Is Lying on Your CV Worth It? Recent UK Survey Reveals All 

Some job applicants say honesty isn’t always the best course of action when applying for a job. Many of you might have exaggerated some facts on your curriculum vitae and cover letters ‌in time just to secure a better job.

As unethical as it may sound, according to a survey conducted by StaffCircle, some people clearly lie or claim false expertise on their CVs to gain a better job. But is it worth the risk? 

1,500 employees across the UK were surveyed to find out the lengths they would go to acquire the ‘ideal’ job, and here are some of the key factors that they lied about: 

Candidates Lie About Experience and Skills

Around 51% of respondents agreed that they have lied about their experiences. Candidates are aware of the fierce competition for suitable positions. Talented people require a lot of experience to back up their capabilities since they can’t only rely on their abilities. Hence, recruiters should be extremely careful that the skills shown on applicants’ CVs are accurate.

38% of responders to the survey admitted to lying about their skill set. Candidates may feel the need to exaggerate their skills to look more qualified if they are aiming for more senior positions or jobs in various industries.

Candidates Lie About Their Salary

26% of respondents acknowledged lying about their prior earnings during recruitment. You might ‌negotiate a better wage for the new position by lying about your pay. In addition, if an employer is aware of an applicant’s former income, they are more likely to make a competitive offer to that individual.

Liars Don’t Get Caught

93% of people surveyed admitted that they were never caught after lying on their resume, which may be because many HR departments lack the ‌performance management tools or processes to ensure authenticity. 

Moreover, 40% of those who lied to gain a job were still working with the same company at the time the survey was taken. However, 58% of respondents also claimed they didn’t think lying helped them acquire a job. 

Furthermore, 14 out of the 1,500 respondents who did lie had to face legal action because of their lies. 

Are Employees Likely to Lie in The Future?

For future employment possibilities, 63% of the respondents confessed ‌they would lie again—or at the very least, they would be severely tempted to do so.

 Even though 68% of those who lied said the interview process was “very detailed,” they still lied, meaning that there is a lot of room for HR to enhance their hiring procedures. 

Inconsistencies and skills gaps can be found and highlighted by evaluating applicants during the recruiting process and as part of a larger organizational talent repository.

According to the survey, less than a quarter of applicants passed a “very thorough recruitment process,” suggesting that HR should increase recruiting efficiency to reduce the risk of hiring the wrong candidate. Recruiters should use performance management tools and ensure all the claims made by the candidate are authentic. 

Employers must use competency-based strategies to properly evaluate applicants during the hiring process and ensure their qualifications match the position for which they are applying. By doing this, organizations will avoid problems where it could be too late to realize they made a poor hiring decision.

Conclusion

So is lying on your CV worth it? In most cases, the answer is no. It may seem like an easy way to get ahead, but you’re only hurting yourself in the long run. Employers will probably catch on eventually (especially with today’s technology); when they do, they won’t hesitate to fire you. 

Plus, if future employers ever find out about your lies, that information will be permanently attached to your name, and it will be much harder for you to find a job. Stick to the truth—it may not always be glamorous, but it’s the best policy for your career.