CV Lies

Red About Town

Someone I worked with many years ago in a very junior role recently added me as a connection on LinkedIn. After accepting the request, I had a look at her profile. On her profile I saw that for the time we worked together she claimed to have a far more senior role than what she did.

Is this type of thing common? Do many people lie or 'enhance' their CVs/LinkedIn profiles?

MickFleetwood

Yes, this type of thing is extremely common. Why wouldn't you fluff up your CV a bit to land a job, as long as you're competent at it?

cherryghost

I edited my friends CV that had 'I also like humping fire extinguishers' in the middle of his hobbies. He was handing out his CV for almost a year until he noticed. Tard :P

Outkast_IRE

I have seen a lot of that happening too, but if employers aren't cross checking CVs by ringing these companies then they are foolish.

kneemos

Not many don't I'd imagine.

RachaelVO

Yep, we've all done it, but then people looking at the CVs clearly know it's all just shite as they've done it themselves, betcha.

Grayson

And a lot of companies will only give details about when someone worked there and the basic title of the role. Actual details are rarely given.

KeithM89

I worked with a woman who had 'GSOH' under strengths. Boy was that a lie! She didnt care much for my holocaust jokes.

I don't ...

kneemos

bluewolf wrote: »

I don't ...

Self employed.

BBDBB

I don't, no point, I enjoy what I do, Im good at it and I only want to do that kind of work

Red About Town

It's not something I've ever done; think I would get caught out in an interview situation. I can see how easy it is to do though.

Fox_In_Socks

bluewolf wrote: »

I don't ...

bluewolf, sorry, that is awful. Lets spruce it up.

"I am an honest and dependable team player, whose values and actions have reflected the open, transparent culture of the various companies I have worked for in the past. This is demonstrated in my day to day dealings with colleagues, customers-both internal and external and, to a smaller degree, right here in this CV."

matchthis

It's spelled syphilis, not cv lies

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

Im guilty a fluffing up my CV a small bit. I do window cleaning, however my self-appointed title is visual technician

Mech1

channel 3e now talking about this.
coincidence

seamus

I don't. If anything I understate my CV.

Guy I used to work with has his job title on Linkedin as the "Enterprise Mobility Manager". He's the mobile phone guy. Gotta give him points for effort though!

Mrs Garth Brooks

So this is what I have to do to get a job. I've been telling the truth all along.

What do I put down now?

Talib Fiasco

Yeah I do too. I was working on the petrol pumps for a summer job a few years ago. I gave myself the title of "Petroleum Supply and Distribution Specialist".

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

TheComeUp wrote: »

Yeah I do too. I was working on the petrol pumps for a summer job a few years ago. I gave myself the title of "Petroleum Supply and Distribution Specialist".

You didn't supply it. Distributed, certainly but not supplied

shruikan2553

Arent CVs mostly bull**** and making yourself sound more important?

ie: stacked shelves = Product Placement Engineer where my role was to control the supply of stock to customers using critical thinking skills to locate a position that would increase sales and profit for the company.

Shove more buzzwords into it that would put advertising departments to shame. Just thinking I would hate to see a CV for an advertising job.

krudler

Two companies I used to work for no longer operate so I could put any old guff on there, who they gonna check with?

Talib Fiasco

Johnny Electricity wrote: »

You didn't supply it. Distributed, certainly but not supplied

I know that but nobody has ever questioned that either :pac:

Although a HR girl commented a month ago to me that she has never seen such an impressive sounding first job in her life

becost

I have a few fake qualifications on my CV. My last job, they said it was company policy that you had to provide copies of the qualifications. :eek: Thank god there are people out there that post online CV's in public sites that contain PDF's of their qualifications. Also, thank god for PDF editing software.

brightkane

I put honesty down as a weakness.
every interview they try and tell me honesty isnt a weakness.
I tell them I don't give a fuk what they think

krudler

Use the words metrics, synergy, diverse and fundamental a lot, HR idiots love that sh1t.

Fox_In_Socks

krudler wrote: »

Use the words metrics, synergy, diverse and fundamental a lot, HR idiots love that sh1t.

Hmmm...with that sort of phrasing, you seem like the dynamic sort of self starting go getter that we are looking for.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

becost wrote: »

I have a few fake qualifications on my CV. My last job, they said it was company policy that you had to provide copies of the qualifications. :eek: Thank god there are people out there that post online CV's in public sites that contain PDF's of their qualifications. Also, thank god for PDF editing software.

:eek: You are a genius!!!! I'll give you 10% of my future salary if that works for me.

krudler

You'd wonder whats to stop anyone just getting a few sim cards and using them as contact details for their former "bosses" but just bigging themselves up, I definitely know people who put mates numbers down as former supervisors and the like, I had someone down as my "manager" who hadnt worked for the place for nearly 2 years lol

Fox_In_Socks

krudler wrote: »

You'd wonder whats to stop anyone just getting a few sim cards and using them as contact details for their former "bosses" but just bigging themselves up, I definitely know people who put mates numbers down as former supervisors and the like, I had someone down as my "manager" who hadnt worked for the place for nearly 2 years lol

You'd expect a google-able landline contact number, really. Not a mobile number.

My name is URL

TheComeUp wrote: »

I gave myself the title of "Petroleum Supply and Distribution Specialist".

I tell you h'what

Celly Smunt

Apparently i'm an avid runner.

Esoteric_

I've never lied on my CV. I've never been out of work for very long either. But, I work in retail. Retail is shít. Someone tell me how to re-write my CV to make me sound important enough to be a doctor.

blacklilly

Noticed a college friend of mine did this as well on linkedin but it wasn't just a fluff up, it was full on lies about previous work history etc. To be honest I wasn't one bit impressed when I saw it. She also recently got a new job and I've no doubt this imaginary previous work history helped her greatly.

lightspeed

Ive found a decent scanner and microsoft paint can do wonders

Archeron

Name : Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Boutros Boutros-Ghali also impresses.

endacl

Esoteric_ wrote: »

I've never lied on my CV. I've never been out of work for very long either. But, I work in retail. Retail is shít. Someone tell me how to re-write my CV to make me sound important enough to be a doctor.

Add the qualification 'Doctorate in this ****e'.

Easy.

Esoteric_

endacl wrote: »

Add the qualification 'Doctorate in this ****e'.

Easy.

And done!

I'm just gonna sit here and wait for the job offers to roll in.

endacl

Esoteric_ wrote: »

And done!

I'm just gonna sit here and wait for the job offers to roll in.

No point in just sitting there. Email it off to a few hospitals and stuff.

Red About Town

becost wrote: »

I have a few fake qualifications on my CV. My last job, they said it was company policy that you had to provide copies of the qualifications. :eek: Thank god there are people out there that post online CV's in public sites that contain PDF's of their qualifications. Also, thank god for PDF editing software.

What type of qualifications?

Maybe I'm being naive but do people lie about what degree they have for example?

Celly Smunt

Red About Town wrote: »

What type of qualifications?

Maybe I'm being naive but do people lie about what degree they have for example?

Well i've never been asked to produce my educational certs etc etc...

Bipolar Joe

I really can't blame people for fibbing or straight up bullshitting on their CV right now. It's hard enough getting a job.

Celly Smunt

Bipolar Joe wrote: »

I really can't blame people for fibbing or straight up bullshitting on their CV right now. It's hard enough getting a job.

Especially when you're up against 10 other people who've been doctors and astronauts.

Mike 1972

Celly Smunt wrote: »

Well i've never been asked to produce my educational certs etc etc...

I have but only twice. On one occasion I (truthfully) said they were in my old house but id drop them up next week. I never bothered and continued working for the company for two and a half years without hearing another word about it. Im always amazed about how lax most employers are about checking such things.

Fox_In_Socks wrote: »

You'd expect a google-able landline contact number, really. Not a mobile number.

Back in the days when mobile phones were a rich mans toy someone I used to work with gave his drug dealer as a reference. He also created a fictitious job/company to cover the time he was in prison.

Most job applicants lie (or at least exaggurate) on their CV's but then most companies lie about what a great place they are to work for so it all kinda balances out.

Red About Town

Celly Smunt wrote: »

Well i've never been asked to produce my educational certs etc etc...

Fair enough - will keep this in mind..

Mike 1972

Lies on CV's are largely responsible for the damnable trend towards companies only accepting signed application forms. Theoretically one can be sued for lying on something theyve signed.