Is Your CV a Work of Fiction?

Is your CV more fact or fiction? Whilst only 12 per cent of workers in the United Kingdom say they have lied on a CV, 46 per cent of employers say they have caught a lie on a CV according to a new CareerBuilder.co.uk survey of employers and workers in the UK. Of those employers who caught a lie, 42 per cent automatically dismissed the applicant and 48 per cent still considered the candidate, but did not hire the applicant.

CareerBuilder asked hiring managers to share the most memorable or outrageous mistakes they came across on CVs. Examples include:

• Wrote "yes please" in the section of application that asked Sex -- Male or Female?


• Touted her "aquatic research" at the University of "Whales"


• Wrote "I am good at speling"


• Touted a degree from Oxford University in Cambridgeshire


• Claimed to be a project manager on a very large project -- interviewer's son was actually the project manager


• Male applicant included the name of the school he attended -- it was an all girls school


• Said worked for company starting in 1966, but was not born until 1978


• Two candidates for the same job had the exact same opening paragraph -- they were friends


• Said he served in a particular war, but the dates were completely wrong


• Claimed to have a job at a previous company that was actually the interviewer's job at that company

The most common lies UK employers say they find on CVs include:

• Embellished responsibilities: 34 per cent


• Skill set: 27 per cent


• Dates of employment: 10 per cent


• Companies worked for: 9 per cent


• Academic degree: 9 per cent


• Job title: 8 per cent

"One of the fastest ways to hurt your credibility with a potential employer is to be untruthful, even if your embellishments are minor," said Tony Roy, Managing Director of CareerBuilder.co.uk.  "What you do in the application and interview process indicates what it is going to be like to work with you and says much about your character. If you are concerned about your credentials or gaps in employment, resist the temptation to stretch the truth and instead use a cover letter to explain any areas of concern and summarize your most relevant qualifications at the top of your CV."

Here are some tips to make your CV stand out for the right reasons:

Be specific

Tailor your CV and cover letter to the position at hand to get the attention of a recruiter and to show them you are really interested in the position and have done your homework.

Stand out from the crowd

One-third (33 per cent) of hiring managers said on average they spend 60 seconds or less looking at a CV when first reviewing an application. Highlight specific accomplishments that are relevant to the job, quantifying results whenever possible to demonstrate the impact you had on your previous employers. A summary of relevant experience and qualifications at the beginning of a CV can also help focus the reader.

Use keywords

Hiring managers often use electronic scanning tools or manually scan CVs for certain words that signify you are qualified for a job. Be sure to pay attention to the words used in the job description and include them in your CV. The terms employers search for most often are:

• Problem-solving and decision-making (57 per cent)


• Oral and written communications (48 per cent)


• Customer service or retention (33 per cent)


• Performance and productivity improvement (30 per cent)


• Technology (30 per cent)


• Team building (30 per cent)


• Leadership (21 per cent)


• Project management (18 per cent)