Have you lied on your CV? If not, one of the three people sat around you probably has, according to a recent survey. The survey of 10,500 people carried out by the Control Risks Group found one in four people lies when they are applying for a job.
Fabrication occurs at all levels and across both sexes. 34% of applications contain discrepancies about employment history, 32% make false claims about academic qualifications, 19% try to cover up financial problems and 11% omit certain details (especially why they left their previous employer!). The deception occurs at all levels, with 20% of senior managers and 40% of middle managers. Men are more likely than women (60% to 40%) to exaggerate their salary and younger candidates to overemphasise their responsibility. IT and (perhaps in their favour) sales and marketing professionals are the most prone to CV embellishment.
The ten most common examples of CV deception, according to Glen Prince, managing director of Quantica Crossley, are:
Dates ñ Scrutinise dates closely ñ Do they make sense? Are they concurrent and are they complete (the year, the month and the date)?
CV gaps ñ Probe unexplained ëtime-offí, ëtravellingí or numerous short-term consultancy posts - What is the candidate trying to avoid saying?
Buzzwords, generalities and jargon overload ñ Ask the candidate to get to the point ñ precise achievements, supported by facts, figures and statements about how they have obtained the result.
Exaggerated achievements ñ especially in minor or short-term roles. Check the prospective employeeís personal contribution ñ team-member or team-leader, involved or instigator?
Achievements not consistent with career progression ñ Why no formal recognition?
Remuneration package not commensurate with role and level of responsibility - The reason for leaving, or a sign of CV inflation?
Statements about the candidateís organisation ñ Compare these with industry intelligence, or your own understanding for deliberate under or overstatement. How is this supporting the candidateís case?
Written references ñ Ask the candidate for verbal references. Written references rarely give any real insight into the candidate. Verbal references enable the recruiter to ask for the information they really want, not the information the referee (or candidate) wants to supply.
A single contact name within the existing organisation ñ Ask for verbal references from a variety of people who have worked with the candidate ñ these should be detailed and specific. Together they will give a truer picture.
Conduct a well structured, criteria and competency based interview and/or assessment centre - to be sure the candidate has the skills, attributes and abilities he or she claims.
Ultimately there are no guarantees. CVs and references, even assuming they have been scrutinised in the ways described above, can only provide historic information about how well a candidate has performed in a particular job, or company in the past. They do not necessarily predict performance in a new role and different circumstances.
No single element of the recruitment process ñ including the CV or reference ñ will in itself provide sufficient information about the suitability of a candidate for the new role. The prospective employer must therefore view the CV as an advertisement for the candidate. The question is then how far that candidate matches up to the information volunteered and the requirements of the role.
www.chr.quantica.co.uk
CVs and references ñ not worth the paper they are written on? - 12/2001
One in four people lie when they are applying for a job
