CV Advice - Hiding a Demotion

LegalSec

I am a Legal Secretary and am applying for jobs as a Legal Secretary.

In my last firm (where I worked for 7 years), I started as a Legal Secretary and after three years was promoted to a Legal Case Handler (i.e. dealing with my own files). I was in this position for about 2 years. Then due to personal problems, which lead to mistakes in my work and major confrontations with my boss and clients, I was demoted back to a Legal Secretary where I remained until leaving the company about 2 years later. So my CV for this firm in the Work Experience section looks:

ABC LAW FIRM LLP
2000-2003 Legal Secretary
2003-2005 Legal Case Handler
2005-2007 Legal Secretary

What I need to know is it is possible to just remove the promotion/demotion events and show that I was a legal secretary from 2000 to 2007?

Some CV guides suggest putting 2000-2007 Legal Secretary/Legal Case Handler but that to me seems no different than showing you were demoted. My previous firm has already given a reference which was incredibly short but did not mention the demotion – it just gave my starting and leaving dates and my position at leaving as Legal Secretary.

Any help and guidance would be much appreciated.

cazziebo

It might be best to have the job title as Legal Secretary, but say in the bullet points/blurb that you spent some time as a Legal Case Handler.

LegalSec wrote: »

I am a Legal Secretary and am applying for jobs as a Legal Secretary.

In my last firm (where I worked for 7 years), I started as a Legal Secretary and after three years was promoted to a Legal Case Handler (i.e. dealing with my own files). I was in this position for about 2 years. Then due to personal problems, which lead to mistakes in my work and major confrontations with my boss and clients, I was demoted back to a Legal Secretary where I remained until leaving the company about 2 years later. So my CV for this firm in the Work Experience section looks:

ABC LAW FIRM LLP
2000-2003 Legal Secretary
2003-2005 Legal Case Handler
2005-2007 Legal Secretary

What I need to know is it is possible to just remove the promotion/demotion events and show that I was a legal secretary from 2000 to 2007?

Some CV guides suggest putting 2000-2007 Legal Secretary/Legal Case Handler but that to me seems no different than showing you were demoted. My previous firm has already given a reference which was incredibly short but did not mention the demotion – it just gave my starting and leaving dates and my position at leaving as Legal Secretary.

Any help and guidance would be much appreciated.

InsideInsurance

Presumably you have had a job since 2007?

Are you wanting the fact you were a fee earner to be known or would you be happy to only declare the secretary element?

References these days are rarely detailed and going to an employer from 5 years ago is fairly unusual too if you have been working since.

I personally think either putting just the secretary title for 2000-2007 or putting it as 2000-2007 Legal secretary/ case handler would be fine. The former is the lower risk out of the two if you are staying within the legal circles

Judith_W

Dodgy advice and wouldn't necessarily work if they give detailed references but here goes:

Could you not state accurately what you did, but perhaps indicate that the case handler was as a secondment/fixed term or you were made redundant from that post rather than it being due to capability?

Notmyrealname

LegalSec wrote: »

What I need to know is it is possible to just remove the promotion/demotion events and show that I was a legal secretary from 2000 to 2007?

As a Legal Secretary I can't believe you're asking this.

It comes under fraud. You are making a false statement (lying about a demotion) to obtain a pecuniary advantage (a job).

If a potential employer was to write to your employers and ask them for information about employment what are they likely to say? How good would it look if it differed to your version?

Judith_W's approach is best if you really must go down this path.

denla

Don't lie. Being promoted for 2 years is a long time, proving you're normally capable of doing your job even after promotion. Just explain your circumstances on why you've been demoted.

Uncertain

All you need to say is

2000 - Appointed as Legal Secretary at ABC Law

2007 - Resigned from Legal Secretary post at ABC Law to do XXXX

100% true.

LegalSec

As a Legal Secretary I can't believe you're asking this.

It comes under fraud. You are making a false statement (lying about a demotion) to obtain a pecuniary advantage (a job).

If a potential employer was to write to your employers and ask them for information about employment what are they likely to say? How good would it look if it differed to your version?

Judith_W's approach is best if you really must go down this path


Thanks Notmyrealname.

I obviously do not want to defraud anyone. What I am looking for is a way not to make astatement showing I was demoted - but legally . Are you saying this is not possible and I should state clearly that Iwas demoted?

MacsReturns

I'd have thought the best thing would be for your CV to say the same as your reference, especially if you don't want to discuss the demotion. But that means you won't get any credit for the time in the higher role.

It depends whether you think those two years' experience outweigh the demotion. If you could swing it towards 'personal problems which you overcame and gained valuable life lessons from' then it might still work to your advantage.

bargainbetty

Honestly, just give the dates and Legal Secretary/Case Handler as the title. If you get to interview, you can explain that you performed both roles during the time you were there.

Don't get uptight about it, you aren't holding yourself out as a solicitor (which would be fraud) you are simplifying a line on your CV. If asked, you can provide more detail.