A recent study from StaffCircle has revealed that 32% of 1,500 people surveyed admitted to lying on their CVs and/or as part of the recruitment process.
The economy is slowing down, and the job market can seem like a struggle. Competition for roles is putting pressure on everyone. Employers want to ensure they attract the most talented candidates and employees are using every trick in the book to make sure it’s them. The new survey highlights well how some candidates are even trying to use sweet little lies to gain a competitive advantage.
You can see more information about the study here.
Who is slipping into the lies and what are the most common lies?
The top 3 demographics most likely to lie on a CV were the 25 – 34-year-olds, followed by the 35-44-year-olds, and then the 18-24-year-olds.
Landing a job in the current economic climate is far from easy. Employers might be asking for skills and work experience you don’t have. Job application insecurity can cause candidates to embellish their past achievements.
Most common reasons to lie:
- 51% lied about their work experience
- 38% lied about their skills
- 26% lied about their previous salary
Respondents weren’t just looking to get their foot on the career ladder. 18% of the respondents said they told lies because they wanted to make a career change. People tend to career hop a lot more these days for various reasons. It could be down to personal choice, work-life balance, or the simple desire to try something different.
Are there consequences of lying?
So is lying worth it? The results tell a mixed story. 93% of those who had lied to get a new job said they hadn’t been caught. 40% still worked in the same job they lied to get.
Whilst 42% of the respondents felt that lying helped them land a job, 58% of respondents said that being untruthful during the interview process wasn’t beneficial in any way.
Although the overwhelming majority did manage to lie and get away with it, some faced serious consequences. 14 out of the 1,500 candidates had employers take legal action against them. Slipping in lies on your CV could land candidates in very hot waters.
Despite this, 63% of respondents admitted they would lie or be tempted to lie in the future. Employers and candidates need to remember that. The recruitment process has to protect candidates that aren’t telling lies.
The bottom line
The StaffCircle study highlights the problems in the modern recruitment process. Vetting systems are clearly not working as intended. An untruthful recruitment process harms both the companies and the employees. Candidates might end up in roles that don’t fit their skills. This can lead to an unsatisfied workforce and a drop in productivity, all of which will hurt the bottom line.
Employees need to continually develop their skills and carefully assess the career path they want to be on. Matching talents with the perfect roles takes effort from both parties, but it can lead to business and personal success!