Lie on your resume and you could be slapped with a $5,000 fine

Job seekers be warned.  It’s now more than your reputation on the line when you lie on your CV, with some employers enforcing hefty penalties for providing false and misleading information when applying for a job.

In an effort to crack down on the estimated 25% of applicants guilty of including embellishments and falsehoods in CVs, some employers are establishing fines and penalties when candidates are untruthful.

Local councils are among a growing number of employers who have had enough. In particular, Western Australia’s Local Government (Administration) Regulations have provided the state’s local governments with the authority to impose a $5,000 fine on applicants for CEO roles who provide false or misleading information about their qualifications in the application process.

Employment Office client Shire of Halls Creek, recently cited the legislation to deter any dodgy applications for their recently advertised CEO position.

Employment Office Managing Director Tudor Marsden-Huggins says a large percentage of CVs include some form of untruth, overstatement, omission of fact or inaccuracy, however the severity of the false information provided varies considerably.

“Sometimes it’s something relatively minor like changing the wording of a job title to make it closer to the role being applied for, but in other instances there are major discrepencies in the skills, experience and qualifications listed in the CV,” he said.

“We are seeing a steady rise in the number of employers requesting pre-employment screening, vetting and background checks to uncover any untruths.  Employers are definitely becoming more cautious about whom they hire, and with approximately a quarter of candidates putting false or misleading information in their applications, they have good reason to be wary,” he said.

Unreliable information in job applications often includes the embellishment of previous job titles and responsibilities, overstating the amount of time employed in previous roles and falsely claiming to have completed qualifications or educational courses that have only been partially undertaken.

It can cost a company anything from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars to hire a new employee.  For some high level positions, the on-boarding cost can even swell to over $50,000.  An initial investment in pre-employment checks can save employers from wasting their money, in both the initial hire and to hire a new candidate when the person’s deceit is uncovered.  It’s really no surprise that employers are taking action and looking to deter candidates from providing false information in their applications.

What candidates have to realise is that sooner or later, false information provided at the application stage will be tested against your practical skills and knowledge.  If an employer discovers you have lied to get the job, even months or years into the relationship, your employment can be terminated immediately.  Losing your job in these circumstances could damage your reputation irreparably, making it impossible to find work in your chosen field or location.

Even if your employer doesn’t fire you, you will still have to endure the embarrassment of your boss and possibly your colleagues knowing you lied.  In many cases this makes moving up the ladder exceeding difficult, and often the position can become untenable.

“The digital age we live in makes it relatively easy to dig up the truth about claims made by potential employees.  Considering the serious and far-reaching outcomes of lying to a new employer, it’s hard to believe anyone would take the risk, but more and more of our clients are concerned about the accuracy of candidate information, and want to safeguard themselves against it,” Marsden-Huggins said.

As a general rule, lying on your CV is not a criminal offence, however there are a few situations that could land you in hot water.  For example, it is fraud if you present false documents to back up claims of qualifications or educational standards.  It is also against the law to impersonate a doctor, a police officer, and various other occupations.

In one case, a worker in the UK received a six month suspended prison sentence for lying to her employer about having obtained a university degree, several college certificates and being part way through another course.  The worker was ordered to reimburse her employer for paying her fees and time off work to study for courses she was not attending.  She was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of community work.