Lying on CV

LegacyUser

Forgive me if this is in the wrong area, Going unreg for this one.

I'm 23 in a few weeks and have been unemployed for 3 years, I'm well qualified in my area and will be returning in September to study the top qualification in my field. At the moment I am desperate for work and am begining to crack up to be quite honest, I do not want to become an unemployable waster and as time keeps going by I'm starting to absolultey FREAK out about my future.

As I've said my last job was in 2010 and I finished college in 2011, So for two years I've looked for work..any work I might add,not only in my field but shop work and the likes but my efforts where in vain.

Now I'm that desperate I'm resorting to lying on my CV as I simply cannot tolerate sitting around any longer as its having a terrible effect on my mood and confidence.

I've filled out an application for a job which requires a ten year work history and I've gotten a friend of my mothers who is in a mangement position in his job to give me a reference, effectively closing up a gap of unemployment on my CV and leaving only one year of unempoyment on it. I do feel terrible about it but the "weak do what they must and the strong do what they can".

I'm aware that its wrong and I shouldn't be doing but desperate times call for desperate measures, If no employer is willing to offer a young person an opportunity due to a lack of experience then how else am I supposed to start my career off?

So if anyone has any advice for me before I return my ten year work history vetting form I'd appreciate it. I do beleive I will be an asset to this employer except my experience is limited.

Cheers.

Mister Jingles

I don't really have any opinions on the moral side of things but there are a lot of people out there who do lie on the CV's and some do get away with it.

Personally I would never look down on anyone who is willing to go that far to get a job, too many places require a ridiculous amount of experience these days, especially in retail. However there is a stage of over stepping the line.

It would look a bit suspicious if the job required 10 years working experience and your only going 23.

Jhcx

Personally id try and keep it as straight as possible. im younger than you OP and my most recent interview requires 10 years background check. I was only able to give them one reference cause for the last 10 years ive been in schooling. Ive been out of education for a year but done few odd 2-3 day courses. If you have been looking for jobs that totally acceptable. you can explain what you have been doing for the past 2 years or 1 year to which they should understand.

Personally i think it would just make you feel better if your just honest and you wont have to worry about the white lie but its not really a big deal cause at the end of the day with or without it you dont know if you will get the job its all about presentation, knowledge and image. and your skills. Employers have the widest verity of people out there that they call the shots. even simply doing charity work for a few weeks and developing your social communication skills and putting that down on CV will look good showing that your out there trying.

LegacyUser

Op here,

Cheers for the feedback guys, @misterjingles its not 10 years of experience thats required its a 10 year verifiable work history form, I agree claiming to have ten years experience at 23 is absurd

I have a written reference for the porky on my CV so I dont think I'll have problems. But, I still do feel guilty having to resort to this kind of thing everything else on my CV is above board such as qualifications, education history and other referees so heres hoping I'll manage to get a job.

I'm sure that employers read these boards occasionaly but they need to realise that they're alienating a generation of people from a decent career and standard of life, the companies have no issues in creating internships where people essentially work for free for 6 months but the whole thing was designed to give youth a chance to get the experience we need but, theres people out there who get called in for interviews maybe even second and third round at that only to be told "you dont have the required experience for this internship, sorry"... its absolutley infuriating hearing things like that. I think its complete hypocracy, anyway my apologies for the rant .

LegacyUser

I agree with you in regards to internships. Jobbridge is to give people a chance for people to get some work experience not as a way for a company to have cheap staff.
I have seen several jobridge positions in the midlands looking for experience staff and they should be told to employ some one in this case.

I know how you feel as I have been out of work for a long time. I have a lot of work experience and have been applying for jobs. I had a job interview last week and I am waiting to hear about a 2nd interview.
No one wants to lie on there cv but some people/employers seem to think that if your on the dole you don't want to work but what do you do when there are very few jobs out there or when you don't have much work experience.

Good Luck with your search. If you get a part time job look up the part time job incentive under welfare.ie as you may be entitled to a payment of €119 pw on top of your wages.

StillWaters

I think you are putting your mothers friend in a difficult position. A written reference will probably nor be sufficient, they will want a verbal reference. She could get in a heap of trouble.

LegacyUser

StillWaters wrote: »

I think you are putting your mothers friend in a difficult position. A written reference will probably nor be sufficient, they will want a verbal reference. She could get in a heap of trouble.

Op here. My mothers friend has provided his work phone number and office number, he is willibg to provide a verbal reference via telephone as it states in the letter of recomendation he has written for me. I am going for an entry level position in my field and as part of the applicatiob process a ten year verifiabl work history is required i am doing it fill he gap on my cv its not a high security clearence job.And at thia stage I no longer feel guilty about I can not wait any longer for a company to give me a chance as I could be waiting years.. At this time I feel that the only realistic chance of me getting a job would be to join the foreign legion and I would onky do that as a last resort I terrified of becomib unemployabl to be honest.

StillWaters

I don't think anyone is going to say you are doing the right thing, but I can understand your motives. I wish you the best of luck OP, you sound hungry and eager, and they are both great attributes to have starting out in your career.