5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN’T OVER HYPE YOUR CV
It is not uncommon for people to overhype their CVs while striving to improve their chances of getting an interview, it usually starts from small white lies through to great big lies about qualifications or previous work experience.
As kids, we were taught not to tell lies but ‘adulting’ gets really tough sometimes. You might be tempted to stretch the boundaries of truth, particularly when it comes to getting a job.
The level of unemployment in the country is great enough to push you into making slight exaggerations on your cv but is it really worth it? You know what they say, ‘ if you tell the truth, it becomes a part of your past. If you tell a lie, it becomes a part of your future’. Do you really want a future filled with lies?
Whilst keeping the above in mind it is still important to remember that a CV is essentially a sales document and the product you are selling is yourself! Whatever you do, don’t lie about your achievements– the truth usually has a way of coming out in the end.
Here are some very good reasons not to falsify any information on your CV:
Fraudster label alert
Depending on the gravity of lies you’ve told, you could find yourself getting the unwanted label of ‘fraudster’ for starters in addition to you facing serious legal charges.
Your company could take legal action against you if your lies cost them to lose something. You’ll then have this on your record forever.
“Tell a lie once and all your truths become questionable”
Interviewers Know
An interviewer does not necessarily need to have psychic abilities to spot someone who is telling lies during an interview. Most liars give themselves away subconsciously by displaying clues which are embedded in their body language, tone, cadence, sentence structure and inability to look into the eyes of the interviewer.
They Can Check
Companies have plenty of resources at their disposal to corroborate what you tell them.A simple sneak peek into your social media platforms, such as Linkedin, can be used to cross-check the information on your CV and search engines bring up a huge array of results that could contain information that contradicts your CV.
You could be setting yourself up to fail
If you pretend to have certain skills and experience that, in reality, you’ve never gained, you could well find it very difficult to do the job, if you get it. You will also have to continue the lie throughout your time with the company and you’ll have to remember every little embellishment you make to it.
Embarrassment On Being Discovered
If an employer discovers a lie on your CV, you will pretty much become blacklisted, you will most likely be fired on the spot and the terrible reference you would be given could stop you getting another role.
People are rarely forgiving about lies on CVs – as Thomas O’Riordan found out in 2013 when the 51-year-old barrister was exposed for having invented a glittering CV, none of which was real. He was forced to quit in disgrace. Even if your boss gives you another chance, are they going to trust you in the future?
Truthfully, most employers will consider applicants that don’t meet 100{54d2fcdcd494adb6982253be6fe8d5492e5f586157f419110131714f9092ec60} of their ideal qualifications, provided your strengths in other areas are presented effectively. In any case, falsifying or overhyping your resume is never the solution.
