A survey from the UK’s leading independent job board, CV-Library (www.cv-library.co.uk), reveals how over a quarter (28.6%) of UK job-hunters lie on their CV, with over 9.2% of those admitting their fib was significant.
The survey was conducted by CV-Library amongst over 2,000 job-hunters, in an attempt to find out whether UK professionals would lie to get a job. Although the majority (71.4%) of respondents denied lying on their CV, the results showed that one in four would still tell CV lies in order to secure an interview, suggesting businesses need to be on their guard when recruiting.
Other top findings show:
- Men are more likely to lie on their CV than women (30.4% vs 24.9%)
- Of those that have lied on their CV, 91.2% say their boss has never found out
- When it comes to the interview itself, only 17.3% would still lie, with 82.7% stating they would never lie in an interview
- 75% of job-hunters believe it is the company's responsibility to uncover lies during the interview process, as opposed to the candidate being honest
- 52% of candidates believe it is necessary to lie on a CV in order to get an interview, due to high levels of competition
Despite this, it seems that CV lies don't always equate to a job, with 47.3% admitting their fibs didn't work. The most common ways for job-hunters to get caught out are through interview questions, a previous job reference or via social media, suggesting that with some careful forward planning, savvy businesses can quickly uncover anything suspicious – especially as most seem to find it more difficult to lie face-to-face as opposed to on paper.
Lee Biggins, managing director of CV-Library, comments: “For businesses, this is just another reason to make sure they're one step ahead when it comes to recruiting. Whilst the majority of candidates are honest, it's important to prepare for the minority that aren't. A few simple but probing questions during the interview process will normally unveil anything suspicious.”
What constitutes a lie remains subjective amongst job-hunters. Whilst some deem it acceptable to embellish the truth when it comes to hobbies, previous salary and experience, the majority of candidates feel it is unacceptable to lie about criminal convictions, qualifications and previous employment. Only a third of professionals (35.5%) feel that any form of lie is unacceptable, with 12% believing anyone found to lie shouldn't be offered the job.
The overriding message to businesses is 'be prepared'. A bit of careful research and a savvy interview strategy should soon help you see the wood from the trees.
