Have you ever lied / embellished the truth in your CV?

Outlaw Pete · 07-09-2016 05:52PM #1

Just seeing this tweet where some guy lied in his CV and it came back to bit him.

https://twitter.com/Shimz_Afc/status/771010773434990592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

I lied loads of times about work experience but nothing to that degree.

Here's one particular example of where I was lying in a CV.

I told her I'd always be faithful.

So, have you ever lied in your CV and have you ever been found out?

If so how and if not why so and stuff and things.

Panthro · 07-09-2016 06:00PM

For some reason I'm reminded of a show call Strip Masterbrain.

I wasn't on it mind, although I guess I should have let on I presented it or something.

Carry on.

questionmark? · 07-09-2016 06:01PM

You shouldn't out right lie but you should expand and spruce up the truth to CV and interview bull**** levels.

darkpagandeath · 07-09-2016 06:02PM

What, You mean you don't believe I was one of the Apollo astronauts ??

fryup · 07-09-2016 06:03PM

no point, you'll only be found out in the long run

Speedwell · 07-09-2016 06:04PM

My father never got a full formal college degree in the country he came from, though he was perfectly capable and well-trained in his field and had plenty of work experience. After he'd been working in his field for about fifteen years, the jobs he was applying for started to tell him he was underqualified because he didn't have the all-important sheepskin. So he started to claim he had a degree from a university in his home country that had conveniently had its records destroyed in some revolutionary or other military action (I forget exactly how he put it). He could do anything his colleagues could do just as well and often better, so nobody was harmed by the lie.

questionmark? · 07-09-2016 06:06PM

Speedwell wrote: »

My father never got a full formal college degree in the country he came from, though he was perfectly capable and well-trained in his field and had plenty of work experience. After he'd been working in his field for about fifteen years, the jobs he was applying for started to tell him he was underqualified because he didn't have the all-important sheepskin. So he started to claim he had a degree from a university in his home country that had conveniently had its records destroyed in some revolutionary or other military action (I forget exactly how he put it). He could do anything his colleagues could do just as well and often better, so nobody was harmed by the lie.

So from now on everyone should say they got their degree in Syria and they'll be grand!!!

maudgonner · 07-09-2016 06:07PM

darkpagandeath wrote: »

What, You mean you don't believe I was one of the Apollo astronauts ??

I hope you didn't claim you were an Apollo 1 astronaut? :eek:

Red Kev · 07-09-2016 06:15PM

My mother left school at 13 or 14 (early 1950's Ireland) and went working in the family shop and pub. Aged 19 she went to London and applied for a job as a cashier in a Nat West bank. Asked if she had the Leaving, she said she did, but didn't have it on her, manager offered her the job and told her to bring the Leaving Cert with her when she started on Monday, she chanced it and was never asked.

13 years later she was assistant manageress of the branch, (essentially as far as you could go as a woman back then). At her leaving party when she was leaving to move back to Ireland the manager reminded her that she never brought her Leaving Cert to show him.

Her: "I never did my Leaving, nor the Inter Cert"
Him: "I figured that, but I also figured working 6 years working in a shop and pub was better experience than any Leaving Cert"

07-09-2016 06:36PM

Red Kev wrote: »

My mother left school at 13 or 14 (early 1950's Ireland) and went working in the family shop and pub. Aged 19 she went to London and applied for a job as a cashier in a Nat West bank. Asked if she had the Leaving, she said she did, but didn't have it on her, manager offered her the job and told her to bring the Leaving Cert with her when she started on Monday, she chanced it and was never asked.

13 years later she was assistant manageress of the branch, (essentially as far as you could go as a woman back then). At her leaving party when she was leaving to move back to Ireland the manager reminded her that she never brought her Leaving Cert to show him.

Her: "I never did my Leaving, nor the Inter Cert"
Him: "I figured that, but I also figured working 6 years working in a shop and pub was better experience than any Leaving Cert"

That's a great story. The manager certainly had foresight back then - unfortunately there's little of that kind of pragmatism around today.

FTA69 · 07-09-2016 06:40PM

I've a big enough one.

My current job I lied on the application and said I had a driving license. The job absolutely specified that you must possess a driving license and I replied in the affirmative, it said f*ck all about a full or clean one however (I do have a provisional). It never came up though because for a year no cars were available and all our work was on a train line or in the city.

A year later they rang me up to tell me to collect my company car from the depot and I just said I can't drive for sh*t and to give it to someone else. One manager went apoplectic but the rest were sound as a pound, the fact is that by that time I'd excelled at the job and they'd spent tens of thousands training me and I'm fairly integrated into a few key projects by now. They still moan about it and one manager even mooted them shelling out for lessons in order for me to get it done.

Result.

Radiosonde · 07-09-2016 06:47PM

FTA69 wrote: »

I've a big enough one.

My current job I lied on the application and said I had a driving license. The job absolutely specified that you must possess a driving license and I replied in the affirmative, it said f*ck all about a full or clean one however (I do have a provisional). It never came up though because for a year no cars were available and all our work was on a train line or in the city.

A year later they rang me up to tell me to collect my company car from the depot and I just said I can't drive for sh*t and to give it to someone else. One manager went apoplectic but the rest were sound as a pound, the fact is that by that time I'd excelled at the job and they'd spent tens of thousands training me and I'm fairly integrated into a few key projects by now. They still moan about it and one manager even mooted them shelling out for lessons in order for me to get it done.

Result.

You must've been bricking it they'd hand you the keys on day one and tell you your first job was on other side of the country!

endacl · 07-09-2016 06:48PM

FTA69 wrote: »

I've a big enough one.

My current job I lied on the application and said I had a driving license. The job absolutely specified that you must possess a driving license and I replied in the affirmative, it said f*ck all about a full or clean one however (I do have a provisional). It never came up though because for a year no cars were available and all our work was on a train line or in the city.

A year later they rang me up to tell me to collect my company car from the depot and I just said I can't drive for sh*t and to give it to someone else. One manager went apoplectic but the rest were sound as a pound, the fact is that by that time I'd excelled at the job and they'd spent tens of thousands training me and I'm fairly integrated into a few key projects by now. They still moan about it and one manager even mooted them shelling out for lessons in order for me to get it done.

Result.

Free car? Take those lessons.

razorblunt · 07-09-2016 06:58PM

Have you been getting a car allowance in your salary during that time?

FTA69 · 07-09-2016 06:58PM

Radiosonde wrote: »

You must've been bricking it they'd hand you the keys on day one and tell you your first job was on other side of the country!

Utterly terrified. They did that to one of the new trainees and as they were looking around for another lad to loan me a motor I just shouted "I'm heading up with Gary" and scurried out the door.

I've failed two tests already now. London is a f*cking crapshoot to pass a test in.

FTA69 · 07-09-2016 07:02PM

razorblunt wrote: »

Have you been getting a car allowance in your salary during that time?

Nah, the ones with a car pay a higher tax stipend but thankfully I don't. It doesn't have any extra financial benefits or draws for me at the moment. It's become a bit comic now as the fella in charge of the motor pool for the whole organisation (which is huge) rang everyone once asking them about something or other and when I told him my name he knew it instantly and said

"Oh you're that lad who bullsh*tted his way into the department aren't you? I thought I recognised the name!"

He's based in Scotland like and I've never even met the man. It's a bit of a cause celebre in a way.

Turtle_ · 07-09-2016 07:05PM

FTA69 wrote: »

I've failed two tests already now. London is a f*cking crapshoot to pass a test in.

And they still want to give you a car..?

Doesn't the UK have intensive courses you could go on? They did about 10 years ago, you spend a week in some centre and do the test at the end. Probably easier than London?

FTA69 · 07-09-2016 07:08PM

Turtle_ wrote: »

And they still want to give you a car..?

Doesn't the UK have intensive courses you could go on? They did about 10 years ago, you spend a week in some centre and do the test at the end. Probably easier than London?

Yeah I know all about them mate I've failed two! However my intensive was two hours a day and then the test after a week. Not a residential.

Likewise many people over here have failed their test multiple times, my local centre has a pass rate of 30% for instance. A buddy of mine works for British Gas and drives a lorry now, he failed his test eight times before he passed.

Larry SR · 07-09-2016 07:41PM

questionmark? wrote: »

You shouldn't out right lie but you should expand and spruce up the truth to CV and interview bull**** levels.

Agree but also very important to be able to back this up at the interview. No point saying you were a manager on your CV for example and not being able to talk around that or give examples. A mistake many people make.

B.A._Baracus · 07-09-2016 07:56PM

I was probably around 20 at the time but my cv was once a complete lie. Only truth was my name and address. I didn't want to use my previous job as a reference because I threw it there. So I lied about my last job but then came to the conclusion if I am lying about the one job an employer is going to check up I might as well blow myself out. So I said I went to college for a year, also did a fas course once etc.

In the end I got a job. You would be surprised how far you can get by bluffing. But it has to be said I was applying for retail jobs which hardly requires a lot lol.

fryup · 07-09-2016 10:53PM

what happens if your employer discovers that you did lie on your CV

do they have grounds to sack you?

BOHtox · 07-09-2016 11:00PM

proficientatcomputers

SemenInMyEyes · 07-09-2016 11:05PM

I don't lie about things I can be caught out for. But I vastly exaggerate my achievements. For example if I took part in a project I always make it look like I was the key player and be sure to understand the project.

crasy dash · 07-09-2016 11:06PM

Often use the brother in law as a reference on the CV handy to have and definitely helped me to get one job I had.

Moo Moo Land · 07-09-2016 11:08PM

Absolutely I did and it only got me into trouble once.

A friend of mine left college with a degree, went to Australia and added a very good Masters to his CV. It got him his first decent job in marketing and he had a superb career now.

I believe it's not so easy to do these days.

Moo Moo Land · 07-09-2016 11:08PM

fryup wrote: »

what happens if your employer discovers that you did lie on your CV

do they have grounds to sack you?

Yes.

pgj2015 · 07-09-2016 11:19PM

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/10941476/Students-threatened-with-jail-for-telling-white-lies-on-CVs.html

Ghetofarmulous · 08-09-2016 12:04AM

I have done many Interviews for a waste water treatment company I used to work for usually for operators and technician level.A degree was not necessary but desirable . I rate personality over experience because I wanted to have someone who would fit into the team as this helps with learning.

I have found that people will always be economical with the truth or as one user said ". But I vastly exaggerate my achievements. For example if I took part in a project I always make it look like I was the key player and be sure to understand the project."

This is ok most of the time. But be careful.
I always went through a person CV section by section and asked about relevant parts. I believe that most people spend a lot of time and effort on their CV and should be give the chance to deliver in an interview using a document they know thoroughly.

When someone lies on their CV and cant give fluid responses to something they should know its obvious. So NO. Don't lie.

The company wont appreciate it.
You will always be worried about being found out.

08-09-2016 12:54AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQwVJgmZaA8

Ghetofarmulous · 08-09-2016 01:08AM

^^^^^ nice

pragmatic1 · 08-09-2016 01:36AM

Not completely full of lies, but dates were changed, responsibilities were increased and achievements were exaggerated.

Have you ever lied / embellished the truth in your CV?

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