LIES: I told them I'm working but I'm not

[HangTime]

People do get fired for lying on their CV, the guy I replaced when I joined my current employer was (said he had various qualifications and skills like SQL, but then used to go and get other people to write queries for him).

Having said that the key to what turbotoaster is saying is "if im going for a job im not qualified for but i know i can do it, or learn it within a short space of time", I'm sure there's plenty of people out there who are capable of doing certain jobs but because they lack the experience/qualification they can't get their foot in the door. Just because someone has experience doesn't mean they are necessarily better than someone who doesn't, you could be naturally gifted or inclined towards something you haven't done yet. I'm better at my job than some people with more experience than me, because I'm great.

Anyway going back to the OP I'd say you need to do something about it, maybe the "outdated CV, oops!" line would be the best. I definitely wouldn't pretend you still work there because when they contact your 'current' employer for a reference and confirmation of dates, it will unravel.

My 'advice' if you can call it that with regard to BS on a CV would be that it'd probably much easier to get away with exaggerating technical experience within a given role than it is to invent things which aren't true and can be proven as such in a black and white fashion (employment dates, qualifications). Very few employers will actually test you on a technical level, which is a shame.

 

[turbotoaster]

I'm not putting my hands over my ears at all, I'm just saying that lying on your CV to the extent turbotoaster was suggesting is just ridiculous.

Being proud about it and then slamming other people for NOT doing it and saying that they deserve unemployment is equally as stupid, thus why I have a strong suspicion he's just trolling.

To recap, the point that most of my posts have been referring to is this -

Do you suggest these are not the ramblings of a complete idiot?

You really dont listen to what i said did you.

I said im the rather extreme version of what is possible and i dont apologise for that.

At no point did i say, everyone should lie and make stuff up, but im saying there are people who do and thats who you are competing with.

Life is very competitve and im suggesting if you play everything straight black and white and get nowhere is that the best option? if so then i have to disagree.

All im saying, which gambitt seems to have picked up on is you can either go for a potential failure or a complete failure.

I would rather get to an interview and fail than never get the interview in the first place.

You assume im trolling because im being very open and honest about it and it shocks your little world, well sorry to burst your bubble but this happens a lot more than you would like, what an employer doesnt know doesnt hurt them, you go to work to be paid, not to make friends.

You say most people or businesses dont lieing on CVs.........well thanks for showing me the elephant in the room, i almost missed it! This isnt about whats right or wrong, this is about this chap getting a job, really its down to him how far he pushes, im suggesting that he doesnt risk going straight as an arrow and risk not getting the job, you would rather he risks it just for a moral reason?

 

[starfighter]

I would consider lying on a CV to get into the interview, if they find out later after you are doing a great job are they really going to sack you?

If you missed out on the job you might regret it more? if you are on the dole for a long time then what have you got to lose?

and many things are hard to confirm, qualifications and saying you were working when you weren't are risky tho cos they can easily check.

 

[I get around]

Lie, you gotta do what you gotta do to make ends meet.

It's not exactly that relevant is it, just a white lie to get your foot in the door.

 

[Darkst4r]

Tell them the truth if you get the job.

This

 

[Ian]

I created a fake employment history to get my first IT job. Seven years later I had basically rebuilt their entire system from the ground up.

Didnt have a reason to question my experience

 

[Heliospherez]

And remember - you will be employed for a probationary period.

If they find out there are inconsistancies in your CV or your work history - they have every right to ask you to leave. It just depends how good you are and whether they think you are worth keeping after you have been found out.

I know numerous people who bent the truth about quals and work history & were then subsequently let go of once found out (and most were very good workers and very dependable) You could say it's worth doing things like this just to get a foot in the door....... but how would you feel if 6 months down the line, everyone in the company is talking about the guy who was called into HR & excorted off the premises because some things didn't match up.

My feelings would be - Lie all you want. To me, a CV means virtually nothing these days - everyone should know how to write them professionally (or get someone to write up a few pages of waffle for them) and you can make up all they want - including quals and work history. The proof of the pudding will be you in the interview and you in the job. It's not nice working in a place where you know nothing or don't have the experience to do what you stated you could.

And - If you don't cut it and know absolutely nothing about what you say you know - or the years you spent working in IT, why would they even bother keeping you - if you can't be straight with your CV ?

 

[krisboats]

I know someone who falsified their own gcse/A level certificate things (or whatever the equivalent was back then) as the ones they really got weren't much good. Went to the effort of actually making the certificates.

I personally only exaggerated something at an interview when asked if i had experience using industrial cleaning chemicals. I had used cleaning chemicals but i've no idea if they're classed as industrial.

Why is everyone getting so flame happy at turbo toaster? He's only saying that people lie, and they do. Fair enough most don't and that's honourable, but he is right when he says your going up against people who can, and do, lie to get the jobs.

Personally i'd fill out all future forms with the correct details and if it's questioned at the interview tell them you mixed up the CV with an old one or it was outdated when you sent it etc. If you make a good impression then something this small shouldn't be an issue anyway.

 

[Dj_Jestar]

No it's not, don't be so dramatic.

How is it being dramatic? People like Turbotoaster who are blatantly lying to get jobs they are not qualified to do is a major factor as to why the public sector (and a significant proportion of the private sector) is appalling.

 

[-BA-]

Thanks a lot for everyone's comments. Seriously appreciated.

I think these three are making me think the hardest. If I hadn't mentioned anything in the cover letter it would have been easier to email before the interview and say "whoops". That would dispel the taste of ignorance in the interview room.

If I walk into the interview and claim I made an incompetent error by not checking my work and blindly sending out files (not just one file but two - CV and cover letter), then I'll come across as incompetent and be at a massive disadvantage immediately.

Then again, honesty is the best policy. In the interview I'll have to flat out lie in their face and if the truth comes out then they most certainly will not be happy I did that. It'll place my integrity into question, that's for certain.

It won't place your integrity into any kind of question whatsoever. It will flat out put it in the "liar" camp and you will almost certainly be dismissed for lying on your application. From day one the company will feel that they will not be able to rely on you when the chips are down and rightly so.

Go with the crappy advice of "everyone does it, you'll be fine" by all means but life has a nasty habit of throwing things back at you and you will probably find yourself escorted from the building via the walk of shame.

Oh and don't forget what Von Smallhousen said that you could actually be facing a charge of fraud by misrepresentation. Really doesn't seem worth it to me but maybe, just maybe this is one of those forks in the road that you now face in your life.

If you have the commitment and drive, you will get another job. Do you really want to look back in 5 years time with regret at having tarnished your job record and possibly be the proud owner of a criminal record too? Believe me you will find it much harder to get a job then.

 

[reefoid]

I've been involved in recruitment in previous roles and was actually involved in ending someone's employment as we found out they had lied about previous experience. It wasn't a major crime but the general feeling was that if he lied to get the job, he would no doubt lie to keep the job if issues come up in the future. We couldn't trust him so he had to go.

He'd been with us for over 6 months when the lie came to light. He was also told that we would refuse to give a reference for future job applications.

 

[-BA-]

I've been involved in recruitment in previous roles and was actually involved in ending someone's employment as we found out they had lied about previous experience. It wasn't a major crime but the general feeling was that if he lied to get the job, he would no doubt lie to keep the job if issues come up in the future. We couldn't trust him so he had to go.

He'd been with us for over 6 months when the lie came to light. He was also told that we would refuse to give a reference for future job applications.

Whilst it may not, on the surface, appear to be a major crime what about the 6 months of wages claimed by fraud? Could be anthing around the £6k mark easily. Quite a significant amount of money to effectively steal.

 

[Scania]

I'd forget about this and learn from it - next time, play it straight.

 

[Energize]

Whilst it may not, on the surface, appear to be a major crime what about the 6 months of wages claimed by fraud? Could be anthing around the £6k mark easily. Quite a significant amount of money to effectively steal.

Someone working and being paid for it counts as stealing? That's news to me. Just because someone obtained the job through deception did not mean they obtained the money fraudulently.

 

[Dj_Jestar]

Someone working and being paid for it counts as stealing? That's news to me. Just because someone obtained the job through deception did not mean they obtained the money fraudulently.

Yes they did.. their employment is based on their application. If the application was fraudulent, so is their contract, thus so is their salary/pay.

 

[KaHn]

Whilst it may not, on the surface, appear to be a major crime what about the 6 months of wages claimed by fraud? Could be anthing around the £6k mark easily. Quite a significant amount of money to effectively steal.

At no point did he mention that the guy couldnt do the job, just the trust had been lost between employer and employee, I am of the stance that the jobs I have and the experience I have gained means I don't have to lie to get work in my sector.

KaHn

 

[Energize]

Yes they did.. their employment is based on their application. If the application was fraudulent, so is their contract, thus so is their salary/pay.

I don't agree, if the work was done properly then the money was obtained by hard work. Even if the job was deceptively obtained. No ethical issue here.

 

[gambitt]

Jestar doesn't deal with shades of grey. Something is either legal or illegal. Ever crossed a road with a red man showing? That's right, you are a CRIMINAL.

 

[Dj_Jestar]

Jestar doesn't deal with shades of grey. Something is either legal or illegal. Ever crossed a road with a red man showing? That's right, you are a CRIMINAL.

Actually I was about to post it's a matter of interpretation, and perhaps something you shouldn't risk. I'm curious as to where you got that impression of me from?

 

[HomerJ]

If it was me I would fill in the forms at the interview with the correct details and see if they pick up on it and if they do then explain you made an error (you are human) but I would not lie as have seen 3 people asked to leave the building due to false details either CV (one due to saying had a 1st class degree when actually had a 2.1) or faked references.

I am sure that the reason you have been asked to the interview is due to skill not that
you said you were employed.

Employers do not like finding out about lies and do sack people for it as they feel there trust has been broken even before you had a chance to earn it.

Just my 2 pence worth but what ever you decide, good luck