come out in the future & negatively impact on you.

As to what the organisation can do about the job offer, I don't know. Having decided to give it to him, they are on shaky ground withdrawing the offer without some convincing explanation (it does depend on sector).

However, are you not a referee? Surely that's how it can be done - the reference will make it clear he wasn't a manager.

Do we not all fluff up our CV? I know I try to make things sound more fancy than they are

My CV is written to show me in the best light I can manage. That doesn't include outright lying about time spent at a job or my title.

but I'm pissed off that he put me in this situation and seems to think it's okay.

Don't be pissed off with Dave! He did a stupid unethical thing - but you let him away with it.

The result is completely your doing.

You would think so @newtlover

Good point about the reference
@EarringsandLipstick

So just to be clear I really only noticed the omission of the asst role at interview. By then we had obviously shortlisted and I felt like a bit of a nob bringing it up But I was very clear that Dave was too junior for the role. I thought it better to raise 1:1 with the chair after. And then when I realised Dave didn't do that welll in interview and wasn't a contender I wasn't as vocal as I could have been as didn't think his cv was that much of an issue as he probably wasn't going to get the job. I did still try to chase up the chair and they didn't get back to me. In a way I thought that might be because they too didn't think Dave was a contender. Hope that makes sense.

Having been unable to talk to the chair I would have emailed.

You shouldn't say anything now.

It will make you look really incompetent flagging this after he has been offered and accepted the new role.

What do you expect to happen if you flag it now? You're pushing the problem into the recruiting manger, they'll have to work out if they ignore it (and become complicit in unfair hiring practice) or rescind the offer. They will not thank you for putting this option on them.

If they seek guidance from HR, questions will be asked as to why you did not speak up at the time to ensure fair recruitment. By keeping quiet, you effectively disadvantaged other applicants.

It's a shit show in the making, trying to unravel if this is an issue or not for the new manager. I'd keep quiet and accept you have helped someone get a job they may not have deserved.

@IronNeonClasp : "You can’t give someone a job and take it away it’s just too late."

@EarringsandLipstick :

"Having decided to give it to him, they are on shaky ground withdrawing the offer without some convincing explanation (it does depend on sector). "

I completely and utterly disagree with both. It is really really easy to withdraw an offer.

Even more so if someone has exaggerated/lied/absolute fraud.

But I was very clear that Dave was too junior for the role.

But it's not that he's too junior. It's that he lied.

I assume the detail under his role (the 'manager' one) is correct (that he did this work, just for a shorter time)?

I thought it better to raise 1:1 with the chair after.

You can't really do this. I mean, you have to now. But the way it works & to protect the integrity of the process, you have to have all conversations openly, on the day.

The only thing in your favour is that the whole process sounds badly-run & flawed.

Maybe it was just a typo, he obviously did a good interview and they think he can do the job and it’s up to them to decide who gets the job.

Surely they asked about his experience at the interview.

They know well.

I don’t think there is anything you can do at this stage.

I have something similar on my CV. I have the senior role then the dates and company despite only being in the higher role for a matter of weeks. The difference was that I have overtly stated that I started at the lower role and was promoted (because it looked good) but did not state how long I was in each role. Perhaps this was wrong?

Op I don't think you have done anything wrong. You perhaps could have spoken up earlier but the chair also ignored you when you informed him there might be an issue. The only thing is to act now. Don't email asking for a meeting. Email him with the details of the problem. This puts the problem firmly in his court and he may feel a bit stupid about it all and his part and not involve you in any consequences.

I completely and utterly disagree with both. It is really really easy to withdraw an offer.

@Oblomov24

Read my post properly.

It depends on the sector. I'm in a university. It is not easy to withdraw a post, without good reason, as they may ask for this.

In another sector or jurisdiction, this is different.

Indeed, he lied. And someone who knew he lied allowed him to go through the whole process to offer stage. Dave's argument is that he clearly performed well enough to get the role, and in my sector, would have reasonable grounds to challenge an offer being withdrawn.

Yes it's wrong.

It's not honest. Put the dates of your role on your application.

It may be oh will come up at interview but it's always better to be clear & very honest, while still showing yourself in the best light.

oh sorry , I realise you actually interviewed him, wasn’t there a break between interviews where you discussed the candidates??

that is what i would think

I think it’s a bit late now, why didn’t you speak up earlier? Wasn’t he asked for references? Your processes are not very good when the internal candidate can get away with lying on his CV!!

What on earth would you say to Dave if you contact him? “I know you lied”? So he’ll say “I didn’t” or “what are you going to do about it”.

You should contact the Chair and HR, tonight.

You should have told them at the time, or immediately after the interview.

And please, get yourself some assertiveness training and get rid of the “be nice” attitude. There is nothing unkind about pointing out the fact that someone has lied. Don’t let cocky idiots like Dave steamroller you for ever more.

I work in a university. This sums up a lot of what is wrong with the sector. The idea that someone could lie on their CV and then challenge losing a role over it!

Most people have the sense not to do it for an internal promotion though!

I think id let this go. He must have interviewed well enough for the role and demonstrated enough skills during the interview. Unless he is going to be in a position to cause harm (a clinician or something). It sounds a bit like a crafty condensing of his CV. You say he is good at his job,maybe he will fly with one too.

I would send an email if that, I've read through the OPs posts and you're reasoning/judgements make sense but I suspect at this point it might reflect more on you and Dave might hear through the grapevine

I've been interviewing for 30 years but genuinely haven't come across a situation where my own team member lied on a CV. And as I said previously I didn't initially notice it when first shortlisting.

I’d have thought you’d pay more attention to an application from your own team member, not less.

I don’t understand why you’ve kept sending these obtuse “We need to talk about Dave” messages to the chair, like you’re trying to avoid pre-broadcast spoilers. You could have outlined the absolute basics in a single email and asked for a follow-up conversation. How hard is it to say “I just wanted to check that you were aware the job title Dave has listed is only his most recent role, which he commenced in September. Please let me know if you’d like to discuss further”?

Still, what’s done is done now. You’ve stated that their first two choices were unavailable and that they’re desperate to fill the role - maybe they decided it was worth taking a punt on a less experienced candidate. In your favour, you did mention he was more junior than he’d implied. I think your best bet is to keep quiet and hope he steps up to the role.

Frankly he might have fibbed about the length of time he spent in a manager role but you come across as incompetent...

You should have pointed out the discrepancy on the spot or when the panel discussed the candidates.

Instead you have left this go as far as him being appointed to the role so the best thing is for you to now keep quiet.

Nobody will thank you for keeping quiet until now and then suddenly messing up everything.

Your behaviour is really odd.

youve started a thread on MN to self-flagellate about an interview situation that can't be changed, and that you could have managed a lot better.

and surprise surprise, suddenly it's MNers who are"quick to say how shit people are" - really?? You started it!

do you often orchestrate situations that are completely avoidable that you then whinge about after the fact?!