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Is it bad to lie about small things on your CV?

so for example, being captain of a sports team? would you name the club or just say 'i was captain of a sports team and then explain what skills i learned'?

also, what's the difference between a skills based CV and a functional CV?

thanks.

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Reply 1
Original post by non
so for example, being captain of a sports team? would you name the club or just say 'i was captain of a sports team and then explain what skills i learned'?

also, what's the difference between a skills based CV and a functional CV?

thanks.


Generally speaking I think everybody talks themselves up a bit, but personally I think it is a bad idea to outright lie about things.

So I wouldn't put that you are a captain of a sports team unless you are. For one you might get caught out. Remember you have to work with these people, they will become your friends. So that's a lie you have to keep up permanently. Secondly I personally wouldn't feel right about it. I'd always wonder if I got the job because of my ability of if I got the job because of my lies. Perhaps that wouldn't matter to everyone, but I like to know that I achieved where I am so to speak.
Reply 2
Yes! You'll go to hell!

:colonhash:
Reply 3
Bend the truth as much as you can to your advantage without outright lying. That's the moto i work to in regards to cv writing.
Reply 4
I actually read in some careers advice that you're doing yourself a disfavour by not embellishing your CV since apparently everyone does it and the HR know it, so they will 'scale down' the CV's they read appropriately. Go figure...
Original post by M1011
Remember you have to work with these people, they will become your friends. So that's a lie you have to keep up permanently.

Erm, I've never seen any of my colleagues' CVs. They're assessed during recruitment, not handed out to your co-workers.
Reply 6
I say go for it. If anyone does question you on it in the future say the team no longer competes due to lack of funding
If you lie about something on your CV then your employer is within their rights to fire you. It's up to you whether you're ok with that risk.
Original post by ThePants999
Erm, I've never seen any of my colleagues' CVs. They're assessed during recruitment, not handed out to your co-workers.

No his point is if you lie that you were a champion boxer for example, that is a talking point and your interviewer will definitely tell the rest of the team.

It's best to bend the truth not outright lie.
Reply 9
A little white lie won't hurt anyone so for example 'I did 2 weeks work experience', when you only did a week or I was captain of this team. Everyone bends the truth a bit to make them more appealing to employers. But full-blown lying about grades or academia generally catches people out.
Reply 10
Original post by ThePants999
Erm, I've never seen any of my colleagues' CVs. They're assessed during recruitment, not handed out to your co-workers.


So your manager never saw your CV? Your director? Your supervisor?

I'm not implying others on your level will have been given a look, but if your manager knows you were "captain" of a football team, what's to stop him bringing that up in front of your co-workers?
Reply 11
Original post by cosmobear92
A little white lie won't hurt anyone so for example 'I did 2 weeks work experience', when you only did a week or I was captain of this team. Everyone bends the truth a bit to make them more appealing to employers. But full-blown lying about grades or academia generally catches people out.


Claiming to have done additional work experience or to have held positions you haven't had is full blown lying.

Bending the truth to make your experiences seem a bit grander is perhaps acceptable, but claiming things you simply haven't done IMO is not. You won't deserve the job you get if you lie to get it.
Original post by M1011
Claiming to have done additional work experience or to have held positions you haven't had is full blown lying.

Bending the truth to make your experiences seem a bit grander is perhaps acceptable, but claiming things you simply haven't done IMO is not. You won't deserve the job you get if you lie to get it.


Not necessarily, when you apply for jobs/university whoever is hiring you won't go running around trying to find out where you were on March 7th 2003 at 4.15, they don't care. I highly doubt that they're gonna ask you about things on your CV, because like I said, they don't care. They want to know your qualifications, what other people think of you through your reference and any other additional requirements for that job or course.

I know plenty of medics/dentists who added on a couple of days work experience to their personal statement. Why? Because even getting a weeks work experience in healthcare practice is hard enough, and some universities have a certain requirement for applicants.

It's a competitive climate out there, jobs and uni places are hard to get, so people bend the truth to make themselves look grander.
Original post by cosmobear92
Not necessarily, when you apply for jobs/university whoever is hiring you won't go running around trying to find out where you were on March 7th 2003 at 4.15, they don't care.

Actually, certain employers check every section on your cv, incorrect dates can get your offer withdrawn.
Original post by Tokyoround
Actually, certain employers check every section on your cv, incorrect dates can get your offer withdrawn.


No, I understand that, like if there's discrepancies with information provided or unexplained periods of time, it's not gonna reflect well.

Tbh, I've only experienced applying for a small part time job and uni, I guess for full-time, more structured 9-5 jobs, its gonna be different. But I don't think embellishing your cv or personal statement by a little white lie (so long as it within reason) is really a bad thing.
Original post by cosmobear92
No, I understand that, like if there's discrepancies with information provided or unexplained periods of time, it's not gonna reflect well.

Tbh, I've only experienced applying for a small part time job and uni, I guess for full-time, more structured 9-5 jobs, its gonna be different. But I don't think embellishing your cv or personal statement by a little white lie (so long as it within reason) is really a bad thing.

It does depend on the company though, I was talking about competitive financial firms as an example, they are very thorough with checks. Other employers probably won't care if you put the wrong month on your cv for instance.
Reply 16
Original post by Tokyoround
Actually, certain employers check every section on your cv, incorrect dates can get your offer withdrawn.


I used to play for a football team but I wasn't captain. So I know the name of the football club. So should I say I was captain of ... Football team or I was captain of a football team? So not giving out a name. I don't even know if the football team still exists because I have moved around 100 miles away from it.

So please can you give your advice, I'll will only be applying for part time jobs with my cv.
Original post by non
I used to play for a football team but I wasn't captain. So I know the name of the football club. So should I say I was captain of ... Football team or I was captain of a football team? So not giving out a name. I don't even know if the football team still exists because I have moved around 100 miles away from it.

So please can you give your advice, I'll will only be applying for part time jobs with my cv.

Should be ok tbh. Usually employers don't care too much about part-time staff so i'd imagine you'll be fine with that. If it was so long ago though i'm not really sure if you'll benefit from it much.
Reply 18
Original post by Tokyoround
Should be ok tbh. Usually employers don't care too much about part-time staff so i'd imagine you'll be fine with that. If it was so long ago though i'm not really sure if you'll benefit from it much.


thanks but should i name the football club or not? because the club still exists.
Reply 19
It's fine it it's very minor, I think. In interviews I sometimes talk about being a member of a hockey team and the communication skills I've learnt from that. What I'm actually referring to is chatting to my friends while half-heartedly doing PE at school :biggrin:

I think captain's going a bit far.

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