Do You Lie On Your CV?

In yet another piece of research Graduate Prospects have unearthed some troubling evidence that suggest a good proportion of students and graduates are not entirely truthful on their CVs.  Of 1,306 surveyed, a third reported that they knew someone who had lied on a CV or deliberately exaggerated their qualifications.

Apparently, graduates prone to tell porkies are most likely to give a higher grade than they actually achieved, with a substantial proportion claiming to have completed a course when they didn't. Smaller proportions falsely changed their degree subject to suit job requirements or claimed they had a degree they did not possess.

Perhaps more worryingly, many respondents thought that practices like lying on CVs or purchasing fake degree certificates would increase in the wake of increased tuition fees, although such results can presumably only be regarded as speculation.

Comment: I have to say that in all my time at the University of Cumbria, I have never uncovered a clear example of a student providing false information on a CV.  There may have been one or two minor sins of omission but, in my view, our students are far more likely to undersell themselves on their CV.

For some hints on compiling a good (but truthful) CV, try the weblinks at http://delicious.com/skillzone/cv

FAQ: Where can I get practice with numeracy, aptitude and personality tests?

We recently researched some Frequently Asked Questions for a forthcoming guideline to help our students and graduates.  Unfortunately there were so many, we couldn't include them all! So this is the first in a mini-series to cover at least some of the ones that got missed out.

The trouble with tests is that no employer will be able to show you exactly what test they will use because it would render the test invalid.  Obviously previous knowledge of the exact test will skew candidates' results.


So where can I get practice with numeracy, aptitude and personality tests?

Fortunately, the increase of careers materials on the internet has meant that a large number of sample tests have become freely available.  We have collected some of the links on our section of the Delicious website and in particular you could try http://www.delicious.com/skillzone/psychometric or
http://www.delicious.com/skillzone/tests

For an overview of the types of tests most commonly used in graduate recruitment, plus some further samples, start with  http://www.prospects.ac.uk/psychometric_tests.htm  Also useful for a broader overview of psychometric and personality tests used in a variety of different occupations is http://www.careergym.com/psychometric_glossary/psychometric_test_types

Even if you end up facing a test you've never heard of, don't press the panic button before you start.  There will invariably be one or two trial items at the very beginning of the test to make sure you understand what's required.

Employers' Use of Testing Alienates Graduates

Another recent article from "Graduate Recruiter" (view earlier post) quotes research by Talent Q UK to suggest that candidates for graduate posts are becoming alienated by employers' use of psychomentric and ability tests.

It all seems to come down an issue of poor communication.  According to the research, employers frequently make basic mistakes like:

•  not explaining why applicants are being asked to take a test and how the results relate to the job
•  not offering feedback on candidates' performance, which breaches requirements of the British Psychological Society
• not telling people why their application failed, which may or may not be down to a poor test result

An additional problem is poor record keeping, resulting in duplication and frustration for applicants.

I am sure many Careers Advisers can report meetings with students and graduates who have been fed up with the sometimes apparently random nature of the tests they were asked to take and the opaque, remote nature of the whole process. Online tests seem to be particularly loathed.  But is there much consistent evidence that candidates with superior test scores really do perform better in the workplace?

Career Player

Graduate Jobs and Career advice on video - internships, psychometric tests &c http://ow.ly/36DhR