Some of us would never consider lying on our CV – after all, it’s a first impression of ourselves when we go to job interviews and on paper, it tells an employer who we are and everything we have achieved thus far. However, in 2016 an incredible 38 per cent of people said that they have lied on their CV at some point, while 24 per cent admit to having done so on a regular basis. We’ve also seen this happen in high profile cases too, with former colleagues of Andrea Leadsom labelling claims she was once an investment banker as misleading in 2016 amongst the most prominent cases, and showing that the truth will always out. So, what are those individuals who choose to do so lying about?
Achieving higher grades than they actually did
For some roles, certain qualifications are all part of the job speculations, whether it be in relation to a specific university degree level or specified grades in core subjects like English or Maths. It can be tempting for certain applicants to fabricate the level of qualification that they have gained in order to achieve their job goals, therefore. What many candidates don’t realise, however, is that a background check can highlight your actual grades by checking with the university administration team, or even through examination boards from your school days. One high profile case showing how easy it is to find out real grades involved University of West England student, Anna Goodwin, who claimed she had achieved a 2:1 level degree when applying for a job as a legal advisor when, in fact, she had only obtained a 2:2. Anna was banned from becoming a solicitor for 18 months and fined £3000.
Better or falsified references
References are usually the main point of consideration for employers looking at a candidate’s history of performance in a previous role. With this in mind, some candidates will be tempted to lie about their references if perhaps they didn’t leave on a positive note with their previous employer, or if their experience at a company was less than favourable altogether. Again, it’s not too difficult in this day and age to find out if the reference has been falsified, however – a check quick on LinkedIn will often give employers a real life or alternative contact in super quick time. If that fails, this is also another area which can be reviewed under a background check.
Altered dates of employment
Candidates who lie on their CV usually want to appear more experienced than they actually are, and one way to do this is to lie about previous dates of employment. Due to the pressure job seekers tend to feel when they have to provide employment history, it is also tempting to alter such dates to present a smooth and complete record of employment – particularly if there are gaps, as some employers do not find this favourable. Therefore, some candidates have claimed to have worked at a job longer than they actually have – four in ten people, in fact. Despite this, a timeline of employment can again be easily checked and lying will look much worse than simply leaving space on a CV, especially if that gap can be easily explained.
More senior experience than they’ve really had
Changing job roles can sometimes offer candidates looking to climb the career ladder the chance to move up a level when switching to a different employer. When listing previous employment statuses, some individuals may therefore look to exaggerate the seniority of those titles, or the even what those roles entailed, in order to appear qualified for a job that they may not otherwise feel or be ready for yet. In one extreme case, one candidate claimed to be the CEO of a company, but this turned out to be completely false. This can be both problematic for the employer and the employee – if the candidate isn’t ready for the role they are hired to do, not only can it have a detrimental effect on existing staff, but is ultimately costly too.
So, what’s the best advice?
Lies on a CV may seem harmless, and some candidates may not know the damage they could potentially cause by stretching the truth. Despite this, it is a crime to do so in the UK, with the CIFAS (UK Fraud Prevention Service) creating a guide to prevent people from lying on their CVs in response. Jon Andrews quickly found this out earlier this year after he was jailed for two years after having worked for more than a decade in senior roles with the NHS that he was not officially qualified for. Falsifying information is still a form of deception and can affect a business more than is perhaps first anticipated by the job seeker. If a candidate lies about being more qualified than they actually are – whether that’s in terms of grades or experience – hiring them could result in employers spending extra and unnecessary costs to go through the recruitment process once again, or to train the candidate who has been hired to carry out their job effectively. Inadequately experienced or qualified staff could also leave your business vulnerable to cases of professional misconduct without those in charge even realising.
To prevent such fabrications from passing by unnoticed, we would recommend a background check on all new employees as this will highlight employment history, can provide a referencing check and can display any fabrications that may be evident on a CV.
If you would like to speak to a member of our team about background checks and different levels of screening, you can call us on: 01443 799 900 or email us: info@cbscreening.com