Is It Okay To Lie On Your CV?

Have you ever thought of lying on your CV? Did you add a technical skill that the job you were applying for needed thinking that perhaps after you got the job you could learn that skill? Or did you add on your work experience?

Sometimes, lying on your CV may seem like such an innocent venture in the beginning, but it may come to ruin you someday. 

Remember, it all starts with one lie, then another to cover the first one, and by the time you are getting to the management level, it is hard to differentiate the truth from the lie. That’s when things start going down.

Is it okay to tell a harmless lie on the Curriculum Vitae?

If you have been debating whether to tell a small and harmless lie when submitting applications, you may get away with it, make it to the interview and maybe even get hired. But once that small lie surfaces, everything you will have worked for and achieved to that point is put to question.

Remember a few days ago when a Kenyan pilot who had been flying airplanes for eight years was discovered to have forged his KCSE certificate and gone ahead to study aviation? In his CV he stated that he got a B+, a grade he actually did not get. Even though he had done his work well, he was left without a job and his credibility remains ruined. 

Why you should never lie on your CV

1. Once trust is lost, it will take forever to regain

Telling a lie on your CV is not about getting to the interview stage unnoticed, but it is telling employers that you are willing to lie to get what you want. You also communicate that the position is not really as important as you getting to where you want, and that you already do not believe in who you are.

If an employer looks at your CV and uncovers that it is full of lies, you get blacklisted and no matter how much you edit your CV to the truth, it will never get past the selection process. The same applies when by chance you get past the recruitment process and your background check comes back faulty. Employers lose their trust in you at that very moment.

2. However small the lie is, your qualifications will not matter

You may be suitably qualified for a position, with the degree and certifications required as well as the work experience. But if an employer spots a lie on your CV, you lose credibility and they start questioning your other qualifications. “What if the degree is fake? Has the candidate even worked for these organizations?”

A lie can be spotted easily, especially with job titles, the name of companies, the period of work experience, and even education. Always make sure that the information provided on your curriculum vitae is true and factual, even your friend acting as your former boss to provide reference can ruin your chances.

What to do when a lie seems better than the truth

Most people lie on their CVs because they are not sure of how to handle certain career issues like employment gaps, salaries, skills, and even when titles change. The good news is that there are ways to add this information without ruining your chances.

Also, sometimes you realize leaving out certain information is much beneficial than telling a lie.  If you must lie on a temporary skill like Excel or Photoshop, make sure you actually make time to learn it.

Instead of lying, reach out to a professional CV writer who can help you craft the best CV and secure you an interview and ultimately, a job.