[Closed] How far would you manipulate your CV...

So how big a lie would you tell if there's no risk and plenty of potential rewards, with no victims (except for the other guy that might have got the job)?

Quite far.

If it won't have a direct effect on the application why would you do it?

I did GCSEs 22 years ago, I guess if I say I got an A not a B in Maths it wouldn't get checked out, if you say you've done a Masters but you've only done a BTEC that might trip you up

He said it wouldn't have a direct effect on the job, not the application. So I'm assuming it's something that would look good, but you don't actually need it to do the job.

As long as I wasn't claiming to have relevant skills that I don't, I guess I'd run with it all the way. I might feel a little bit bad about it for a while though, but then I'm probably a mug for having an almost completely straight CV. Cheating on a CV seems to be an accepted fact these days, I've known recruiting managers to assume that all CVs are embellished, so maybe cheating just gives you a level playing field.

"I am keen on spending time on the internet and am a 'big hitter' on STW " 😉

"I am keen on spending time on the internet and am a 'big hitter' on STW "

That made me laugh out loud

I wouldn't, but there are things that matter more to me than money. I am proven in my field...and from reading your posts Don Simon...I always got the impression you were comfortable with yourself. Keep your integrity mate.

I'd be very tempted to upgrade my Douglas - I doubt they'd manage to check on that.

he said lie though idave but it was very funny
The ethical decision is yours DS
Anecdotal evidence - i help loads with CVs and cannot lie for them due to ethics- suggests everyone is willing to do it either to "sex up" or dumb down the CV

The way i look at it is lies have a habit of coming back to bite you, just not worth it. My CV is the truth, i might omit the odd thing, the F i got in GCSE french for instance, but i am not going to add anything that isn't true.

I usually leave bits and pieces out depending on what I'm applying for, and then just make it read well.

A lie on a CV is a criminal offence in the UK. Don't do it.

So I'm assuming it's something that would look good, but you don't actually need it to do the job.

* makes a note to avoid buying from Don Simon on the classifieds... *

Taylor your CV to the job but I wouldn't go too far.

If you say you have experience in something you actually have very little or no experience of, you could end up looking stupid in the interview when they call you on it.

I would be honest, rather than saying you already skilled when you are not, just say you are not but it is an area you want to learn etc.

I wouldn't. Ever. I'm proud of my background, and have always seen a meagre CV as a chance to improve.

So SaxonRider, your CV is 100% perfect? I'm impressed. I wouldn't actually say my CV is meagre either, it just needs a tweak... I will not be inventing stuff that hasn't been done or that I have little or no experience, simply offering an alternative point of view. As this thread has proven, once the seed is sown people will simply take their own angle and no matter how much you explain you'll never change that. So if I now introduce my unchanged CV for you to read, some of you will be 100% sure I've changed it and dismiss it without any evidence, simply because I've introduced the idea of manipulating it.
It's not necessarily a lie, just an offer to look at and think about something in a different way.

a CV is a sales brochure so you can and should paint a picture about yourself in a favourable light, but you should not lie about stuff, especially hard facts that can be checked out

so if a degree is required and you have one say so, but don't feel the need to mention you got a third

and if you have experience of an aspect of the role they are sepcifically looking for feel free to big it up a little so long as you can be credible at interview. employers typically want proven candidates whereas potential employees are typically looking for a step up - so emphasising your part in something that went well helps employers to feel they are taking less of a risk

If you have to ask other people whether what you're doing is morally acceptable, you know the answer before you ask. All you're doing is trying to gauge how many other people have the lower standards that you're contemplating.

I'm sort of on the other end of a similar situation at the moment. I took up employment last year on the same day as another new start who told the boss she could instroduce substantial new business and between the two of us we were to consolidate the business' position.

Well, her end of it has come to nothing and my job and those of two other support staff are looking decidedly shaky.

don simon - Member
So SaxonRider, your CV is 100% perfect? I'm impressed. I wouldn't actually say my CV is meagre either, it just needs a tweak... I will not be inventing stuff that hasn't been done or that I have little or no experience, simply offering an alternative point of view. As this thread has proven, once the seed is sown people will simply take their own angle and no matter how much you explain you'll never change that. So if I now introduce my unchanged CV for you to read, some of you will be 100% sure I've changed it and dismiss it without any evidence, simply because I've introduced the idea of manipulating it.
It's not necessarily a lie, just an offer to look at and think about something in a different way.

Sorry. My post above looks really sanctimonious. I would agree that it is possible to cast certain skills/experiences in different light.

So, for example, I find that there are 'language minimisers' and 'language maximisers'. You used to see this on facebook back when they included languages on the info page.

But my father's first language, for example, is German. But it took years of pressure from me for him to even mention it on a CV. This was because he felt his language was 'rusty'. I, on the other hand, list German as one of the languages on my CV, but because it isn't perfect, describe it as 'functional' as opposed to 'fluent'.

Living in Wales, I find the same thing with Welsh speakers. Some, who have studied it to A-level, wouldn't mention it, while some who took a few lessons in primary school will write down that they 'know Welsh'.

I would encourage people to be a bit more generous with themselves, but then realistic in their descriptions.

Does that make sense?

You need to be sensible, is the thing. I've interviewed plenty of staff, and I would [i]always [/i]call someone on an interesting claim. "It says here you wrestle alligators; is there much call for that in Warrington?" On a slow day, if you'd claimed to speak Welsh, I'd have asked around the office for a Welsh speaker who could spare a few minutes to show you in. Not because it's relevant, but because it's a quick and dirty way of finding out whether you're a lying toad or not. (-:

My CV lists rock climbing as a hobby. Now, I've not climbed in a couple of years so it's not strictly true; however, it's something I'm still very interested in and something I know a good deal about because back when I was climbing regularly I went a minimum of three times a week for several years. It's something that, if questioned, I can talk about knowledgeably and enthusiastically.

Conversely, I know a smattering of French. I can probably read a menu without too much difficulty, say, or get the gist of what's going on and be understood if I was buying something in a shop so long as they spoke fairly slowly. I'm a long, long way from having 'conversational' French though, and if an interview opened with "Bonjour, ca va?" I know I'd be royally screwed. Therefore, "I speak French" is not on my CV.

I completely agree with the language thing, I was involved in screening at Barajas for airport staff, you wouldn't believe how fluent most Spaniards are, and if anything I downplay my level of Spanish. Language is easily verified, I'm talking about something that is less easy to verify.

I would encourage people to be a bit more generous with themselves, but then realistic in their descriptions.

On my last CV I did skills matrix to solve just this problem. I wanted to let employers know I had skills and experience in some area but did want to sound like I was an expert in that area. To do this I used a star rating method, one to three stars, one start some working knowledge three stars, hit the ground running knowledge.

I would say I am honest in my achievements and skills on my CV and don't see any reason to lie or fabricate.

But, clearly I want to present myself in the best light so I am careful to the use power verbs and on each bullet point try to summarise context, action and result.

TBH I am not the most confident person, especially in an interview setting, so would rather my CV was pitched accurately.

Also, I do not want a job that I am not confident that I can do, I have no desire to earn mega amounts of money by using some spin to get a job and being out on my arse in 6 months time.