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lied on cv - interview pending - what to do

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Comments

  • #32
    28064212
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,025 ✭✭✭✭28064212


    cvlies wrote: »
    so what is on my cv looks like a lie - and i suppose it is - but it was not meant to be for the sake of saying i had a degree - it was just so not to leave a gap or leave out my work placement.
    Don't understand this at all OP. Why do you have to lie to not leave a gap or leave out your work placement? Why not leave it in and say that you did not finish the degree?

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  • #33
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,012 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    28064212 wrote: »
    Don't understand this at all OP. Why do you have to lie to not leave a gap or leave out your work placement? Why not leave it in and say that you did not finish the degree?

    i can hardly put on the front page of my cv "did not finish the course"
    I will however change this part of my cv by just listing the course and the years I attended but without a result. Well actually I am not sure how I will word it but I will be clear that I do not have this degree.

    @bw - cvlies, title of thread - yes - this was my initial gut on it - to any prospective employer it would look like i have lied. But as I have said before, I admit that I should have changed how I laid this out - i guess I was in denial as I have never been asked about it.

    @ be honest - i can see where you are coming from if I was pretending to have a degree that was required for the role - but as I have said before, this job is in a completely different field to that of the degree. I have the necessary qualifications and work experience for this job. Actually, at a risk of blowing my top, had it not be for this blunder, they would be glad to have me. And where I now work is highly reputable.

    @miss fluff - I am in agreement with you with regards to how an hr person would see it.
    I have to be realistic and look at this through their eyes - and as it stands, it does look like I have a degree. And as an employer, I do not think they would entertain me if i came back to them with a story - it puts a question mark over my integrity. I mean, why would they, when there are so many potential employees to choose from?
    On the other hand they might not give a crap as it is a course I did 9 years ago which has nothing to do with this position.

    Nevertheless, I think I will take it as a lesson learnt and just decline the interview invitation now and re apply next year with a clean cv - what do you think?


  • #34
    dellas1979
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,128 ✭✭✭dellas1979


    Well, it could be worse - you could have gone there, lied, and now they are looking for a copy of your parchment.

    Can you not say it was along the lines of a typo that you just noticed? i.e. you "copied" in the wrong part or along those lines? If you are confident and strong, you can do it.

    If you really want the job, go do something about it and rectify YOUR mistake.

    The other side is applying next year, and they not remembering you, but they will, because they will probably ask you if youve applied there before, and dig out your application (as to why it didnt work last time/did you drop out/not offered etc.).


  • #35
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,012 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    dellas1979 wrote: »
    Well, it could be worse - you could have gone there, lied, and now they are looking for a copy of your parchment.

    Can you not say it was along the lines of a typo that you just noticed? i.e. you "copied" in the wrong part or along those lines? If you are confident and strong, you can do it.

    If you really want the job, go do something about it and rectify YOUR mistake.

    The other side is applying next year, and they not remembering you, but they will, because they will probably ask you if youve applied there before, and dig out your application (as to why it didnt work last time/did you drop out/not offered etc.).

    no the more i look at my cv the more convinced I am that I cannot just bluff my way out of it at this stage.

    I have a very good reason for wanting to stay in my current job. And if I want to apply next year, I will be submitting a new cv, as I will be updating it anyway with other training I will have undertaken.
    If I do apply next year, I will be acknowledging the fact that I applied the previous year. I will have to in the cover letter. If they cop the discrepancies between the 2 cv's with regards to the degree course, I can say that I copped the error some time since now, and that I changed it, which is the truth. And if that does not work for me well there is nothing I can do I think.


  • #36
    28064212
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,025 ✭✭✭✭28064212


    cvlies wrote: »
    i can hardly put on the front page of my cv "did not finish the course"
    I will however change this part of my cv by just listing the course and the years I attended but without a result. Well actually I am not sure how I will word it but I will be clear that I do not have this degree.
    Why not? I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of people would put down a course that they didn't complete, especially if they spent a year plus at it, rather than have a gap. One of the first items on my CV is that I failed to complete a PhD, after spending nearly two years at it. It's obviously going to come up in an interview, and I have my answer prepared, and as with all interview negatives, you try to turn it into a positive, lessons learned, overcoming adversity, difficult decision made etc etc
    cvlies wrote: »
    Nevertheless, I think I will take it as a lesson learnt and just decline the interview invitation now and re apply next year with a clean cv - what do you think?
    Probably your best option in the corner you're in

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  • #37
    dellas1979
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,128 ✭✭✭dellas1979


    cvlies wrote: »
    I can say that I copped the error some time since now, and that I changed it, which is the truth. And if that does not work for me well there is nothing I can do I think.

    I dont get what the difference is in telling them this now as opposed to next year, which to me would look twice as bad. "She changed her CV - she must have been lying" and they wont even ask you...are you going to put in your cover letter that it was a mistake the first time around? You'll be back here next year asking how to word what happened.

    I just dont think youve anything to loose, and everything to gain. You are playing ostrich and sticking your head in the sand.


  • #38
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,012 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    dellas1979 wrote: »
    I dont get what the difference is in telling them this now as opposed to next year, which to me would look twice as bad. "She changed her CV - she must have been lying" and they wont even ask you...are you going to put in your cover letter that it was a mistake the first time around? You'll be back here next year asking how to word what happened.

    I just dont think youve anything to loose, and everything to gain. You are playing ostrich and sticking your head in the sand.


    first of all, i will be "updating" my cv anyway.. with the additional training. People update their cv's all the time - and that may include little changes/improvements. I will keep the degree there - and include an average grade (i have requested something official from the college on this) for the duration of the course or something. I will not leave it as it is now, as it looks like i am saying I graduated. If needed, I can just say then that I realised the error at some stage during the year. But you know, I do not think it will be such a big issue if they do cop the difference, as the degree has NOTHING what so ever to do with this job, and it was years ago. Its the best I can do. Whereas if I carry on now, it looks like I lied on my CV, and its not a risk I am willing to take. Next year I can remedy it.


  • #39
    Miss Fluff
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,673 ✭✭✭Miss Fluff


    dellas1979 wrote: »
    Can you not say it was along the lines of a typo that you just noticed? i.e. you "copied" in the wrong part or along those lines? If you are confident and strong, you can do it.


    You cannot be serious surely?

    Are you honestly suggesting that the OP, having falsified a CV and is now being asked to back up a claim of a degree qualification suddenly turns around and goes "Oooops, you know what, that degree thingy was one big typo actually, soz"...

    It'd be like me claiming I've a full clean drivers license for a role and then when asked for a producer I suddenly remembered I only had a provisional :rolleyes:

    If you try and bluff your way out of this it will damage your integrity and make you look like a not-to-be-trusted chancer.

    I get that it's a harsh lesson, especially when having a degree in this discipline is not actually relevant to the role you have applied for, but I'd amend your CV to tell the truth and move on from this tbh and look elsewhere.


  • #40
    valleyoftheunos
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,332 ✭✭✭valleyoftheunos


    OP don't expect them to be understanding about any lies on your CV, they will simply exclude you from the interviews or selection process.

    Trying to bluff your way out of it by blaming a mistake will probably have a similar result. Perhaps its best to withdraw your application, telling them you have accepted another offer elsewhere or something similar and try again next year although you should be prepared to explain the discrepancy in your applications as HR People often have very good memories for this sort of thing!

    You have perfectly valid reasons for not completing your Degree, turn that negative into a positive as suggested above.


  • #41
    pow wow
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,288 ✭✭✭pow wow


    cvlies wrote: »
    i can hardly put on the front page of my cv "did not finish the course"
    I will however change this part of my cv by just listing the course and the years I attended but without a result. Well actually I am not sure how I will word it but I will be clear that I do not have this degree.

    You could just list the degree with something along the lines of final exam not taken/final exam outstanding/final exam pending etc etc.

    If I were you and I really wanted the job I'd email them to 'clarify' the nature of your qualifications. Hands up you lied about it, but you don't need to put it in such terms (they may well take it that way but you certainly don't need to plant the word in their minds). It's also better to do it by email than over the phone as you can be more precise about what you do and don't say to them.

    Perhaps say that it's occurred to you that you neglected to mention when listing your education and realise that you should have made clearer that you haven't sat the final project/exam/whatever for your degree. As there was a continual assessment element (i.e. you did modules and did exams for those) it is a small element that is outstanding and given your change of career to a field where the qualification in whatever subject is less irrelevant you elected not to return to complete the exam/project. You can provide transcripts illustrating the modules taken and grades achieved and have satisfied the modular requirements for the award bla bla bla....well words to that effect amended to reflect the kind of course you did and how it's awarded.

    The above isn't trying to bluff your way out of it, your version will be a factually correct statement, just presented in a more favourable way than 'I'm sorry I lied on my CV' :)


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  • #42
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,012 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    ok - decision made. Application will be terminated. I have a very good reason too for not wanting to leave my current job - and its something that has just recently occured to that should suffice.

    I will amend cv and reapply next year. And to be honest, i doubt they will even ask about the degree transcript. You see they were looking for another relevant transcript which i cannot give them until next week as I have to wait for it to be sent to me. They were only looking for this originally - but then in a recent email, they threw in the degree one too.

    Next year I will have this relevant transcript ready to go. And should the degree thing be queried, which i really doubt it will be to be honest, then I will say, tell then about how i sat the course but didn't get to sit finals. And if the discrepancies are noticed, I will just say that my I changed my cv. They cannot hold it against me for "maybe" telling lies on a previous cv. Anyway I really do not think it will be an issue as I will have had another year's worth of work experience for them and more relevant training.
    But most of all i will be confident in what I am saying.
    Right now I know i am in the wrong, and I am a bad liar so I would not be able to bluff it.
    And also, I like to think that I am not a bad person - I paniced then and did not think clearly.
    The reality is, **** happens, but I should not let that totally freak me out. I have so much good stuff on my cv and I am a hard worker. I love this new field i am in and that will show. I should not let this unfinished degree get me down any longer. This has made me realise that. I have nothing to hide really. I just need to be careful how I word it on my cv.

    Thanks for all the replies. Having read through the subjective and objective replies, I have nevertheless realised that I can leave my degree course and work placement on my cv; I do not have to omit it just because I did not sit the finals. I just need to word it better.
    Thanks to all, i feel guilt free and enlightened.


  • #43
    dellas1979
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,128 ✭✭✭dellas1979


    Miss Fluff wrote: »
    You cannot be serious surely?

    Are you honestly suggesting that the OP, having falsified a CV and is now being asked to back up a claim of a degree qualification suddenly turns around and goes "Oooops, you know what, that degree thingy was one big typo actually, soz"...

    It'd be like me claiming I've a full clean drivers license for a role and then when asked for a producer I suddenly remembered I only had a provisional :rolleyes:

    If you try and bluff your way out of this it will damage your integrity and make you look like a not-to-be-trusted chancer.

    I get that it's a harsh lesson, especially when having a degree in this discipline is not actually relevant to the role you have applied for, but I'd amend your CV to tell the truth and move on from this tbh and look elsewhere.

    Oh sorry - I didnt realise we were in the realms here of people who have never told white lies, and the girl has such a conscience, she has even pulled out of the running. You show me someone who has never told a white lie to better themselves, and Ill show you a liar.


  • #44
    Miss Fluff
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,673 ✭✭✭Miss Fluff


    Of course white lies and embellishment are common place. I don't think lying about being a graduate constitutes as a white lie though. The company that the OP has applied to obviously taking have a degree seriously enough to ask for a copy of it. They won't view it as a white lie, trust me.


  • #45
    dellas1979
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,128 ✭✭✭dellas1979


    Common place?

    Come on, its a bit more than that - every individual has done this at some stage. She just has a conscience about it. And she has done the right thing for herself.


  • #46
    Miss Fluff
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,673 ✭✭✭Miss Fluff


    dellas1979 wrote: »
    Common place?

    Come on, its a bit more than that - every individual has done this at some stage. She just has a conscience about it. And she has done the right thing for herself.

    Every individual has done what? Lied about their academic qualifications on their CV? Are you for real?


  • #47
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,012 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    ok just to settle this - regardless of the above comments, the this job requires 100% integrity - continuing with this application at this moment in time would compromise that. As I said before, it looks like a lie, thats how the employer would see it - and so my integrity would be compromised. I do not want that to happen so I have deferred an application until i can submit to them an appropriate cv with an official doc from the college to back up same.

    This thread was not about telling white lies - it was an oversight in a state of panic.


  • #48
    Overheal
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86,725 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    dellas1979 wrote: »
    Oh sorry - I didnt realise we were in the realms here of people who have never told white lies, and the girl has such a conscience, she has even pulled out of the running. You show me someone who has never told a white lie to better themselves, and Ill show you a liar.
    what kind of white lies are we talking about here? and Im not talking about the part where you say 'no sir I've never taken drugs'


  • #49
    Maple
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 16,186 ✭✭✭✭Maple


    OP, as your issue appears to have been resolved and is now being dragged offtopic, I am locking your thread.

    Best of luck,

    Maple


This discussion has been closed.
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