Nearly a fifth (18pc) of UK people have lied on their CVs and job applications to try to land a role; or, know someone who has, in the last 12 months. That’s according to a study from the UKโs fraud prevention trade body, Cifas.
Its latest Fraud Behaviours Survey shows falsifying CV qualifications and supplying false information on a job application was the second โmost commonโ type of first party fraud (when an individual knowingly misrepresenting their identity or providing false information for financial or material gain). About one in seven of those surveyed (14pc) felt it was โreasonableโ to say they had achieved a 2:1 degree to secure a job, when in reality they had failed their final year of university.
February 3 marked โNational Sickie Dayโ โ when UK employees are said to be more likely to be off work with illness. While many will have legitimate reasons for doing so, Cifas says, its research shines a light on peopleโs willingness to be dishonest. When asked what they would do if they had discovered their colleague was dishonest about their qualifications, anonymously reporting it received a mixed reaction from respondents. A third (33pc) said they would tell HR confidentially compared to 36pc who would choose not to raise it, with the remaining 31pc โunsureโ.
Rachael Tiffen, Director of Learning and Public Sector, pictured, said: โFirst-party fraud is not a trivial offence โ it erodes trust and carries significant consequences for those involved, including potential criminal charges and the risk of damaging future career prospects. When someone falsifies their CV to land a job, they wonโt stand out in a positive way. Instead, they may be viewed as an โinsider threatโ โ someone who demonstrates dishonesty, raising concerns about their potential to continue deceiving others in the workplace.
โDishonest staff members not only pose a risk to their employers, but they also endanger customers, colleagues, and wider stakeholders. To protect themselves, organisations should implement thorough checks across the entire employee lifecycle to identify and mitigate any fraud risks.โ
