Amayzine

The truth behind the curriculum vitae

Look around you. How many colleagues do you see? Now consider that three out of four CVs contain a lie. Aiaiai. Such a ‘mistake’ on a curriculum vitae can be costly for an employer, as the costs for a wrongly chosen employee can easily add up to around 30,000 euros. Good-Monday-morning, yes.

In the spirit of ‘honesty, we will share everything’: these are the biggest lies on the CV.

1. The positions are embellished with flair

The leap from assistant to manager seems to happen quickly when creating a curriculum vitae.

2. Experience comes with the years and apparently also with writing a CV

Just because you filled shelves at the local supermarket for five years doesn't mean you were a store manager for five years. Because you were only that for about three months before they kicked you out.

3. Fiddling with months and years

Here a month off, there a year added... The CV is nailed down from all sides to obscure things.

4. A diploma more or less

Suddenly you managed to stretch that unfinished study into a bachelor's degree. Ingenious.

5. A title here and there

Doctorandus hupseflups, because that sounds a bit interesting. Even though you can't attach the title to your name.

6. Fantasizing a sabbatical

Sounds way more interesting than slogging through online job listings for six months to find a new job. We get it.

7. The reason for leaving

Because last-in and first-out sounds more reasonable than a bad review and off you go.

8. And of course: the references

That a best friend poses as the last boss who just heaps praise on the employee. Shame on you.

What can be done? These are the five points your new employer looks at first when they get their hands on your CV. Just read along.

  1. Your name. Yes, it has been proven.
  2. Your current employer plus start and end date.
  3. The employer before that plus again year, month, and day.
  4. The education(s) you have received.
  5. Whether you have the skills that match the job.
  6. And, of course, the more original, the better. At least for us.

Source: Trouw, Werf&