In the UK, job seekers are increasingly embellishing their CVs in order to match changing job requirements. This is especially true for software and AI skills.
According to a recent survey conducted by Capital on Tap, as technology continues to transform the workplace, more candidates are fabricating details in order to appear qualified and competitive.
The advancements in technology and artificial intelligence (AI) are faster than the development of employee skills. Lepaya’s report on people development shows that 82 percent feel their workplace skills are not keeping up with the demands.
It’s not surprising that, in this environment, many job-seekers are lying about their software knowledge and other qualifications to meet the changing demands of the job market. Capital on Tap found that candidates lied about other things on their CVs, such as reasons for leaving jobs, dates of employment, salaries and previous responsibilities.
The findings show that 55 percent of CV lies are motivated by a desire to meet a specific job requirement, and 33 percent lie to increase their chances of moving on to the next phase of the hiring process. In addition, 10 percent of candidates will lie in order to make themselves stand out on a competitive market.
CV Lies You Should Know
The survey found that the most common dishonesty was the lie about the reason why people left their previous jobs. Nine percent of respondents admitted lying about it. Many reframed negative departures into opportunities to “seek out new challenges” in order to avoid raising concerns to prospective employers.
Another common target of manipulation is employment dates. Seven percent of respondents admitted to altering dates of employment in order to hide gaps or prolong the perceived length of previous roles. Noteworthy, 28 percent of respondents said that they would be open to this tactic.
Seven percent of respondents admitted to lying about their previous earnings. The younger candidates are more likely to use this tactic. Specifically, those between the ages of 25 and 34. 18% said they would lie about their previous salary in order to get a better job.
Candidates who fabricate their prior job responsibilities to appear more experienced are another problem.
Dishonesty can be detected by a number of methods
Many false statements on CVs are not detected by employers, according to the survey. For example, 98 per cent of candidates who lied on their GCSE results said that they were not noticed, probably because these qualifications are often overlooked for more recent achievements.
In the same way, 97 per cent of candidates who exaggerated job titles weren’t caught. Examples include boosting a role from “data input” to “data engineer”.
Fay Sumner (Head of People, Capital on Tap) recommends that you verify your employment history by checking references and LinkedIn profiles. You can also cross-check dates, job titles, and more. Further investigation should be conducted if there are gaps or inconsistencies. Sumner suggests asking candidates about their previous roles in interviews.
When discussing a candidate’s previous role, asking them for specific examples can reveal if they are being honest. “Those who are honest will be able provide clear, detailed examples while those who fabricated information might struggle,” Sumner stated.
Skills assessments can help employers verify that a candidate is as qualified as they claim on their CV. Practical tests, for example, can be used to verify the candidate’s proficiency with software tools and technical skills.
Employers should also be wary of buzzwords such as “dynamic leader” and “result-driven”.
Sumner explained that asking candidates for concrete examples of how they used these skills in a previous position can help determine whether their claims are authentic.
