Made a mistake on my CV, now I can't go back

thebigbopper

No, I wasn't that specific. But they definitely would have got the impression I was still working there.

I had plenty of chances to set the record straight and didn't do it.

_Emma_

As you say you're hoping to not get an offer, I assume you wouldn't mind not having this job? if that is the case, take a deep breath, consider lesson learned and continue with your job search.

If you withdraw your application you'll need to be prepared to say why are doing that. Either the truth or say you didn't feel the company/role was what you were looking for.

However if you don't withdraw, be prepared to explain why you turn down the job if offered, once again you can say that you didn't feel it was what you were looking for. Don't tell the truth unless you have to, i.e. if you get a job offer and want to accept it.

makeyourdaddyproud

andygb wrote: »

It is quite funny that you should mention Primark, because our local branch was advertising and the jobcentre advisor said that I should put in for the vacancies, saying that I should really make a point of highlighting my "retail experience", which is - absolutely NIL:rotfl:
The truth is, that employers do not want people who lack specific skills, for instance a person with niche financial knowledge - systems and rules, applying for a job in Primark, Morrisons, Boots etc.

A thankfully so. Why on earth would someone with niche finexp jump through hoops to work as a retail assistant? What use would you be and how can the retailer be certain you'll fit in?

If you have finexp, those are the sorts of jobs you should be applying for and not waste anyone's time.

thebigbopper

I would absolutely love to have this job. This is why it's so torturous. If I wasn't overly bothered, I don't think I would have worried quite so much.

SillyOne

So there's no way you can go back to the agency / employer with something like "Oh hey I just looked at the CV I sent you and guess what.." - the discussion in the interview doesn't support that?

thebigbopper

Sadly no. I implied I was still working at the old place. There's no easy way out of this

andygb

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

A thankfully so. Why on earth would someone with niche finexp jump through hoops to work as a retail assistant? What use would you be and how can the retailer be certain you'll fit in?

If you have finexp, those are the sorts of jobs you should be applying for and not waste anyone's time.

Exactly what I was thinking.
It is all very well saying that unemployed people should apply for anything and everything, but it is pretty futile when the reality is that employers WILL look at relevant experience, and immediately discard any CV's which do not match the criteria expected.
It is soul destroying enough to be turned down for jobs which I do have the skills for, but both frustrating and soul destroying wasting my time applying for jobs where I know the employer will not even look at my CV for more than five seconds.:(

hcb42

sometimes you just need to walk away, you need to walkaway and learn from this one..

redpete

Not updating your cv was unfortunate but no real problem, lying about it was stupid, asking your previous employer to lie for you (as suggested by another poster) would be absolutely idiotic.

If the lies were in conversation during an interview then maybe send them an email saying you noticed the mistake on the cv and hope they don't remember the details of the conversation.

redpete

andygb wrote: »

A couple of months ago, I was asked by my jobcentre advisor to "tailor" my CV for every job I appled for, which would have basically meant falsifying the CV through leaving jobs out and changing dates. It would also have meant leaving out jobs (over ten years ago) which were full of important experience and systems knowledge.
I prefer to take the honest route, because I would hate to be caught out in an interview.

You've misunderstood what tailoring means, not changing the factual bits but emphasising different roles and skills according to each opportunity you apply for. Its like writing a different cover letter for each application, unlike sn application I saw recently for a graduate scheme that said how keen they were to work in finance, unfortunately they were applying to an engineering company.