How often do interviewers contact references?

I'm currently finalising my CV and deciding whether or not to add something to my work experience section.

I have very little relevant work experience, having only worked in a shop for 2 years and a pub for 2 years.

This summer after graduating I spent 2 months travelling around Australia.

I was meant to do 4 weeks volunteer work with a friend of a friend who has his own company out there but due to a variety of reasons I only ended up coming to say hello and go to the office for 2 days before returning home.

Now I'm very tempted to put down on my CV that I volunteered, stating all the things I would have done. Is this a bad mistake? Technically I won't be telling too big a lie as I did at least work a couple of days.

Advice very much appreciated.

Reply 1

WebName

Hmm personally, if you cleared it with the friend of a friend to vouch for you then I don't see any problem, but if you list this person as a proper reference who can be contacted by your employer, and you don't clear it with them first to get a coherent story, the friend of a friend would probably tell them the truth - which would then make your CV dates look dodgy, and could lead to any offers being withdrawn.

Reply 2

Fuzzpig

16

They do check your referees - those people you put down to be referees (usually two) are the people who will send references. Your new employer will contact them personally.

Many jobs won't let you begin your employment until your two referees have given references. Generally it's after you've been offered the job.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 3

GregoryPeck

OP

5

Original post by WebName

Hmm personally, if you cleared it with the friend of a friend to vouch for you then I don't see any problem, but if you list this person as a proper reference who can be contacted by your employer, and you don't clear it with them first to get a coherent story, the friend of a friend would probably tell them the truth - which would then make your CV dates look dodgy, and could lead to any offers being withdrawn.

Well I have lots of small jobs I have put down.

Self employed work.

The Australia bit which i'm using to explain my lack of work since graduating is only under a volunteering part.

Can I choose which references to give? The job at the pub, the shop and some private tutoring is legit...

Reply 4

Rouche

You are grossly undervaluing your actual experience and worrying about a couple weeks volunteering in Australia. I would focus more on trying to sell what you've done in the shop and pub and forget about trying to manufacture something out of very little.

Reply 5

Brotherhood

16

Original post by GregoryPeck

I'm currently finalising my CV and deciding whether or not to add something to my work experience section.

I have very little relevant work experience, having only worked in a shop for 2 years and a pub for 2 years.

This summer after graduating I spent 2 months travelling around Australia.

I was meant to do 4 weeks volunteer work with a friend of a friend who has his own company out there but due to a variety of reasons I only ended up coming to say hello and go to the office for 2 days before returning home.

Now I'm very tempted to put down on my CV that I volunteered, stating all the things I would have done. Is this a bad mistake? Technically I won't be telling too big a lie as I did at least work a couple of days.

Advice very much appreciated.

A lie's a lie.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 6

blackmidnight

1

Original post by GregoryPeck

I'm currently finalising my CV and deciding whether or not to add something to my work experience section.

I have very little relevant work experience, having only worked in a shop for 2 years and a pub for 2 years.

This summer after graduating I spent 2 months travelling around Australia.

I was meant to do 4 weeks volunteer work with a friend of a friend who has his own company out there but due to a variety of reasons I only ended up coming to say hello and go to the office for 2 days before returning home.

Now I'm very tempted to put down on my CV that I volunteered, stating all the things I would have done. Is this a bad mistake? Technically I won't be telling too big a lie as I did at least work a couple of days.

Advice very much appreciated.

Depends where you apply. If you apply in public sector organisations, they will contact the referees you put down. Some public sector organisations may question you on your referees if they appear to be a friend and not someone you worked with.

If you apply privately and get offered a job such as with an investment bank or accountancy firm, most of them carry out background checks which is outsourced to someone else. They do ask you to nominate two referees for that organisation but they don't approach those people directly.

A job I applied to required me to provided details of my past job. Those exact same questions they asked were given to my referee and my referee had to provide the same/similar answers. They then compared the two to see whether any of the information given was inaccurate.

When my friend was going through her background check for Credit Suisse, they called up each company she stated on her CV and confirmed that the title given was exactly as noted on her CV and also the description was accurate. She actually wrote a different title for one of her jobs but on interrogation she managed to settle it with them giving some excuse however she was very very lucky.

Private companies also verify the salary you claimed you had. If you claimed you were paid £10 an hour, someone will need to confirm that and therefore you will need to show payslips. They also do check to see that you paid taxes on your jobs so be careful when you talk about cash in hand jobs. My ones were all checked and where it was voluntary, an official from the organisation had to write a letter to verify this.

It's very important not to lie on a CV either with the title or what you do. If you get caught lying, they will withdraw the offer.

How often do interviewers contact references?

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you