With companies facing a tough challenge in hiring the right employee in a highly competitive job market, they must make sure that they are doing everything they can to hire the best person for the job. However, it can be quite simple for companies to experience situations where they believe they’ve found the perfect candidate for the role they are advertising for, only to then on, discover that they’ve made a big mistake and that the employee isn’t who they claimed to be.
Managers may realize they are not what they have represented themselves to be once they begin their new position. It’s possible that candidates lack certain skills or that their experience doesn’t seem to add up. There is just one viable explanation: they embellished their CV.
Honesty isn’t always the best course of action, at least not in the eyes of some job candidates. People routinely misrepresent the facts on their CVs and cover letters to land a job. Even though it might not seem to be a problem that calls for research, lying on your CV can seriously negatively affect both the applicant and the employer.
StaffCircle’s survey comprised 1,500 employees being asked a variety of questions about whether they have twisted the truth during the recruitment process, and the results are very interesting.
Candidates Lie about Skills and Experience
About 51% of the applicants made up their work history. Candidates are conscious of the intense competition for senior positions. Since they can’t just rely on their talents, they might need some experience to back their abilities. However, the skills listed on an applicant’s CV might not necessarily be accurate.
38% of participants acknowledged exaggerating or falsifying their skillset. If candidates are vying for more senior positions or employment across several industries, they can feel the need to exaggerate a little to appear more qualified.
Candidates Falsify Salary Information
Candidates may not simply lie on their CVs while also lying to a potential employer. During the survey, 26% of respondents admitted lying about their former earnings. By lying about their salary, they thought they might negotiate greater pay for the new job. In addition, employers are more likely to make a competitive offer to a candidate if they know the applicant’s prior earnings.
Nevertheless, lying about previous salary earnings and falsifying CVs can get you into big trouble if caught. As stated in an article from the Metro, if people are caught having lied on their CV about salary could face having to return big chunks of their wages back following a landmark court ruling.
This was the situation for Jon Andrewes, who was a former chief executive of a hospice, and he was ordered by the Supreme Court to give back nearly £100,000 because he forged qualifications which included PHDs.
Liars Aren’t Always Caught
93% of those surveyed about lying on their CV stated that they weren’t caught, suggesting that HR directors either lack the appropriate procedures or resources or are simply picking up the essential skills. 40% of those who lied to get a job were still working there when the survey was conducted.
However, candidates disagreed on whether they believed lying had benefited them. Of those who applied, 58% said they didn’t believe lying helped them.
What Can the Recruitment Process Do?
Could this have been avoided? Hiring managers may evaluate skill levels and even identify skill gaps in their staff with the help of a dedicated performance management system. It can determine an employee’s suitability for a role by understanding their skill sets. By doing this, companies may avoid costly hiring errors.
Software for performance management provides managers with all the tools they need to ensure that all the organization’s departments and employees are contributing effectively to the accomplishment of the company’s strategic goals. They can track their hiring quality when they have a process to evaluate employee performance. Then, the next time they have a vacancy, they may use their newfound knowledge to enhance the hiring process.
Conclusion
Lying on a CV is not only an unethical thing to do but can also lead to unpleasant consequences. This is particularly the case if an organization discovers that an employee has lied about their qualifications or experience. Not only will the organization have to deal with a loss of trust, but they may also be legally obliged to take disciplinary action against the employee.
While some people may get away with it, it’s not worth the risk. If job candidates are honest on their CVs, it will help increase the chances of getting hired, and it will avoid the embarrassment if being caught out later during the recruitment process.