Study Shows More People are Lying on their CV to Stand Out

When looking for a new job, it can be hard when you are competing with hundreds, or possibly thousands of other applicants. Therefore you need a way to stand out. However, lying is usually not worth the risk as 71% of hiring managers have stated that they have caught a lie on a CV, with more than a third (39%) of these employers having seen instances of CV embellishment increase since the recession.

41% of employers stated that they would instantly dismiss a candidate if they had been caught lying on their CV, whilst 52% stated that it would depend on what was being lied about. 6% would be willing to overlook a lie if they liked the candidate.

But is it worth it? Trust is hugely important within profession relationships, so when you lie on a CV, that trust is breached from the onset – especially if you are caught out. Would your hiring manager fully trust you again? If you do wish to enhance your CV and make it stand out from the rest, try to highlight outstanding examples from your actual experience. It doesn’t need to necessarily be the perfect fit for an organisation, as long as it is relevant and accurate.

The most common lies seen on CV’s include:

  • Embellished Skill Set – 57%
  • Embellished Responsibilities – 57%
  • Dates of Employment – 40%
  • Job Title – 36%
  • Companies Worked For – 32%
  • Academic Degree – 27%
  • Awards/Recognitions – 15%

This increase could cause employers to look over your CV in more detail, spending more time in doing so. 51% of employers state that they spend more than 2 minutes reviewing each CV. However, 25% of employers spend less than 60 seconds, with 12% stating they spent 30 seconds or less on each CV. So it’s best to ensure to make your CV stand out and attract interest in 30 seconds!

Source: onrec.com

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