The Apprentice: the risks of lying on a job application
Lying on a job application can be very risky business for any hopeful applicant. What are employers looking for from their prospective applicants and how important is honesty in the process?
The risks of lying in business
Recruiter, James White, was caught out by Mike Soutar, when he was found to have lied about his business’s accreditation, claiming on his website to be accredited by APSCo. When Soutar questioned White he admitted that he hadn’t been able to afford to join, despite displaying the logo on his website. Linda Platt highlighted claims on his CV that he had left his job ‘under a cloud’ and, under questioning, White admitted that he was sacked for gross misconduct after having approached clients while looking to set up his own business, something he claimed ‘added to his character’. Platt disputed this, saying rather than adding to his character it ‘put a shadow over his trustworthiness’. Surprisingly, despite both of these incidents, White made it through the interview process to become one of two finalists competing to win a £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar and the chance to become his business partner.Related news and features:
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Job applications and the importance of honesty
Pam Rogerson is HR Director for the ELAS Group who provides business support, she argues, honesty and trust are crucial factors that businesses should always look for when interviewing candidates, Ms Rogerson added, “The interview process is a perfect chance to learn more about your potential employees. While a person can look great on paper, you never really know what they are like until you meet with them in person. No business wants to hire someone who is untrustworthy and there were certainly red flags raised in the case of James White.“We often hear about candidates making up claims on their CV’s or applications and it’s up to HR to use due diligence to check and verify these claims before inviting someone to interview or hiring them. There is a lot of case law relating to dismissals as a result of lies told on application which has lead to a lot of employers searching social media to help verify claims made. You can also check professional memberships with the respective body.“There’s a wide range of consequences for people who make false claims on applications and CV’s ranging from simply claiming that they have excellent experience in a certain field when actually they have limited or no experience, to failing to disclose a criminal record etc.Read more about current issues facing businesses in the Winter issue of our magazine.
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