To lie or not to lie ?
And the liars defend themselves saying:
“Everybody does it“.
“The job market is tough, how can I compete if everyone else inflates their experience ?”
Well, an honest person can get a job and they get to keep the job ! So, as tempting as it may be, you do not want to risk lying on your CV.
Whether it’s personal information, job experience, or schooling, recruiters and employers are finding new ways to sniff out liars and you don’t want to be one of them !
Today’s jobseeker tip is: Don’t Lie. Liars get caught.
How are liars caught ?
Over recent years it has become increasingly easy to catch liars for both Recruiters and Companies alike. Not only has the increase in the use of social networking sites like LinkedIn assisted with liars being caught but liars should be concerned by the increase in companies offering professional pre employment checks. 3 UK companies providing cost effective background checks for employers include:
These companies offer
- Employment Verification
- Education Verification
- Gap Verification
- Right to Work Verification
- DVLA Reports
- Criminal Record checks and so on.
Where do people lie ?
Lying on a CV most often appears in the following areas:
- Education: Think that nobody will notice if you slip in an education you don’t really have? Perhaps you do have the skills, but you can’t afford to claim education you can’t provide proof of.
- Job experience: A CV is not the place to boast about fake employment. You are going to list the businesses you worked for and often they are contacted for verification. This is the most likely area your interviewer will do a check on, so avoid misrepresenting yourself at all costs.
How to improve your CV without lying
So, how can you create a CV that will highlight your skills and abilities without needing to lie?
Regarding education: Give yourself some credit. Your skills in the workforce can be great indicators of your ability to work in a given job. You may not know what an employer is looking for. With many jobs, actual hands-on experience can outweigh educational qualifications. Proof that you have gained skills as a worker (or even a volunteer if you’re just starting out) are very valuable. Don’t underestimate this.
Job experience: On your CV, focus on skills. Expand your descriptions. Do not just say ‘I was a programmer. Expand this to include details of the programming language used, the technical environment, and the projects and applications you worked on. Employers and interviewers like to know what you have actively been involved in more than just a qualification. It is perfectly acceptable to elaborate on your skills, but do so in an honest and ethical manner.
Warning
Don’t lie on your CV. If a lie comes out after you have been hired, in most circumstances, it will result in the termination of your employment. Don’t lie – the risk just isn’t worth it.
REMEMBER: Liars get caught.
