• Half of Marketing and Advertising job candidates have told a lie on their CV
• The most common lie to tell is about one’s personality type (whether they are organised or punctual, for example)
• 27% would be prepared to tell a “big lie” in order to bag their dream job
• 82% revealed that their lie was never uncovered by a boss or colleague.
Most job hunters are no strangers to slight exaggeration on their CVs. Whilst it is always good to be self-promotional when looking for new employment, there is a difference between stretching the truth and telling an outright lie.
Yet, a recent survey by job site Adzuna.co.uk has revealed that as many as a third of job hunters are doing just that.
Adzuna.co.uk conducted a survey of 3,587 participants either in, or looking for, employment. When asked if they had lied on their CV, a whopping 37%, or just over a third, admitted to doing so at some stage in their professional career. Of those that had lied on their CV, 83% said they still got the job, with 43% stating that their lie directly contributed to them bagging the role.
Of all the 23 sectors studied by Adzuna, it can be revealed that Marketing and Advertising employees are the most likely to have lied on their job applications, with 17% of fibbers from all sectors working in this industry. They were closely followed by candidates in Retail (representing 14% of all lies on CVs), Finance (12%) and Law (12%).
Looking specifically at the Marketing and Advertising employees that responded to the survey, 50% have lied on their CVs at some point in their careers. What’s more 73% would continue telling “small lies” on their CV if it meant they got their dream jobs, and a further 27% would be prepared to tell a “big lie”.
Out of the employees in Marketing and Advertising who admit to telling a lie on their job applications, 64% were female (compared to your average CV fibber, who is more likely to be male). They are also more likely to be aged 25 to 34, and their favourite lie to tell is about their personality type, (whether they are organised, or punctual etc) – with 45% admitting to stretching the truth. This was followed by lies about work experience (representing 36% of lies), tied with lying about languages spoken (36%). Candidates also lied about their educational background (18%) and even their references (16%).
It would seem that cheaters do prosper, as 82% of fibbing Marketing and Advertising candidates admit that they got the job, with 64% stating that their lie directly contributed to their success. What’s more 82% revealed that their lie was never uncovered by a boss or colleague.
However, some liars do get found out, as Ruth Sparks, Director at Marketing and PR agency EMPRA, reveals: “My colleague and I were interviewing for a new PR account manager and this candidate was really pushing home her fabulous contacts with ITV – I asked her for examples of work she’d done, stories she’d placed – she listed three – all three were our actual clients and I had personally placed those stories […] I got up from my chair and opened the office door for her, I asked her to ensure the front door was closed behind her.”
One Marketing and Advertising respondent to Adzuna.co.uk’s survey divulged more information about their CV lies, stating “I just exaggerate skills, previous responsibilities, length of employment and reasons for leaving. Because why would I tell a potential employer that I left a prior job because my boss was awful, when a lie like ‘I moved house’ would raise less red flags?”
Yet, Doug Monro, Co-Founder of Adzuna.co.uk, has stated that candidates should never lie on their CVs “It is best to find the right angle for your experience; dig deep and think about relevant tasks that you might not have realised you had done. Tailor your skills and experience to fit the role you are applying for, because putting something that isn’t true on your CV might get you the interview- but it won’t get you the job”.
