Dodgy Degrees...

CatGur · 26-08-2013 03:49PM #1

Have you ever looked at a CV and contacted a college/uni to confirm the degree is genuine?

Some unis offer online verification but in reality I dont think HR are checking peoples credentials.

It gets my goat to see some people plugging themselves as been Professor or Doctor of something when in fact they have not done anything academic to deserve this. Ditto for the UK and the titles they use.

Interestingly enough I had a look at this http://wwwdev.gcd.ie/griffith-college-president-honoured/

http://www.businessandleadership.com/leadership/item/34519-griffith-college-founder-is

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/item/26492-irish-academic-awarded-hono

"Diarmuid Hegarty, president of Griffith College, this week joined a prestigious list of academics and Nobel Prize winners to be awarded an Honorary Professorship by the Beijing Information, Science and Technology University (BISTU) in China."

Doing some googling we can see that the article is PR spin. John Nash and Edmund Phelps (nobel prize winners) never received such awards from this university... They did however receive awards from BTBU, a completely different university which our own Michael Murphy from UCC was in fact awarded an honorary professorship. http://english.btbu.edu.cn/alumnifriends/guesthonoraryprofessors/
Talk about bending the truth!

If you had just interviewed someone for a post and they blatantly lied or misrepresented themselves would you still give them job? I would rather be Mr. X then Professor of nothing!:rolleyes:

Amirani · 26-08-2013 03:52PM

Nope, not a chance. Trustworthiness is one of the most important "qualifications" that someone can have.

anncoates · 26-08-2013 03:56PM

Write your own Shocking Expose On CV Fraud article, OP.

SweepTheLeg · 26-08-2013 03:56PM

CatGur wrote: »

If you had just interviewed someone for a post and they blatantly lied or misrepresented themselves would you still give them job? I would rather be Mr. X then Professor of nothing!:rolleyes:

Another spin to it. If you hired said person and they were perfect at their job. Would you fire them if you found out they lied about their qualifications?

Reindeer · 26-08-2013 03:59PM

You can either do the job, or you can't.

Mr Benevolent · 26-08-2013 04:03PM

Reindeer wrote: »

You can either do the job, or you can't.

Indeed. The truth or otherwise of a CV is largely irrelevant.

vintagecosmos · 26-08-2013 04:10PM

Reminds me of a story I heardwhere the candidate wore a replica watch like a Bolex or smth ...

The interviewer was none impressed with the reason been the guy was misrepresenting himself...

I dunno, maybe i'd say, but the reasons would have to be compelling.

srsly78 · 26-08-2013 04:12PM

You can't ring up the uni to check someones degree, the information is protected by privacy legislation

There has to be signed consent from the person before the uni will release any records. If undergoing a background check there are lots of documents to sign authorising this.

kupus · 26-08-2013 04:13PM

If they lied about getting a degree, what else have they lied about. Simple really.

Fr_Dougal · 26-08-2013 04:27PM

CatGur wrote: »

Have you ever looked at a CV and contacted a college/uni to confirm the degree is genuine?

Some unis offer online verification but in reality I dont think HR are checking peoples credentials.

It gets my goat to see some people plugging themselves as been Professor or Doctor of something when in fact they have not done anything academic to deserve this. Ditto for the UK and the titles they use.

Interestingly enough I had a look at this http://wwwdev.gcd.ie/griffith-college-president-honoured/

http://www.businessandleadership.com/leadership/item/34519-griffith-college-founder-is

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/item/26492-irish-academic-awarded-hono

"Diarmuid Hegarty, president of Griffith College, this week joined a prestigious list of academics and Nobel Prize winners to be awarded an Honorary Professorship by the Beijing Information, Science and Technology University (BISTU) in China."

Doing some googling we can see that the article is PR spin. John Nash and Edmund Phelps (nobel prize winners) never received such awards from this university... They did however receive awards from BTBU, a completely different university which our own Michael Murphy from UCC was in fact awarded an honorary professorship. http://english.btbu.edu.cn/alumnifriends/guesthonoraryprofessors/
Talk about bending the truth!

If you had just interviewed someone for a post and they blatantly lied or misrepresented themselves would you still give them job? I would rather be Mr. X then Professor of nothing!:rolleyes:

So what's your beef with Griffith college? Why did you sign up to boards specifically to make that seagull post? Do you work for a rival college?

Wompa1 · 26-08-2013 04:31PM

CatGur wrote: »

Have you ever looked at a CV and contacted a college/uni to confirm the degree is genuine?

Some unis offer online verification but in reality I dont think HR are checking peoples credentials.

It gets my goat to see some people plugging themselves as been Professor or Doctor of something when in fact they have not done anything academic to deserve this. Ditto for the UK and the titles they use.

Interestingly enough I had a look at this http://wwwdev.gcd.ie/griffith-college-president-honoured/

http://www.businessandleadership.com/leadership/item/34519-griffith-college-founder-is

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/item/26492-irish-academic-awarded-hono

"Diarmuid Hegarty, president of Griffith College, this week joined a prestigious list of academics and Nobel Prize winners to be awarded an Honorary Professorship by the Beijing Information, Science and Technology University (BISTU) in China."

Doing some googling we can see that the article is PR spin. John Nash and Edmund Phelps (nobel prize winners) never received such awards from this university... They did however receive awards from BTBU, a completely different university which our own Michael Murphy from UCC was in fact awarded an honorary professorship. http://english.btbu.edu.cn/alumnifriends/guesthonoraryprofessors/
Talk about bending the truth!

If you had just interviewed someone for a post and they blatantly lied or misrepresented themselves would you still give them job? I would rather be Mr. X then Professor of nothing!:rolleyes:

All Irish colleges are corrupt

Zebra3 · 26-08-2013 04:37PM

In a time of high unemployment, why would anyone hire someone who has lied about their qualifications instead of hiring someone who actually has the qualifications?

CatGur · 26-08-2013 04:44PM

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

So what's your beef with Griffith college? Why did you sign up to boards specifically to make that seagull post? Do you work for a rival college?

No beef, was looking up an article in the journal on the free fees to host a foreign student and say him referred to as Prof a lot. so i just googled it and the results are above.

griffith aside its unreal the amount of people who lie or sugar up their linkedin but when you do a brief check you can see it doesnt add up. employers do google you so its best to be on the straight and narrow.:cool:

CatGur · 26-08-2013 04:45PM

SweepTheLeg wrote: »

Another spin to it. If you hired said person and they were perfect at their job. Would you fire them if you found out they lied about their qualifications?

not sure, they would have to really make the case. once trust is broken thats it...

CatGur · 26-08-2013 04:45PM

anncoates wrote: »

Write your own Shocking Expose On CV Fraud article, OP.

that would probably be a very short career

Muise... · 26-08-2013 04:49PM

vintagecosmos wrote: »

Reminds me of a story I heardwhere the candidate wore a replica watch like a Bolex or smth ...

I've been scratching my head trying to figure out what a smth watch could be.

CatGur · 26-08-2013 04:54PM

Muise... wrote: »

I've been scratching my head trying to figure out what a smth watch could be.

Bolex - Rolex

smth ..... well perhaps an Onega or a Tisot or Carter

Muise... · 26-08-2013 04:59PM

CatGur wrote: »

Bolex - Rolex smth ..... well perhaps an Onega or a Tisot or Carter

thnx

26-08-2013 05:02PM

Mr Benevolent wrote: »

Indeed. The truth or otherwise of a CV is largely irrelevant.

Not if it tells you the applicant is a liar.

Not many employers would consider that irrelevant when the market is probably full of suitably qualified, honest, potential employees.

numnumcake · 26-08-2013 05:11PM

People work extremely hard to get degrees and spend a lot of money in doing so. I would be really annoyed to hear an employer took on someone who lied about their degree. If we all did that what is the point in going to college at all?

allibastor · 26-08-2013 05:11PM

construction management from LIT

SmilingLurker · 26-08-2013 05:18PM

I have hired people both with and without degrees. I would not hire someone who lied.

krudler · 26-08-2013 05:19PM

numnumcake wrote: »

People work extremely hard to get degrees and spend a lot of money in doing so. I would be really annoyed to hear an employer took on someone who lied about their degree. If we all did that what is the point in going to college at all?

What if someone taught themselves? MIT publish nearly all their course content online for free and that's one of the most prestigious colleges in the world, nothing stopping someone from teaching themselves how to program or something. I know someone who was working as a graphic designer with no degree, got hired regardless because they could show the work they could do, self taught. Lying would be different but having a degree doesnt mean you'd be perfect for a job either.

Surveyor11 · 26-08-2013 05:21PM

allibastor wrote: »

construction management from LIT

What about from an RTC?:pac:

numnumcake · 26-08-2013 05:22PM

krudler wrote: »

What if someone taught themselves? MIT publish nearly all their course content online for free and that's one of the most prestigious colleges in the world, nothing stopping someone from teaching themselves how to program or something. I know someone who was working as a graphic designer with no degree, got hired regardless because they could show the work they could do, self taught. Lying would be different but having a degree doesnt mean you'd be perfect for a job either.

I understand that and of course if someone is capable of doing a job and have experience in a particular field then they should be hired without a degree. What I don't agree with is people lying and saying they have a degree when they don't.

allibastor · 26-08-2013 05:22PM

Surveyor11 wrote: »

What about from an RTC?:pac:

Cant be as bad as mine, Surly.

CatGur · 26-08-2013 11:17PM

krudler wrote: »

What if someone taught themselves? MIT publish nearly all their course content online for free and that's one of the most prestigious colleges in the world, nothing stopping someone from teaching themselves how to program or something. I know someone who was working as a graphic designer with no degree, got hired regardless because they could show the work they could do, self taught. Lying would be different but having a degree doesnt mean you'd be perfect for a job either.

This would be fine, but if you said you had a degree from MIT just like 29 Nobel prize winners, 30% of US astronauts as well as Kofi Annan when in face you just completed an online course without assessment then its been deceptive....

those courses any good btw?

CatGur · 26-08-2013 11:18PM

numnumcake wrote: »

People work extremely hard to get degrees and spend a lot of money in doing so. I would be really annoyed to hear an employer took on someone who lied about their degree. If we all did that what is the point in going to college at all?

my thoughts completely. honesty is a basic. and hard work should be recognised.

CatGur · 26-08-2013 11:24PM

anncoates wrote: »

Write your own Shocking Expose On CV Fraud article, OP.

Would it be fraud or just bending the truth?

CatGur · 27-08-2013 12:48PM

SmilingLurker wrote: »

I have hired people both with and without degrees. I would not hire someone who lied.

What if you found out much later they had lied?

smetol · 27-08-2013 12:52PM

The most funniest are CV's of Indian and Pakistani nationals...everyone has MBA...and worked as Accounts Assistant back home.Really suspicious.

Dodgy Degrees...

Would you hire someone who lied about their degree? 172 votes

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