World over, it is a hot topic for debate, if it is good for one to lie on a Curriculum Vitae (CV) supposedly in order to increase the one’s chance of landing a job, professionals would warn; ‘it is always dangerous to do so, and your new employer will always find out the truth. Meanwhile, in South Africa it is now an offence, which can now land someone behind bars to lie on a CV.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Amendment Act 2019, and anyone found guilty of falsifying their credentials on their CV could now face up to five years in prison.
CV fraud is rampant and both man and women are prone to it.
Some of the common lies that people put on their CVs include, falsifying dates, exaggeration on skills and achievements at previous jobs. In some extreme cases, some lie on qualifications which they do not have.
In 2018, some women at a certain recruitment process, allegedly supplied falsified information, such as reasons for leaving previous positions, to make matters worse, this was accompanied by fake references.
Be that as it may, some studies suggest that up to 50% of candidates one way or the other have supplied a small fraction of misleading or inflated data on their CV.
In most instances, this is followed by further lies, as one tries to cover and back up the initial lie.
Lies are said to have short legs, and upon finding out that the job was granted based on fake information the end result is breach of trust, which can have grave career threatening consequences.
And as for SA, apart from denting one’s career, it can now attract a 5 year prison term.
Lying about a degree or qualification is never a good idea. While many people make slight exaggerations about their hobbies, interests and skills, this is also not recommended.
Rather than falsifying information, experts urge applicants to take time to thoroughly research the company, reading through the job description and finding out more about the employees that already work there.
Use this information to figure out the most relevant skills or qualifications you possess, and emphasize these as much as possible on your CV. Make sure that you position relevant expertise at the top of your application, to catch the attention of the employer and boost your chances of being invited to an interview