When is it worth lying on your CV?

PeteTown · 19-09-2019 09:43AM #1

The answer to this we always hear is "it is never worth lying on your CV". But let's rephrase the question to "when is it worth the gamble of lying on your CV?" In other words sometimes it can pay off. And I'm not talking about stretching the truth, I'm talking about lying.

By and large, of course it's best not to lie. But the only reason a career coach will always say not to lie on your CV because they have to cover their own ass. Or else because they've no imagination. They can't be seen to say something like "sometimes it works but just be aware you're taking a gamble there, and keep very careful track on the things you lied about". Or if they said something like "it's impossible to predict if an interviewer will notice such a detail, and whether or not they'd go to the trouble to verify it". So can you lie about minor things that are far in the past?

It's all very well to put whatever it takes on the CV to get you to interview stage, but if you're going to lie about something, you should keep track of it so you don't get caught out. It'm a matter of asking yourself "do I have a referee that associated with the job where I lied? and may they ask for that referee?". But all in all, if you're clever about where you lie, it can work really well to go with a good impression you make in an interview.

I view it as a gamble that depends on a lot of factors. It also depends where you are in your career, and on the company who's interviewing you. If you're just starting out, then you don't have a reputation to ruin. It's funny interview coaches can't be seen to say this. Maybe it's because most of them were never in that position in the first place.

Riskymove · 19-09-2019 09:46AM

whatever about sometimes exaggerating I think flat out lying is just plain stupid and probably result in being fired

for example, claiming you have a qualification you don't is just wrong

Wayne Jarvis · 19-09-2019 09:47AM

Make sure you don't tell a lie so big that you end up in this position.

PeteTown · 19-09-2019 09:49AM

Riskymove wrote: »

whatever about sometimes exaggerating I think flat out lying is just plain stupid and probably result in being fired

for example, claiming you have a qualification you don't is just wrong

Yes, but now that you mention it I once got a job that surprisingly didn't vet my qualifications. Could I have known this in advance?

Montage of Feck · 19-09-2019 09:50AM

My CV is unexplained gaps interspersed with lies.

belfe · 19-09-2019 09:53AM

Is easy.

Only when you are sure that nobody will ever find out and only if you know that you can do the work that you claim that you know how to do.

is_that_so · 19-09-2019 09:55AM

Generally never but no harm in stretching jobs to cover too many gaps. Make sure you can tell the lies well!

IsThisOneFree · 19-09-2019 09:59AM

I've interviewed a dozen or so people over the past 2 years for some tech positions. Whatever about lying, I can say that a good percentage of the candidates exaggerated on their CV. Personally I would only put a particular skill on my CV if I was pretty proficient in it. Some of the CV's we got had skills listed on them just because the person had touched it once or twice, but didn't really know how that technology worked. These were weeded out very quickly in a technical phone screen so they never even got to the face-to-face interview stage.

So maybe you could say employers are expecting a certain amount of exaggeration. But as for lying ... if you're having to "keep track" then it sounds like a fairly complex lie, or series of lies ?? What kind of lie are we talking about here ? Do you really want to get a job based on a lie and give up your current job, only to to fail probation at the new place because you were dishonest ? And end up with no job at all. I can't see how that would ever be worth it. Even if you did pass probation, do you want the stress of turning up a job every day that you won't be able to do because you lied about your abilities ?

And lastly, remember that a good percentage of companies use agencies ... they're looking at CVs every day, and I'd be fairly confident they could spot a fake CV a mile off.

PeteTown · 19-09-2019 10:03AM

IsThisOneFree wrote: »

Do you really want to get a job based on a lie and give up your current job, only to to fail probation at the new place because you were dishonest ? And end up with no job at all. I can't see how that would ever be worth it. Even if you did pass probation, do you want the stress of turning up a job every day that you won't be able to do because you lied about your abilities ?

Better than being on the dole living with your parents. Wouldn't you say? Thought so!

Fake it til you make it!

IsThisOneFree wrote: »

And lastly, remember that a good percentage of companies use agencies ... they're looking at CVs every day, and I'd be fairly confident they could spot a fake CV a mile off.

No they can't. How could they? Lets say if someone referred to a technical term in an unusual manner on their CV, the agency company wouldn't be able to spot that because they probably wouldn't even know what the term means. Someone like you would know what it means though!

You can't tell if a CV is fake or not unless you verify it with colleges and referees.

tastyt · 19-09-2019 10:04AM

The truth gets you nowhere.

Fake it until you make it and don't worry about being honest with your employer, they'll lie to you forever telling you how much you mean to them and all sorts of ****e.

Truth is, when profits are down and the **** hits the fan , you and your colleagues will be the first to suffer.

Never feel guilty about anything you get from a corporate. If it's a small or family run business I'd feel a little different

begbysback · 19-09-2019 10:07AM

I put in my cv that I was ceo if google, and when they stated that my name didn’t appear when googling ceo of google, I told them, as ceo of google I had instructed that my name doesn’t show under such a search.

I think they were impressed.

sbsquarepants · 19-09-2019 10:10AM

Spoof the fúck away.

There's one simple golden rule - don't lie yourself into a job you can't do, you'll just be caught out and sacked.

Once you don't do that, they'll either reject you, in which case you're no worse off, or give you the job, in which case happy days - you now have a job you CAN do.

Once you prove you can do it, nobody will give a rats arse about your cv in few days or weeks.

Morals, shmorals - morals don't pay your mortgage!

Clareman · 19-09-2019 10:12AM

Qrt · 19-09-2019 10:15AM

I’m thinking of doing it myself. I’ve never had a job (here) and just got rejected from Centra as a Sales Assistant ðŸ˜”

IAMAMORON · 19-09-2019 10:16AM

Don't walk over the side of a cliff without a rope to pull yourself back up. 90% of the jobs you will receive offers for are based on how you perform in your interview and that essentially means how the interviewer perceives you as a person, in plain English … whether or not they like you.

Appointments are popularity contests, most semi skilled jobs can be done by anyone. Obviously your not going to make a dentist or an air traffic controller with a dodgy CV, but you could easily land a fat salary in " Property Management" if you stick your neck out.

I know people who survive in companies on their popularity alone, meaning I know they don't get up to much and still keep their jobs. The thing is in many organisations that is all it takes, keeping your head down, plámásing the really big egos and appearing keen, it works. Most senior **** in organisations just want to feel like they are right all the time and be told how great they are, the higher up you go the more clowns there are, believe.

So if you have a decent neck on you and are able to traverse your own bullshít you should be fine, everyone else is at it.

PeteTown · 19-09-2019 10:56AM

IAMAMORON wrote: »

Don't walk over the side of a cliff without a rope to pull yourself back up. 90% of the jobs you will receive offers for are based on how you perform in your interview and that essentially means how the interviewer perceives you as a person, in plain English … whether or not they like you.

Appointments are popularity contests, most semi skilled jobs can be done by anyone. Obviously your not going to make a dentist or an air traffic controller with a dodgy CV, but you could easily land a fat salary in " Property Management" if you stick your neck out.

I know people who survive in companies on their popularity alone, meaning I know they don't get up to much and still keep their jobs. The thing is in many organisations that is all it takes, keeping your head down, plámásing the really big egos and appearing keen, it works. Most senior **** in organisations just want to feel like they are right all the time and be told how great they are, the higher up you go the more clowns there are, believe.

So if you have a decent neck on you and are able to traverse your own bullshít you should be fine, everyone else is at it.

That's all very informative, but it's beside the point here. Your personality doesn't get you into the nterview.

IAMAMORON · 19-09-2019 11:05AM

PeteTown wrote: »

That's all very informative, but it's beside the point here. Your personality doesn't get you into the nterview.

Yes but your spelling certainly will.

B.A._Baracus · 19-09-2019 12:50PM

tastyt wrote: »

The truth gets you nowhere.

Fake it until you make it and don't worry about being honest with your employer, they'll lie to you forever telling you how much you mean to them and all sorts of ****e.

Truth is, when profits are down and the **** hits the fan , you and your colleagues will be the first to suffer.

Never feel guilty about anything you get from a corporate. If it's a small or family run business I'd feel a little different

Totally agree.

Ash.J.Williams · 19-09-2019 12:53PM

as long as you don't lie to a US multinational you'll be fine...they forensically go through your whole life!

19-09-2019 01:09PM

If your surname is Ward, Joyce or McDonagh

Apiarist · 19-09-2019 01:21PM

Frankly, my field of work is so small and my surname is relatively unusual, so I don't have to put anything other than my name on the CV. Prospective employers can just get all the info from the internet and from people who work in the same area. I could lie about my hobbies, I suppose?

sbsquarepants · 19-09-2019 01:25PM

victor8600 wrote: »

Frankly, my field of work is so small and my surname is relatively unusual, so I don't have to put anything other than my name on the CV. Prospective employers can just get all the info from the internet and from people who work in the same area. I could lie about my hobbies, I suppose?

Are you Lionel Messi?:D

nkl12xtw5goz70 · 19-09-2019 01:33PM

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

as long as you don't lie to a US multinational you'll be fine...they forensically go through your whole life!

A friend told me that she applied for a job and was asked for proof of her Leaving Cert results.

She's 47 years old and did the Leaving in the same year the Berlin Wall came down.

corner of hells · 19-09-2019 01:57PM

victor8600 wrote: »

Frankly, my field of work is so small and my surname is relatively unusual, so I don't have to put anything other than my name on the CV. Prospective employers can just get all the info from the internet and from people who work in the same area. I could lie about my hobbies, I suppose?

Ahern ? As in you've never had a bank account Ahern.

Apiarist · 19-09-2019 02:30PM

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Are you Lionel Messi?:D

More like Kevin Mitnick, but in a more niche software development area.

19-09-2019 02:32PM

go through a PAS competition, lie the bollix out of the form, spoof the interview.

ive begun to think its the best way forward tbh, from recent observations.

Gael23 · 19-09-2019 02:34PM

Lying is never worth it.
Being economical with the truth can work at times. I didn’t get a good grade in my degree so I just left it off and if the interviewer never asked I said nothing

Ted_YNWA · 19-09-2019 02:56PM

Bullsh1t might get you in the door, but it won't keep you in there.

Never a good idea to outright lie on CV. Bound to catch up sooner rather than later.

Over-inflation of roles done and bit of exaggeration is one thing.

Strumms · 19-09-2019 03:07PM

tastyt wrote: »

The truth gets you nowhere.

Fake it until you make it and don't worry about being honest with your employer, they'll lie to you forever telling you how much you mean to them and all sorts of ****e.

Truth is, when profits are down and the **** hits the fan , you and your colleagues will be the first to suffer.

Never feel guilty about anything you get from a corporate. If it's a small or family run business I'd feel a little different

This 100% in stone. I’ve seen and known people do extraordinary things for their employer week in week out, completely get taken for granted, maybe given the odd ‘thanks email’ but when shît hit the fan and things went wrong, a mistake etc... they were left completely in the cold and knives were out...

Corporates tend to have seriously short memories... as to what conditions under and why they hire people in the first place being two memory failures, what they are entitled to expect from an employee is another especially as regards their job scope.

No guilt, they give, means you earned.

Wayne Jarvis · 19-09-2019 03:08PM

Ted_YNWA wrote: »

Bullsh1t might get you in the door, but it won't keep you in there.

Never a good idea to outright lie on CV. Bound to catch up sooner rather than later.

Over-inflation of roles done and bit of exaggeration is one thing.

I'd say you lied on your mod application.

Ted_YNWA · 19-09-2019 03:29PM

Guy Person wrote:

I'd say you lied on your mod application.

sssssshhhhh !!!

When is it worth lying on your CV?

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