lying to get a job?

RagingGoose

If it's good enough for MPs!

Nobody is going to reward you for living an honest life.

sagalout1954

It's not being on the dole for a month or so which is preventing you from being shortlisted for jobs. I think you might benefit from getting some help with your applications/CV.

On the dole for 5 months wasn't stopping me being shortlisted/interviewed (but my initial rubbish interview 'technique' was stopping me actually getting the jobs). Ask someone like NextStep to critique your CV - might make more sense as a first step, before you resort to telling porky pies (& the decision for that is up to you).

breakout

To slightly rephrase the question, and offend less people:
Can you hide the fact that you've been signing on from a new employer?
Say you go to an agency, they ask what you've been doing in your employment gap for teh last 6 months, I say ''nothing'' and ask for p46 which I fill out and give back to the agency.

Firefly_777

I'm not going lecture you, but outright lying isn't a great idea. Exaggeration of truths or withholding information are a bit better (depends if it is major or minor). For an example, I have done quite a lot of agency work during 2007 and 2008. So therefore instead of saying the months I have worked (I'm also a full time student, so I could only work holidays)... I simply say the agencies I have worked for (example adecco, office angels etc), and say I worked between 2007 - 2008 (I also list which companies I had assignments at). Of course if I was asked specifically what months I worked, I would tell the truth, but many companies won't ask.

But back to you, being on the dole for a month is not that major, I agree with the others perhaps it is your CV that is giving you trouble. Now if you said you were on the dole for 2 years, I would see the problem, however 1 month is nothing.

hartcjhart

breakout wrote: »

To slightly rephrase the question, and offend less people:
Can you hide the fact that you've been signing on from a new employer?
Say you go to an agency, they ask what you've been doing in your employment gap for teh last 6 months, I say ''nothing'' and ask for p46 which I fill out and give back to the agency.

you are asking the same basic question just worded differently,
Irefer you to #8

I work as a mech fittervia an agency BUT as I also work on nuclear sites I have to fill in clearance forms

dave4545454

RagingGoose wrote: »

If it's good enough for MPs!

Nobody is going to reward you for living an honest life.

very true, the people who get to the top often use lying and deceit to get there.


for the OP, don't worry about lying. the majority of CVs have lies on them and companies are full of liars. we live in a very deceitful world, do whatever you need to get what you want:)

hcb42

breakout wrote: »

To slightly rephrase the question, and offend less people:
Can you hide the fact that you've been signing on from a new employer?
Say you go to an agency, they ask what you've been doing in your employment gap for teh last 6 months, I say ''nothing'' and ask for p46 which I fill out and give back to the agency.

you don't need to hide the fact from an employer, you are entitled to sign on, and you won't be the first with a P45 from the JSA agency:)

morganedge

hcb42 wrote: »

you don't need to hide the fact from an employer, you are entitled to sign on, and you won't be the first with a P45 from the JSA agency:)

I think they know that they don't have too, they're asking if he they could.

SueC_2

You can lie about whatever you want to lie about. There's an off-chance that it may help you get a job, but I'd say it's probably far more likely to prevent you getting the job - unless you are a very very proficient liar.

You need to ensure that, whatever reason you invent for 'the missing months', you have sufficient knowledge of it to speak fluently and in a relaxed manner about any aspect of it in an interview situation. If this isn't the case, you risk coming badly unstuck. For example:

Interviewer: I see you've spent the last six months travelling. That must have been quite some experience. Where abouts did you go?

You: Well, I spent some time in Europe, then headed over to Australia for a while.

Interviewer: Where abouts in Australia did you visit?

You: All over really, I went to Melbourne, then onto Perth, and then ended in Sydney.

Interviewer: Sydney... ah, I'm very envious, I have family there and visit regularly. Which was your favourite area?

You: Er, I don't really know.

Interviewer: Isn't the harbour spectacular?

You: Er, yes, I suppose so.

Interviewer: How about the Opera House, what did you think of that?

You: Er, yes, it was very impressive.

Interviewer: And have the major building works at the airport been completed yet?

You: Er, I didn't notice.

Interviewer: Which was your favourite tourist attraction?

You: Er, um, well.......

Alternatively:

Interviewer: I see you have spent the last six months working at YourMatesCompany. What were you doing there?

You: Er, I was working as an IT assistant.

Interviewer: And what did that entail?

You: Oh, kind of doing IT sort of stuff.

Interviewer: Who were you reporting to while you were there?

You: MyMate

Interviewer: I have a friend who uses the services of YourMatesCompany, and he's mentioned that they've recently expanded into the XYZ market. I'd be interested to hear how that expansion affected your role.

You: Er, it didn't really.

Interviewer: Really, I would have thought that was something that came under your remit as you have described it to me. I must be misunderstanding the structure there, perhaps you could go through it in more detail for me...?

You: Er, um, well.......

Etc etc etc. If you are not very very careful you are very soon going to come across as not being able to back up your claims. And it won't end at interview. If you are successful in getting the job, the questions will continue long into your employment as people make 'casual' conversation about your past and you have to weave a more and more elaborate web of lies to perpetuate the myth that you have created.

Good luck!

breakout

Hi Sue.
Thanks for at least keeping your answer relevant to my question!
I can see where you are coming from with your examples, although, if im honest, that sounds like a blooming tough interview! Nothing like i've ever experienced, but then, i've tended to always go for basic jobs where I assume the whole interview process is easier than what is maybe typical.

As I mentioned, I have got away with it before easily, but I want to know if I was just lucky.
Before, I had NOT been signing on, but had been unemployed for about 4 months. I lied in my interview that id been travelling and was only asked 'where did you go?' and did 'you have fun?' lol. I got the job.

This instance will be slightly different, but the same principle:
what information do they revieve/can they find out other than what I give them

Someone I spoke to earlier said that when your employer sets up your tax and NI deductions they will know as the information will come through to them from the tax office with your P45 equivalent from the jobcentre.

Now this would put a spanner in the works and is not what I wanted to hear, but at least its a genuine attempt to answer my main query - I dont know if it is definitely the case though - I have heard mixed answers. Some say that that information regarding tax history (which I guess would show me to be telling porkies) is never given only (except in certain cases, for example, applying to be a firman)

cheers