These top 10 CV lies will get you busted

Candidates that lie on their CVs and in job interviews take a huge risk. That’s because these days, it’s so easy to do background checks on candidates, thanks to the Internet and well-versed HR Managers.

Here are some of the lies that can ruin your reputation and land you into big trouble:

1. Making up fictitious companies and saying you worked there.
2. Saying you’re still employed when you in fact have left the company.
3. Listing your friend as a reference instead of the person you reported to.
4. Not revealing that you have a criminal record.
5. Stating incorrect employment dates to cover gaps in your career.
6. Hyping your previous salary.
7. Bogus qualifications.
8. Exaggerated job title.
9. Inaccurate reason for termination.
10. Proficiency of required skills for the job.

If you’re busted for telling these lies, it’s not just that employer who will know, the recruitment agency will also make a note on their system and eventually, you’ll find it difficult to get an interview anywhere.

Here’s how recruiters catch you out:

Business and HR Managers interview hundreds of people in a year and they get a feel for what’s true and what’s not. If they suspect any little lie, they will pursue it until they’ve confirmed it. Here’s where they look to catch you out…

1. They drill you in the interview if they think you may be exaggerating and they’re very likely to catch you out right there and then if your answers are inconsistent.
2. They phone your current and previous employers and have a nice long chat with them. They ask them to verify what you have typed in your CV and what you said in your interview.
3. When they phone your references, they ask clever questions that will reveal whether the person did in fact manage you.
4. They look you up on the Internet, not just on your social networking sites but they Google you and cross-reference all available sites.

Honesty is really the best policy when it comes to putting your CV together and answering questions in an interview...

Except for when you hate your previous employer! The number one rule for finding a job is to never bash your previous employer. Always be diplomatic and play down any ill-feelings or disagreements. Why? Because you’re the one that looks bad when you bad-mouth your employers!

Sometimes, the lies don’t even matter so much. For example, if you’re three credits away from getting your MBA qualification and you say you already have it and it’s not a requirement for the job to have an MBA, whether you really have it or not is less important than the fact that you lied.

Lying says a lot about your character. And who wants to work with a liar or a cheat?

Think twice before you lie on your CV or in an interview.