Lying On Your Cv

[KingBingo]

I used to be on the other side of this, an employer looking to check grades. I would ring a university and they would tell me to go forth and multiply, data protection don't you know.

I was advised if I got a letter signed by the employee authorising a search and I sent it in they would respond in due course, but by then they would have already been working for you a month or more and if they are any good it would be a pain to fire them.

Now I'm applying for jobs myself, and I think a 2:2 despite 10 years work experience is still going to hurt me. (especially if they ask for a 2:1). I can't help think I've never been asked, nor has anyone I know.

Have any of you ever inflated your grades, and got away with it or not?

[General Melchett]

I used to be on the other side of this, an employer looking to check grades. I would ring a university and they would tell me to go forth and multiply, data protection don't you know.

I was advised if I got a letter signed by the employee authorising a search and I sent it in they would respond in due course, but by then they would have already been working for you a month or more and if they are any good it would be a pain to fire them.

Now I'm applying for jobs myself, and I think a 2:2 despite 10 years work experience is still going to hurt me. (especially if they ask for a 2:1). I can't help think I've never been asked, nor has anyone I know.

Have any of you ever inflated your grades, and got away with it or not?

Best to omit rather than lie. I got fed up, as a professional with two postgrad degrees and decades of experience, being judged pre-interview, on my school grades. The advice I got is, if they care that much to insist you tell them at interview, do you really want to work there anyway? A lie, OTOH, is generally a dismissable offence.

[juvenal]

Now I'm applying for jobs myself, and I think a 2:2 despite 10 years work experience is still going to hurt me. (especially if they ask for a 2:1). I can't help think I've never been asked, nor has anyone I know.

Have any of you ever inflated your grades, and got away with it or not?

I wouldn't risk it. I've seen an academic caught out this way. She wasn't sacked, but a career check for sure.

I can't but believe that your ten years experience is what they will be looking at, rather than a qualification gained at 21. They should also know that the difference between a 2:1 and a 2:2 can be only a mark or two.

The work experience should win the day, so apply for those 2:1 jobs.

[Neverland]

I used to be on the other side of this, an employer looking to check grades. I would ring a university and they would tell me to go forth and multiply, data protection don't you know.

I was advised if I got a letter signed by the employee authorising a search and I sent it in they would respond in due course, but by then they would have already been working for you a month or more and if they are any good it would be a pain to fire them.

Now I'm applying for jobs myself, and I think a 2:2 despite 10 years work experience is still going to hurt me. (especially if they ask for a 2:1). I can't help think I've never been asked, nor has anyone I know.

Have any of you ever inflated your grades, and got away with it or not?

All the CV is for is to get you to the interview

So just put the university you went to and when you went there on your CV

If they come back and ask what grade degree you got before the interview you have just saved yourself a wasted trip

If they ask at the interview just tell them the truth

[Gurgle]

I have the opposite problem. Everyone I work with thinks I have a first for some reason when I have a 2.1. I've never ever lied about my qualifications. I wouldn't lie. I remember my dad coming home from work once and saying he'd fired someone who he'd just employed (who had incidentally been recommended by the CEO) because they'd lied on their CV. They said they have a degree which they didn't, and he'd followed it up with the university to check. This guy was in his forties too and had no reason to lie. He was fired for lying, not for his ability. This taught me a valuable lesson, and I would never lie about my qualifications. A 10 yr. old 2.2 from a division 1 university is probably worth a first from most of the latest batch of pseudo-universities.

You choice and your conscience at the end of the day.

[KingBingo]

You choice and your conscience at the end of the day.

Never been over burdened by those. more getting caught is the concern.

[General Melchett]

Never been over burdened by those. more getting caught is the concern.

Then you'll be waiting to be caught out and fired all the time that you work there.

Best to sleep easy at night.

[gilf]

I'd agree, don't bother lying as it could only cause problems later. It's a little more difficult with a degree though isn't it as typing 2:2 takes about half a second and takes up no space so there can be little to no justification for leaving it off, if you are mentioning you went to Uni.

Also depends on the route to interview as the recruitment consultant types might put your CV straight in the bin if it doesn't mentioned 2:1 specifically, regardless of what else is on there.

I never went to Uni and have a qualification (at distinction grade) which nobody has heard of. Some ask about it most don't.

[Guest_FaFa!_*]

Your way of going about checking the qualifications seems rather odd. When I was in temping in HR we asked to see original qualifications at some point (usually at the interview). There is no excuse for not being able to produce as you can get the university to send you another certificate for a fee. There is no need to phone up universities - the burden of proof is on the interviewee - you say you have the qualification, so produce the piece of paper.

If you cannot produce within a reasonable timeframe, they will assume the qualification doesn't and take action accordingly, which presumably means withdrawal of any job offer if not in post, summary dismissal if in post.

[butterfly]

As a post graduate student I was asked several times about the grade of my degree and had to provide evidence of this with an orginal copy of my degree certificate. Fortunately I had a 2:1. However, I do know of people with a 2:2 who attempt to disguise this by putting 'second class degree' on their CV.

[Capt. Picard]

I've never lied on my CV.

And am proud of it, but I couldn't say that it paid dividends...

Unfortunately, I do know quite a lot a people who have have blagged their way into well paid jobs: big lies on their CVs, salaries, etc... Some of them landed themselves very well paid jobs indeed. I wonder at whose expenses?

A local university called me one Friday eve some 7-8 years ago to tell me that it had been a close call, a two horse race, but eventually they decided to give the job to the other applicant as he had more experience than me in the use of MS Access.

Oh well, I was disappointed of course, but I a few months later I was absolutely furious when, by oincidence, I met a friend of a friend who worked at the uni and knew that nobody liked the new guy in that dept as not only he was noxious, but also absolutely useless and didn't know how to use Access or other packages. Their managers regretted hiring him big time (reportedly) but couldn't fire him. I suppose he's still there. He's probably learned the job on the spot by now, taking it away from an honest (and more skilled) applicant.

How many times does it happen?

[Si1]

I saw a bloke recruited on the basis he had a masters - he was also open about the fact he never received the actual qualification cos he didn't submit his thesis, but he HAD sat the masters couirse so it was as good as. this was cheerfully accepted by the employer (my tw*t boss)

the said bloke then went on to never quite complete anything he started, whilst blagging round the edges.

[Neverland]

I'd agree, don't bother lying as it could only cause problems later. It's a little more difficult with a degree though isn't it as typing 2:2 takes about half a second and takes up no space so there can be little to no justification for leaving it off, if you are mentioning you went to Uni.

Also depends on the route to interview as the recruitment consultant types might put your CV straight in the bin if it doesn't mentioned 2:1 specifically, regardless of what else is on there.

I never went to Uni and have a qualification (at distinction grade) which nobody has heard of. Some ask about it most don't.

Obviously thats the first thing they would do if they have too many applicants to see....

[cells]

You have to understand that even big companies tend to use HR who don’t know their **** from their heads.

They indeed will scrap your CV for not meeting the minimum requires and they are often not smart enough to figure out the value of experience or weather a certain degree at 2:2 is worth more than another at 2:1 etc.

In your case I wouldn’t put the grade down and let them concentrate on your experience instead.

[1929crash]

You have to understand that even big companies tend to use HR who don’t know their **** from their heads.

They indeed will scrap your CV for not meeting the minimum requires and they are often not smart enough to figure out the value of experience or weather a certain degree at 2:2 is worth more than another at 2:1 etc.

In your case I wouldn’t put the grade down and let them concentrate on your experience instead.

Cells, I agree with you. I must go lie down.

[ChumpusRex]

Your way of going about checking the qualifications seems rather odd. When I was in temping in HR we asked to see original qualifications at some point (usually at the interview). There is no excuse for not being able to produce as you can get the university to send you another certificate for a fee. There is no need to phone up universities - the burden of proof is on the interviewee - you say you have the qualification, so produce the piece of paper.

Indeed. This has been my experience looking for jobs.

Every time I've been for interview, I've had to produce evidence of all the qualifications on my CV (and other hard facts - e.g. publications).

Essentially, on the day of interview, you have a pre-interview check with HR, where one of the HR staff will go through your CV. E.g. they would want to see your original degree certificate, original copies of any publications, etc. If you didn't produce the hard evidence for everything on your CV, you were simply told, 'Go home. We won't be interviewing you.'

[KingBingo]

Indeed. This has been my experience looking for jobs.

Every time I've been for interview, I've had to produce evidence of all the qualifications on my CV (and other hard facts - e.g. publications).

Really? what jobs have you been getting.

I've never been asked to produce anything at all in the last 10 years.

[Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond]

Best to omit rather than lie. I got fed up, as a professional with two postgrad degrees and decades of experience, being judged pre-interview, on my school grades. The advice I got is, if they care that much to insist you tell them at interview, do you really want to work there anyway? A lie, OTOH, is generally a dismissable offence.

A long time ago in a far away land, employers used to be truthful about positions they were recruiting for too though. If you've ever found out soon after taking up a position that it's not what was sold to you at interview, you'll know that telling the truth cuts both ways.

Employers lying about the position should be a compensationary offence. Unfortunately that's not how the law works in this country, so you have to give quid pro quo. They lie to you, so you lie to them.

Then you'll be waiting to be caught out and fired all the time that you work there.

Best to sleep easy at night.

Doubt department managers sleep uneasily after letting someone else take the bullet for them - again, quid pro quo.

[Guest_FaFa!_*]

Really? what jobs have you been getting.

I've never been asked to produce anything at all in the last 10 years.

I have been mainly working in uni admin and for NGOs. They always ask for proof - my experience is the same as Chumpus Rex's.

What sector are you working in? If I can get away with bullshitting it may be worth a try......

[Si1]

I have been mainly working in uni admin and for NGOs. They always ask for proof - my experience is the same as Chumpus Rex's.

What sector are you working in? If I can get away with bullshitting it may be worth a try......

I found this with financial institutions, in IT, no-one ever checks, and get blagged very very easily

[Bob8]

My experience is of never being checked. A 2:2 degree, but pulled my finger out and got a distinction at MSc and a PhD.

However, I have only been asked for certificates when applying outside the UK and even then only for the most recent.

[CokeSnortingTory]

My brother, who got a HND from a polytechnic, produced a totally bogus Degree certificate in a subject he had never studied using a colour photocopier, and got a top job in London.

He's still there 10 years later. He is an absolutely superlative bullsh1tter though, so I wouldn't suggest most people try to copy his example.

[General Melchett]

My brother, who got a HND from a polytechnic, produced a totally bogus Degree certificate in a subject he had never studied using a colour photocopier, and got a top job in London.

Fill yer boots

http://www.cynicalbastards.com/ubs/index.html

http://www.cynicalbastards.com/ubs/edegree.html

[Lazybones]

Tell them the truth. If it is a role requiring experience and they can't see past your degree grade it probably says a more about the organisation than your capabilities. Better to be honest and sleep well at night. Good Luck

[juvenal]

My brother, who got a HND from a polytechnic, produced a totally bogus Degree certificate in a subject he had never studied using a colour photocopier, and got a top job in London.

He's still there 10 years later. He is an absolutely superlative bullsh1tter though, so I wouldn't suggest most people try to copy his example.

Alarming. Especially if he is in medicine, or builds bridges for a living.

If he's a banker, it seems normal to have no relevant qualifications.