Should I lie about my work experience

So, I'm in my first year of college now and on my UCAS Progress, I lied about my work experience (kinda) because I haven't actually done any. I know that colleges kinda look at that **** so I lied. Now I'm in college, next year I'll be doing my UCAS again, for uni (if I plan to go) and well.... work experience is a big factor unis consider.My dad works for the same travel agency as the one I wrote down but I've seen the details my college make you write (name of business, contact number and their email address) all of which can be used to find out if I really did work experience, which I obviously didn't. The job role I *did* was an office assistant.Tbh I cba doing work experience - I'm lazy and ik that's bad but I'm wondering what the chances are that they don't corroborate everything? Some general suggestions would be good.Thanks :smile:

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Reply 1

Doones

Simple. Don't lie on your UCAS, and especially not on your university applications.

Reply 2

adam277

I can't comment on the UCAS but I've lied on my CV.
I've also known many others to lie on their CV.

I never got caught.
You shouldn't lie but in life it's generally the guys that don't mind lying that get ahead. (look at trump) You just gotta be prepared to pay the price should it go wrong.

Edit:

I think I recall someone that made aload of crap up about doing volunteering and when they interviewed him about it he went blank xD.
So it does happen.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 3

AR1098

Original post by Doonesbury

Simple. Don't lie on your UCAS, and especially not on your university applications.

Yeah you 're right. But I cba actually doing work experience. I don't like to lie and don't do it often. Do you know if They check it all out or heard of anybody being caught?

Reply 4

AR1098

Original post by adam277

Well the role was office assistant and I made some bs up when asked by an interviewer for college. I got nervous but it was fairly believable. I've still got the notes so I can use them again if needed...But I don't know. I got time to think about it.

Thanks for your experience :smile:

Reply 5

Doones

Original post by AR1098

Yeah you 're right. But I cba actually doing work experience. I don't like to lie and don't do it often. Do you know if They check it all out or heard of anybody being caught?

If you don't do the work experience then don't include it when you apply.

Very few courses are interested in work experience, but those that are may well check it. And even for those that aren't especially interested, a misleading (i.e. fraudulent) application could invalidate your application.

Just don't.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 6

AR1098

Original post by Doonesbury

If you don't do the work experience then don't include when you apply.

Very few courses are interested in work experience, but those that are may well check it. And even for those that aren't especially interested, a misleading (i.e. fraudulent) application could invalidate your application.

Just don't.

Thanks. I've got time to make my decision. I hope I won't lie because it's morally and ethically right but no promises really. Thanks a lot.

Reply 7

AR1098

Original post by AR1098

here is what i wrote in my ucas. It's all BS but linked to the role I think.

Reply 8

Doones

Original post by AR1098

Thanks. I've got time to make my decision. I hope I won't lie because it's morally and ethically right but no promises really. Thanks a lot.

Dude, there's NOTHING to be gained by lying and a lot to lose.

Reply 9

adam277

Think about the risk vs the reward.

You're taking the a unknown risk (as you don't know the odds of them catching you)
And the reward is very little as I highly doubt that a university will reject you based on you not having work experience in a office.

Reply 10

AR1098

Original post by Doonesbury

Dude, there's NOTHING to be gained by lying and a lot to lose.

I don't know anymore. I'll think about it in a few months but even i don't know.

Reply 11

AR1098

Original post by adam277

If it really isn't that important, then I won't lie. But my college bang on and on about it made me sure that you pretty much needed it. If I told my tutor what would happen if I lied, do you think he'd report me?

Reply 12

HighwayUnicorn

You could if you wanted to. Just say the place closed down or something and that you don't have their contact details anymore.

Reply 13

adam277

Original post by AR1098

Your school also probably told you GCSEs were super important. :tongue:

Reply 14

AR1098

It's online and im sure those boxes are mandatory.

Reply 15

LeapingLucy

Universities for the vast majority of courses don't even care about work experience (medicine/law are some of the few exceptions).

So there's no point lying about doing it - there's no real potential benefit, and a huge potential downside if you get caught.

(Putting aside the moral issue with lying)

Reply 16

Doones

Original post by AR1098

Are you applying for medicine or a similar healthcare related course? I expect the answer is no. But if you were then yes relevant work experience (not in an office) is important and as a result is likely to be verified.

If you aren't then work experience is NOT NEEDED and gives an applicant no advantage to have any. And for that reason is rarely verified unless they are suspicious.

So for courses where it matters they will check. For courses where it doesn't matter they are less likely to check, but equally you are jeopardising your entire application pointlessly.

Don't lie.

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Reply 17

thaliaevelyn

Just don't mention it. Or if you have to use the stuff you actually did. Don't lie. Yeah, they might not ask about it, but what if they do? I wouldn't take the risk tbh.

Reply 18

Indy315

By lying you are putting yourself in a position that even if you get a place and they find out in the future they may still kick you off the course. It happened before to people they have been kicked off a course as they got caught lying on CV and UCAS form

Reply 19

LostAccount

Lying is a case of risk versus reward. Commonplace on CVs, UCAS I don't know. The bigger the lie, the harder it is to sustain it. Saying you contributed to a team more than you did, or saying you led a team even though there was no formal or informal leader, they're all small lies. Saying you had a job you never did, that's a pretty big one because it's hard to keep that lie going.

If lying is the only way to be competitive with other candidates, I suppose fair enough. I've done it too, but only on CVs never UCAS.

If you're lying for no reason or because you're insecure, or you're a bad liar, you're just digging yourself a hole.

If it's your dad's firm, it shouldn't be too difficult to let him co-operate.

Always lying is never good. Always being truthful is never good. Unless you're perfect, I suppose.