Resume fraud – is it okay to lie on your CV?

There have been various studies on resume fraud that indicate that around 80% of resumes have false information on them.  This week it has been revealed that the former Head of Immigration in NZ claimed a PhD from the London School of Economics and the State Services Commission has made the decision to the refer the situation to the police.

There are unfortunately a number of executives that have been caught out both in NZ and internationally that have held very senior positions.

Just like any other type of fraud, why would you do it?  I guess there is the fear of not getting a position that provokes employees to ‘embellish’ their CV.  I understand people highlighting strengths and ensuring that their CV paints them in the best light, but quality reference checking and background checks will catch an individual out sooner or later.

The Rock radio station ran a poll today on ‘do you think it is okay to lie on your resume?’ and at one point when I was listening over 80% of listeners thought that it was.  They also had some interesting callers and text messages come through by people who were free to admit on national radio situations where they had ‘fudged’ their CV:

•    One caller had changed his role title from Mail Room Clerk to Distribution Manager and then as he had owned a couple of properties put himself as a Director of the last company he worked for.  Ironically I am not sure that in this case he was doing himself any favours as he was applying for a truck driver position!
•    One prospective candidate had put his own cellphone number down as a referee and I assume under a false name regarding a previous job.  Upon leaving the interview the candidate received a phone call from the potential new employer and the candidate started giving himself a glowing reference, the only problem was the candidate was being watched out the window of the office by his potential new manager.
•    Another caller showed that he had a good sense of humour by stating on his CV that he has a PHDL – ‘Probably Has Difficulty Learning’
•    One caller talked in some detail about how she lied about her salary in getting her current role.

I have heard of a number of occasions where people have said they were on a higher salary to ensure they get an increase in their next role.  This again is dangerous, for instance as part of our reference checking process at LINK we check on a candidates previous salary to ensure consistency.

If the employer, is an employer of choice they should pay you what you are worth and you should be able to also gain benchmarks from the recruitment firm as well as looking at salary surveys to realise what is a fair and equitable salary.  Starting negotiations with a lie is likely to end in not gaining the role at all and is not a good way to begin any relationship.

My recommendation; highlight your strengths on a CV and ensure that a potential employer can see that you are an ideal candidate for the role – but don’t lie. It will catch up with you sooner or later.

Marketing YOU to help get that new job

In New Zealand like most of the developed world we are currently going through record low unemployment. Moreso, there is some concern around the credit crunch and the affect on the employment market.

The reality is as a prospective job seeker you still ‘hold the power’ when it comes to looking for the next job.  However, with the economic uncertainty opportunities may reduce and the battle for the ‘ideal’ next role may become more difficult.

To combat this, job seekers need to start thinking of how they are marketing themselves to get the best job.  Just as a marketer positions their product or service in the best light to increase revenue, to get the best role you need to think about how you promote your own best interests, from the initial application to the job offer stage.

Some points to consider are:

-    What makes you the best candidate for the advertised role?
-    Who are your competitors (i.e other prospective candidates) and how do you differentiate yourself from them?
-    Is your CV laid out correctly – is it appropriate for the job market you are applying or the industry?
-    Does your CV make chronological sense?
-    Put yourself in the hiring mangers shoes; if you were the hiring manager and you picked up your CV would you interview you?
-    Does your CV look good on the computer screen as it is likely it won’t get printed out?
-    If a busy hiring manager has only five minutes to look over your CV amongst one hundred other applicants will they be able to gain that you are suitable for the role?

Furthermore, the basics around your CV cannot be forgotten.  I would say the majority of CV’s that we review (at every level) have spelling and grammatical errors, a number have incorrect dates, often the layout is inconsistent etc, etc.

Key to provide the best application is to partner with a recruiter that will ensure that you are positioning yourself to get the best next job; be it for a vacancy they have or tapping into the ‘hidden job market’ through their client connections.

LINK Recruitment Auckland has created a talent agent approach to recruitment, rather than trying to box you into an industry, role, job type etc…  we will take the time to find out what you are looking for, your career goals and many other expectations around your next move.  We understand we cannot place everyone we work with, but provide professional advice on CV presentation, interview preparation and many other aspects on ensuring you are doing what is required to secure the best job available.