A few days ago, some newspapers carried a report that Wipro Technologies and two other Indian IT companies had initiated efforts to create a database of candidates with ‘fake CVs’.
I had co-written a small case study (that was compiled from published sources) on this problem back in early 2006. It seems no more like a one-off issue and the problem has only worsened.
So now in addition to the challenges faced by Indian IT firms from the strengthening rupee and fears of a sub-prime led recession in the US, there is this growing problem of fake CVs right in our own backyard.
What’s disconcerting is that the fake CV racket has become a “well-oiled machinery” or “cottage industry”. Talk about using our ingenuity in the wrong direction.
Even NASSCOM has initiated the National Skills Registry to try and counteract this growing menace.
Of course, everyone agrees that embellishing one’s CV is ethically or morally wrong. But then why do so many resort to it?
‘Everyone does it’ is a usual ‘excuse’. In this highly competitive world, ‘getting the job’ is all that matters, even if it means getting a false work experience certificate or enhancing ones academic grades through Photoshop.
Job seekers, especially freshers, say that they are left with no option but to get these false certificates as they have no ‘real’ work experience. Makes me wonder as to which is more effective in convincing recruiters, just a plain work experience certificate or the learning experience they gained while on a project or at work.
I think even our education system is partly responsible for this. The lack of proper application oriented training and a focus only on testing how well one has memorized bookish knowledge is bound to put our students at a great disadvantage in their job quest.
Some people even say that we have to be realistic. It really doesn’t matter if the candidate has faked his/her CV as long as they contribute on the job. All I can say is that it’s the company’s call. But personally, I believe that honesty and integrity are paramount. An honest person who is an average performer can be coached and reskilled. The main concern with an employee with questionable integrity is that in the back of our minds we lose our trust and faith in them. And in data sensitive sectors like IT or banking and finance, this is absolutely critical.
The choice to fake one’s CV or not is actually upto the individual. Personally, I believe that it’s always best to be honest and upfront. Keeping morals and ethics aside, it’s actually more to do with your effectiveness in the interview and your behavior at work after you get the job. You can be confident that what you have put in your CV is correct and this really gives a huge boost in the way you interact with the panel members and your coworkers once on the job.
To conclude, amidst all this debate of whether one should be ‘realistic’ by Faking It or be honest and stick to their ethical / moral principles, one fact is clearly evident- Fake CVs will continue to remain a problem just like corruption or black money laundering.
It means that the only ones who have no complaints about this growing menace are the background checkers/ CV verification service providers, and of course, the fake CV operators. Both will continue to see their business grow.
I had co-written a small case study (that was compiled from published sources) on this problem back in early 2006. It seems no more like a one-off issue and the problem has only worsened.
So now in addition to the challenges faced by Indian IT firms from the strengthening rupee and fears of a sub-prime led recession in the US, there is this growing problem of fake CVs right in our own backyard.
What’s disconcerting is that the fake CV racket has become a “well-oiled machinery” or “cottage industry”. Talk about using our ingenuity in the wrong direction.
Even NASSCOM has initiated the National Skills Registry to try and counteract this growing menace.
Of course, everyone agrees that embellishing one’s CV is ethically or morally wrong. But then why do so many resort to it?
‘Everyone does it’ is a usual ‘excuse’. In this highly competitive world, ‘getting the job’ is all that matters, even if it means getting a false work experience certificate or enhancing ones academic grades through Photoshop.
Job seekers, especially freshers, say that they are left with no option but to get these false certificates as they have no ‘real’ work experience. Makes me wonder as to which is more effective in convincing recruiters, just a plain work experience certificate or the learning experience they gained while on a project or at work.
I think even our education system is partly responsible for this. The lack of proper application oriented training and a focus only on testing how well one has memorized bookish knowledge is bound to put our students at a great disadvantage in their job quest.
Some people even say that we have to be realistic. It really doesn’t matter if the candidate has faked his/her CV as long as they contribute on the job. All I can say is that it’s the company’s call. But personally, I believe that honesty and integrity are paramount. An honest person who is an average performer can be coached and reskilled. The main concern with an employee with questionable integrity is that in the back of our minds we lose our trust and faith in them. And in data sensitive sectors like IT or banking and finance, this is absolutely critical.
The choice to fake one’s CV or not is actually upto the individual. Personally, I believe that it’s always best to be honest and upfront. Keeping morals and ethics aside, it’s actually more to do with your effectiveness in the interview and your behavior at work after you get the job. You can be confident that what you have put in your CV is correct and this really gives a huge boost in the way you interact with the panel members and your coworkers once on the job.
To conclude, amidst all this debate of whether one should be ‘realistic’ by Faking It or be honest and stick to their ethical / moral principles, one fact is clearly evident- Fake CVs will continue to remain a problem just like corruption or black money laundering.
It means that the only ones who have no complaints about this growing menace are the background checkers/ CV verification service providers, and of course, the fake CV operators. Both will continue to see their business grow.
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