Have you ever lied on your CV? This is how you can be caught
ET Online|
Updated: Nov 16, 2017, 04.46 PM IST
Nearly one out of six candidates lies in the CV while applying for a new job, according to a recent study. Misrepresentation in CV by job applicants grew in 2016-17 by 48% over the previous year, according to a study by AuthBridge, a background-checking firm.
If you are such a job applicant or plan to misrepresent yourself, watch out, you can get caught. AuthBridge founder and CEO Ajay Trehan says organisations are responding to these challenges by developing structured background verification programmes to ensure they only hire trusted candidates with the right fit.
More job-seekers are misrepresenting themselves due to increased competition, easy access to job-related information, along with a dynamic job market, says Trehan. None of these reasons should tempt you to misrepresent yourself to the prospective employers.
That's because employers too are getting wiser and more efficient in checking background of applicants.
Which lie can get you in trouble
If you wrongly state in your CV that you had won several debates and quizzes in your school, neither the employer would want to cross-check that nor will it have any dire consequences if you are found out. If the employer finds you are too good for the job, he can even ignore such a lie. But if you fail to mention the gap in your employment or wrongly claim you were a star performer in a previous job, it will seriously damage your job prospects if you are found out. If you have attached a forged marksheet or salary slip with your CV, you can even face legal consequences.
The riskiest liars
According to Devashish Chakravarty, CEO of QuezX.com, certain kinds of job-seekers in certain positions and sectors are subjected to more rigorous background check . Employers have a greater tendency to verify details of senior employees where the reputation and salary cost of a wrong hire is very high. Thus if you are being considered as a CEO, Director, Vice President or General Manager, expect a detailed verification.
Similarly, mid-level employees can expect an employment verification and education verification at least, especially where qualifications are a necessity for the role or for determining compensation. At the junior level, common verifications include address and criminal checks coupled with previous employment check to guard against an employee absconding with money, materials or information.
According to Chakravarty, the sectors which are most pro-active about employee background verification are those where criminal or legal liability is high, where international clients are involved or where the cost of hire or replacement is high. Banking and financial sectors lead the pack in doing comprehensive verification of all candidates.
Similarly, for accounts and data management roles, the verification process is intense. If you are in sales, creatives or marketing, your employer is more interested in what you can deliver and may not be too keen in examining your past. If you have access to company funds or are the decision maker on high-value contracts or handle expensive goods, your employer will exercise extra care.
If you are such a job applicant or plan to misrepresent yourself, watch out, you can get caught. AuthBridge founder and CEO Ajay Trehan says organisations are responding to these challenges by developing structured background verification programmes to ensure they only hire trusted candidates with the right fit.
More job-seekers are misrepresenting themselves due to increased competition, easy access to job-related information, along with a dynamic job market, says Trehan. None of these reasons should tempt you to misrepresent yourself to the prospective employers.
That's because employers too are getting wiser and more efficient in checking background of applicants.
Which lie can get you in trouble
If you wrongly state in your CV that you had won several debates and quizzes in your school, neither the employer would want to cross-check that nor will it have any dire consequences if you are found out. If the employer finds you are too good for the job, he can even ignore such a lie. But if you fail to mention the gap in your employment or wrongly claim you were a star performer in a previous job, it will seriously damage your job prospects if you are found out. If you have attached a forged marksheet or salary slip with your CV, you can even face legal consequences.
The riskiest liars
According to Devashish Chakravarty, CEO of QuezX.com, certain kinds of job-seekers in certain positions and sectors are subjected to more rigorous background check . Employers have a greater tendency to verify details of senior employees where the reputation and salary cost of a wrong hire is very high. Thus if you are being considered as a CEO, Director, Vice President or General Manager, expect a detailed verification.
Similarly, mid-level employees can expect an employment verification and education verification at least, especially where qualifications are a necessity for the role or for determining compensation. At the junior level, common verifications include address and criminal checks coupled with previous employment check to guard against an employee absconding with money, materials or information.
According to Chakravarty, the sectors which are most pro-active about employee background verification are those where criminal or legal liability is high, where international clients are involved or where the cost of hire or replacement is high. Banking and financial sectors lead the pack in doing comprehensive verification of all candidates.
Similarly, for accounts and data management roles, the verification process is intense. If you are in sales, creatives or marketing, your employer is more interested in what you can deliver and may not be too keen in examining your past. If you have access to company funds or are the decision maker on high-value contracts or handle expensive goods, your employer will exercise extra care.
