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70% of job applicants exaggerate their skills and experience when applying for jobs and managers don’t trust their CVs, according to an international survey by recruitment company Robert Half.
In its 2007 Workplace Survey, Robert Half asked 5098 managers across 17 countries whether CVs were trustworthy – 70% of Australian managers said no, placing us second behind Spain (72%). Other countries experiencing high levels of distrust in CVs included the UK (69%) and New Zealand (64%).
On average, 56% of managers worldwide thought CVs couldn’t be trusted – but in Luxembourg job applicants were viewed much more favourably, with just 26% of managers suspicious of what applicants put in their CVs.
The findings make sobering reading for Aussie job seekers. According to the managers’ responses, the resume areas most likely to be treated with suspicion are the real content of the candidates’ former roles (75%), their management skills (72%) and technical skills (61%). Stated salary levels (51%) and software knowledge (42%) divide opinion, whilst more demonstrable facts such as level of education / qualifications and languages are generally accepted as fact.Managers in New Zealand and the UK shared their Australian counterparts’ suspicions, while Spanish managers also had doubts about the language skills applicants claimed in their CVs.
Surprisingly, three quarters of the companies consulted said that in the recruitment process, they generally rely on their own judgement, with the occasional technical test. Only 20% of respondents weighted the two techniques equally.
Speaking on the findings, Nicole Gorton, Regional Director Robert Half NSW said the results had implications for both managers and job seekers.
“These results show that candidates need to be as honest as they can when putting together their resumes. Employers clearly have a high level of cynicism which may prevent you from even getting to the interview stage if your CV has gaps or appears embellished. You may not be given a test prior to a job offer but it is important to remember that companies will use the interview and referee processes to check the details that you have presented to them.”
The survey results also showed how important it is for managers to carefully scrutinise CVs and look for warning signs that might point to misleading or exaggerated information.
“All candidates are going to present themselves in the best light possible,” said Gorton, “so it is just as important to look for what candidates don’t say as to what they do say.”
Unexpected chronological gaps could indicate the candidate was trying to hide something, she said, while vaguely worded job descriptions could indicate the responsibilities didn’t match the job title.
“Weasel words” such as “participated in”, “familiar with” and “in association with” could also indicate candidates didn’t actually have the experience they were claiming. “In general, the more detailed the information candidates give about their jobs, the more reliable that evidence is,” said Gorton. “If you are unclear from an applicant’s CV it is important to ask where a candidates’ responsibilities began and ended and to determine precisely what they achieved.”
Survey Details
Sample composition: 2,283 total respondents
Sample sources: Finance managers in 17 countries: Australia (201), Belgium (167), Canada (228), Czech Republic (53), France (201), Germany (176), Hong Kong (77), Ireland (60), Italy (128), Japan (54), Luxembourg (68), Netherlands (148), New Zealand (72), Spain (100), Switzerland (19), United Kingdom (200) and United States (331)
Survey method: Online survey conducted via the Internet
Survey period: Feb - April, 2007
ROBERT HALF
Robert Half is the world’s first and largest financial recruitment firm, specialising in the placement of accounting and finance professionals on a temporary or permanent basis. With more than 350 locations throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe and North America, the company provides a complete recruitment service at all levels. Visit us today: www.roberthalf.com.au
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