Making up stuff on CV

Cyndaquil

Random thought here... say you were to invent jobs to fill up gaps in the CV, just supposing they were convincing/far back enough that a potential employer would never cop... is there a danger that the SW might also believe it and think you had been wrongfully claiming SW when you were 'working' (like say you put the fictional job on your linkedin)?

L.Jenkins

I wouldn't advise it. It would be too easy to catch someone out eventually.

Nelly1234

Dooooont do ittttttt

Mycroft H

I've done it before. Made sure the story was watertight though

danthefan

Terrible idea imo, you're not going to have a reference or be able to really answer questions about your time (not) there.

Gael23

Do not do this. It will be found out at some stage. I had an interview and I got asked a question I would rather not have been but I told the truth and tried my best to turn it into a positive

Realt Dearg Sec

I used to go out with a girl who worked in HR (it didn't last...Jesus I don't like HR). She said a little lie here or there on a cv is practically expected, but I think she meant some creative exaggeration of your role rather than blatantly inventing whole parts of your career. I'd be less worried about SW (although nothin would surprise me) and more worried that HR or another interviewer will quiz you or worse again look for a reference, or expect skills that you don't actually possess.

That said I have a friend who has built a successful career in finance by lying about a degree she hasn't done for her first job. Once she was in she built a career and now nobody would think to check it.

Mr. Loverman

It depends how good you are at lying and who is interviewing you.

I have a friend who worked in construction (can't remember what it's called... the guys who carry bricks, sweep and clean the toilets, etc.)

He was making decent money but wanted to start a career.

He created a fake business degree and applied for a job as a fund accountant. He got the job.

That was about 8 years ago. He now works in London as a senior fund accountant and makes well over 100k per year. His bonus last year was 30k.

Obviously I don't recommend you do this.

Mrs OBumble

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

I have a friend who worked in construction (can't remember what it's called... the guys who carry bricks, sweep and clean the toilets, etc.)

Is his name Bertie?

Diddy Kong

As everyone has already said I wouldn't recommened it. A few years ago, my manager came to me and asked me about a CV he received for a position. Turns out I had worked with the guy in the past place.

Guy said on the CV said that he was the manager in the last place, etc. My response "He was in his arse!"

You never know who you might know working where you apply!

danthefan

A few years back the Yahoo CEO had to resign/was fired after it was found out he lied on his CV. Obviously that's a very high profile case but it is just not a good idea. It's a very small country and as other posters have mentioned, it's not uncommon to know someone in the place you're applying for.

compo1

DO NOT LIE!!!!
Telling the truth means you don't have to remember what you said the last time. It's a lot safer that way.

biko

Things have a habit to come back and bite you in the behind.
Don't do it.

joeperry

I'm so old i have to make stuff up because i can't remember everything i've done.

cabledude

I've often thought about this. How far back will a prospective employer really probe?

For example, 15 years ago, if a candidate worked in 1 particular sector, for example retail.

Then they went into a completely different career, engineering lets say.

Now they want to move on from their current employer to more senior/better role.

Obviously the new company will look for work details etc. He/She puts down that before they embarked on the engineering career, they spent a few years in retail.

Will prospective employers look for references going back that far? Considering that 15 years has passed, the candidate has done a lot of growing up in that time and the former careers skills have absolutely no relevance to the job being applied for?

Monty Bojangles

cabledude wrote: »

Will prospective employers look for references going back that far? Considering that 15 years has passed, the candidate has done a lot of growing up in that time and the former careers skills have absolutely no relevance to the job being applied for?

So unlikely I'd be tempted to say 100% no, they would not. They might however know someone who worked there when you said you worked there, so there is a remote possibility the lie would get found out.

I have a management position now based on a fabrication on my cv and a friend who was willing to give me a reference. Make sure you're up to whatever job you're applying for.