We see many CVs every day and are consistently impressed by the depth and strength of talent in Consumer. This is also reflected in the industry’s high integrity, with values-oriented leaders. Which is why the occasional small embellishment in a CV is notable...
A few years ago, we had an example of when a candidate had ‘embellished’ his CV a long time ago, and it finally caught up with him 20 years later. The ‘untruth’ was minor and, ironically, was not a skill necessary for the role in question. But his integrity, and therefore his ability to perform, was called into question. Needless to say, we withdrew him from the process.
As we carry out due diligence to assess relevance and capability in a role, we always recommend soft referencing candidates from people who have worked with them. This is when that occasional overstatement of success on a CV – share growth or profit turnaround – can be identified and challenged. Everyone has access to a company’s published accounts, too.
This prompted a discussion with my colleagues around the legitimacy of the content of CVs and where the line is between an embellishment and fraud. Staggeringly, verification service Higher Education Degree Datacheck says a third of people embellish or exaggerate their academic qualifications when applying for jobs.
A fundamental part of my job is to ensure a candidate is as high calibre in reality as they appear to be on paper. Over my twenty years of executive search, I have identified the occasional white lie, ranging from inflated profit and/or sales figures as part of their turnaround leadership, to exam grades (or even subjects studied) and reasons for leaving roles.
Candidates sometimes even embellish their interests outside of work which results in a squirmy interview when asked to describe their last museum visit, or when asked to answer in Spanish because they claimed to be fluent.
CV fraud is a crime. The number of people being prosecuted for CV and qualification fraud is on the rise, (Fraud Prevention Service) Cifas reports. Some people have been jailed for falsifying their education history. Digital footprints are permanent, LinkedIn profiles are living records, background checks are more sophisticated, and AI-driven screening tools cross-reference claims at speed. What might once have slipped through now has a long memory, and a much higher chance of resurfacing.
Drayton’s extensive network in the Consumer sector leads to a pool of talent being consistently recommended to us. Indeed, at an executive level your reputation will precede you, and therefore your CV and listed skills almost become superfluous.
All said, in a leadership position integrity is paramount. We would encourage anyone who has deployed a little too much creative license to think again.
Don’t risk your entire career just to give the impression you play the cello.