Gi Group director warns against lying on CVs amid job market pressure

Cindy Gunn (pictured), people director at Gi Group, has warned candidates not to lie on their CVs and called on employers to carry out thorough checks on applicants.

A Cifas survey found one in five candidates admitted to lying on their CV.

Additionally, research from Standout CV found 18.5% of those who lied about references used fake reference services, including paid actors.

Gunn said: “Given the highly competitive employment landscape, it’s understandable that some candidates may feel under pressure, or even a sense of desperation, to exaggerate, or even falsify, their experience or references in order to appear as a better choice for employers. 

“But everyone needs to be aware that lying on your CV can amount to gross misconduct, potentially leading to dismissal, legal consequences and even being blacklisted by recruiters.

“However, given that it is happening the onus then falls on the employer, and perhaps even recruiters who are working with candidates, to properly vet potential employees.”

Gunn added: “This can be a very time-consuming process, but it will be to an employer’s detriment if they don’t properly vet a candidate and then discover later down the line that experience was fabricated to an extent which means the candidate isn’t qualified for the role.”

Data from Gi Group showed engineering was the most in-demand sector, with a 157% rise in applications.