I lied on my cv

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Hi,

Ive been trying to find a job in IT for a while now but until recently I wasn't sure what root to take. I decided to go down the helpdesk/desktop support role in the end and will try to pursue this further. Have also started my MCDST. I've been told that without experience i'll find it hard to gain employment. So I thought that it was a good idea to BS on my CV. I listed 2 companies that I helped setup their IT equipments. I also created their websites. I mentioned that i work there full-time as a support technician for 3 years now. Well to my surprise I've had alot of calls from recruitment agencies. They said that they would send off my cv to these companies, now Im just waiting for any response. For instance I've had 3 calls today. My concern is that will I eventually get caught out, especially if i go for an interview. I've tried applying before without including these 2 companies and had no reply at all. Lying on the other hand has at least got my CV noticed. Now I'm crapping myself just in case i get an interview and start getting grilled about what i've been doing at these 2 companies. Have i done the right thing? if anyone has had an interview for a helpdesk support what sort of questions do they ask.

The 2 companies knows what i've done and they are both willing to back me up.

 

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I've got three words for you: career ending move. You're right in believing you might be caught out.

I'd like to know what companies are willing to lie for you, so I can be sure to intentionally avoid them in the future.

 

I think you've shot yourself in the foot, here. If you actually manage to get hired and the lies on your CV are subsequently found out, you will likely be sacked on the spot (at least, that's what would happen here in the US). Even if you manage to BS your way through an interview and get hired (assuming the people who said they'd back you up in your lies really do come through), you'll always have this hanging over your head.

I hate to say it, but you might need to send out "corrected" copies of your CV and pretty much give up the interviews you already have. Yeah, it suks in the short run, but A) you created this situation and B) in the long run, your career won't be built on lies.

 

Not the greatest idea in any industry I'm afraid mate. Big problem will be if you do get a job, work there for a little while, they find you don't know what you claimed, you get fired, then trying to explain why you got fired at your next interview, let alone if they start demanding references from your previous employment. I'm sure that most people embellish some things slightly, but blaggin about experience - especially ones of a technical nature - is really not a good idea.

 

The winner of the Apprentice in the UK admitted in interview (on national TV as well) that he had lied about his university education (he basically left after 2ish months, he put he was there for 2 years if i remember correctly) and i remember that i was disgusted at the time, but I guess that if it becomes acceptable by Alan Sugar then its acceptable by anyone.

To the OP, I would immediately withdraw your CV and redo it, you are commiting fraud, hopefully only one or 2 companies may have seen it by now, did you have a conversation with anyone about the supposed work? If not just say you paid a CV company to rework your CV, and mentioned that you had done work for these companies and that they "marketed it wrong" and say you didnt check it properly.

Damage limitation.

 

The thing is when these companys find out you lied...chances are they will... they are likely to tell the agency and then (if they have any sense) they will drop you like a ton of bricks.

Lieing on the "Aprentice" may have worked but in the real world it will never work, things have a nasty way of comming back to haunt you in the end.

Its far better to not lie and be upfront about your lack of experience... but that you are willing to learn and can adapt quickly.

while most companys say they require experience they would be likely to take someone on who shows the right aptitude and keenness rather than someone who doesnt.

for 1st line / helpdesk experience is a bonus not a neccessary.

but like BM said chances are you just killed your career before you start it

 

You should not need any experience for first line work.

I would recommend posting your CV on here and letting us give you a bit of help and advice, as I feel this is possibly the area of weakness considering you have not had many interviews.

If you had said, I'm getting lots of interviews but no job offers, it would possibly mean you need to brush up on your presentation, interview skills.

The best bet is to withdraw your CV's, not sure how you would do this practically as the Agencies that you used might not want to deal with you anymore.

 

What response do you really expect from us? The rest of us are out here working jobs that we've obtained legitimately, and you've decided to take a short cut. Obviously, you know what you've done is wrong. It's promising that you've at least acknowledged it. Now it's time to take corrective action. I would follow the other advice given here and send a revised copy of your CV. If the recruiters no longer want to talk to you, well that's the price you pay for lying. If you don't take any action and do follow through on these interviews, you are only compounding the problem. At some point, someone will find out. Be a responsible citizen and own up to your mistakes.

 

You're not a very good liar, if that's any consolation. Take a lesson from our leaders here in the USA. When Bill Clinton lied he honestly believed he "never had relations with that woman". Depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is anyways. And when George Bush lied on his CV about his military service he did it in such a way that it wasn't really a lie. He never said he actually showed up for service, just that he was in it.

So I'm not going to beat you up like everyone else. You're probably just following the bad example others have set.

 

Don't lie on your CV, chances are you probably get caught out at some point. If your working in IT you will be dealing with and have access to sensitive data.

I have found out that my current employer has checked the last three companys I have worked at, over seven years worth of employment.

Most companys run a police check I hear, I'd bet one was run against me knowing how sensitive some of the data my company deals with.

Also, its a small world, I did not mention a temporary job I did for two months some 8 years ago because it mad me look a bit like a job hopper, I was asked about this period of employment in my second interview and came clean, saying I did not think this job was relevant to my application so I did not put it on my CV.

Turns out I used to work with the HR lady's boyfriend , how she and him come to mention me in conversation or whatever is a complete mystery but it was a good job I told the truth. I got the job.

Hang in there, I'm sure you will get your foot in the door at some point, it does happen. I and other members of cert forums can vouch for that.

 

Wow smart move, if by some chance you do get through the interview process you will be found out very very quickly. I've seen people that have done this sort of thing and they are found out on day1.

 

Thats why im on the scrap heap!!!

Too honest!!

 

You asked what type of questions you could get asked in an interview. I have listed some question you could get. It is up to you how you answer them, but just try answering them of the top of your head and without looking anything up, as you would in an interview.

In a real interview with 3 years in IT you should get them all correct with no problems, if you can't then you will see how big a hole you have just dug yourself into.

1. What is a default Gateway?
2. What is the difference between the POP3 and SMTP mail services
3. What does QOS stand for and why is it used
4. What does DNS stand for, and what is its function.
5. What command would you use to upgrade a standalone server to a domain server, or vice-versa?
6. What is the difference between a domain local group and a global group?
7. What is the significance of the IP address 255.255.255.255?
8. What is WEP, and where would you normally find it used
9. What connector type would you use to connect to the Internet, and what are the two methods of sending mail over that connector?
10. Explain what roaming profiles are and where the would be setup in Active Directory.
11. Name the default directory where the domain login scripts can be found
12. What are the main differences between Small Business Server 2000/2003 and Server 2000/2003?
13. What are the different levels of RAID and explain the pro’s and cons of each.
14. Name two places in the Active Directory where VPN access privileges can be set up
15. What is the purpose of IIS?
16. What is NAT and why would you use it?
17. What is DHCP and how would you configure it
18. What is meant by reservations in DHCP and why would you need to use them?
19. Can you change a Small Business Server’s IP address after it has been deployed?
20. Name the default file extension outlook express uses for data files (inbox, sent, deleted etc)
21. From the client computer, how would you join it to a domain, and what information would you need.
22. Name the socket type for AMD processors (Sempron and Athlon64)
23. Name the socket type for Pentium Processors (current)


Good luck.

 

I personally would not lie on my CV that's why it took me almost four years to land an IT helpdesk 1st line role. But all in all honesty is still the best policy as if you lie you'd be found out in the interview by a good interviewer that knows their stuff.

Toasty, that list is quite enormous and though not too bad seems a bit over the top and too theoritical

 

Dude, seriously. You really don't need to be in IT. You lied and not a little one either before you even got your first job. IT people need to have some ethics. I suggest you study on up on that before a cert. No way would I want you anywhere near my computers let alone my networks if you can lie about something like this...

If you seriously want a job in this area man up to what you have done and start over. Sometimes a person rep is what stands between them and their dream job.

If you just can't respect this field anymore then what you have already exhibit then leave it to those of us that do and let someone who really cares about this field have the job that you are trying to steal.

I wish you all the best if you do the right thing and I for one will be here to support you if you do...

 

Ok here is an example of a job that I have applied for.

Manufacturing corporation seeks a 1st Line Support Engineer to provide technical support and troubleshooting for around 300 users.

Working with laptops & PC's the 1st Line Helpdesk/Desktop Support Engineer will rollout workstations for new users, troubleshoot technical issues as they arise and provide support and advice for users over the phone and at the desktop.

You will resolve technical issues with hardware, peripherals, software applications and operating systems including Windows 2000 & XP; MS Office 2003 including Word, Excel and Powerpoint. Lotus Notes is used as the email client and whilst it would be useful, experience with this technology is not essential. Candidates will be confident self-starters able to work in a team without constant supervision.

Experience of Windows 2000 & XP along with MS Office products is essential as is the ability to provide technical support for hardware and peripherals. You may have gained some experience with Windows Server 2003 and Active Directory which would also be beneficial.

Core experience will have been developed working in a helpdesk support and desktop support capacity providing high levels of customer service to users and troubleshooting issues quickly and effectively. Possibility of long-term opportunity.

I take it that this is an entry level position. I don't think someone without experience would even be considered for this position. I can honestly say that I'm very experienced with Windows 2000 & XP but not sure what troubleshooting problems I may have to deal with. As far as MS Office is concerned again I feel that I am very confident when using this software but again dont know what troubleshooting problems I might to deal with.

This would be the ideal job that I want to start with so I decided to tweak my CV. On my CV I mentioned that I'm currently employed as a Desktop Support Technician with a company that I know would be happy to act as a reference. I have done some IT work for them in the past but not anything to do with Desktop Support. Like I said I'm confident enough to go for the job even without experience but lacks experience troubleshooting. How hard can it be? In the meantime I've got myself a training video on MCDST just in case I get an interview. I know that everyone disagree with what I have done but come on! I know for a fact I dont stand a chance getting this job without tweaking my CV. Do you still disagree with what I've done?

 

Yeah but theres tweaking a CV to emphasise experiences you've had in the past which you think will be of use to a potential employer, sometimes not particularly relevant and theres lying.

Do I disagree with what you've done? Yes I do simply for the fact that IT jobs (in my area anyway) seem to be very hard to come by, even getting through the door for an interview is hard enough. To think there are people who may be blagging their way through to even the interview phase, its tough as there are people who would get your place instead, who would probably give themselves a chance, who have done it legit. How hard can it be, you ask? Its not the point if you haven't earned it.

There are ways of getting experience, it means sometimes volunteering your time, working for free sometimes. By lying about experience you don't have, your cheating what could be your potential employer.

Maybe you should just go to the interview, it will be the only way you'll learn if you get shot down in flames by a experienced interviewer.

No Sympathy, Sorry.

 

Sorry onoski. just got carried away writing questions I could remember from interviews I have had over the years. Still stand by my main point which is if someone sent my boss a CV with

"I work there full-time as a support technician for 3 years now."

He would want the answers to the questions and I was trying to show how bad you could make yourself look in an interview if you could not even answer some of the basics.

As for tweaking your CV to get a job, I never did. Just told the truth, it took me 9 months to my first interview when I started looking and another 6 months after that to land my first job.

How bad do you want to work in IT, if you really want it then you will carry on until you get what you want without having to lie. As for troubleshooting problems, we all turn up at work everyday not knowing what problems lay ahead. Its not knowing the answers but knowing how to find the answers is the real deal.

 

Frankly yes I still disagree.

the employers job description is a "Wish List" as long as you have most of the boxes covered you stand a chance.

Experience of Windows 2000 & XP along with MS Office products is essential... you telling me you dont have any experience fixing/configuring windows or MS office products? either for yourself or friends/family??... even little things like that can count