Have you lied about your education to get a job?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DON'T do it! It's fraud, isn't it? Well, it's a pretty serious lie.

I really question your moral character that you're even thinking about it.

OP here, the only reason I would consider this is because I'll have my masters in August and if I apply now, I probably won't hear back from prospective employers until August or later when the degree is completed.

You can put, "M.A., expected August, 2013" on your resume or in a cover letter. Just be very clear - we're talking pregnancy here, you're a graduate or your not, period.

[Anonymous]

This guy never graduated law school or took the bar but worked at a firm for 10 years and made partner:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1988-05-06/news/8803140814_1_bar-exam-practice-law-law-school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a recipe for living in fear. Suppose somebody finds out 10 years later and you get fired? Unlikely, but it does happen.

Most of my jobs have required background checks so I have never lied.

I'm not advocating lying in the least but how would a background check verify education? Doesn't it just review criminal history?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:20 year ago I did lie. I said that I graduated, but I actually didn't. I had 5 credits left and because of my affair with the Director of Admissions I had to leave school. Those were the days before sexual harassment was a term.

I never lied about it again, but back then it was not easy to check.

Don't do it.

liar and whore

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a recipe for living in fear. Suppose somebody finds out 10 years later and you get fired? Unlikely, but it does happen.

Most of my jobs have required background checks so I have never lied.

I'm not advocating lying in the least but how would a background check verify education? Doesn't it just review criminal history?

NP here. Depends on the background check. Some are only criminal, some check employment history and/or degree, some even go as far as to check your credit history or score (this is more for finance-related positions). I have had at least one employer who checked everything, I specifically remember consenting for them to get my transcript to verify my degree.

[Anonymous]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/05/13/farewell-yahoo-ceo-scott-thompson-ousted-for-a-resume-lie.html

[Anonymous]

Why wouldn't you just put, "Univ of Maryland, MBA expected January 2014" or whatever.

It indicates that you are currently enrolled and on track to be finished in short order.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn't you just put, "Univ of Maryland, MBA expected January 2014" or whatever.
It indicates that you are currently enrolled and on track to be finished in short order.

Because if the job requires a Masters degree, they'll turn me down because I haven't completed it yet...it's happened to me three times within the last two months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a recipe for living in fear. Suppose somebody finds out 10 years later and you get fired? Unlikely, but it does happen.

Most of my jobs have required background checks so I have never lied.

I'm not advocating lying in the least but how would a background check verify education? Doesn't it just review criminal history?

No, one was for a government security clearance - pretty sure they went way beyond criminal history. Another was for an international institution and they definitely checked education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DON'T do it! It's fraud, isn't it? Well, it's a pretty serious lie.

I really question your moral character that you're even thinking about it.

OP here, the only reason I would consider this is because I'll have my masters in August and if I apply now, I probably won't hear back from prospective employers until August or later when the degree is completed.

This is where you write

"MS in XXX anticipated August 2013"

[Anonymous]

Former coworkers have been fired for lying about this and one contractor was here 2 years, about to be hired on as a FTE and was quickly let go when they found out she lied about having a degree. Silliest thing is the degrees they claimed to have, did not 'count' at the job anyway because they were not business related or in the right field! It was of no benefit for Larla Jo to have an English degree kwim. But since she lied about it on her resume and job app she was quickly let go from a nearly 6 figure salary job..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn't you just put, "Univ of Maryland, MBA expected January 2014" or whatever.
It indicates that you are currently enrolled and on track to be finished in short order.

Because if the job requires a Masters degree, they'll turn me down because I haven't completed it yet...it's happened to me three times within the last two months.

So then you don't meet the criteria. Simple. Finish the degree and then try. Why would you think you could circumvent this?

[Anonymous]

There are some people I know who make you wonder if they went to college. Wouldn't surprise me if they lied. How can you have graduated and not know very basic concepts essential to major?

[Anonymous]

I know a woman who did this. She was doing very well at her job for a long time and somehow they found out that she lied about having a bachelor's. They really liked her so they just demoted her and said she could get promoted again if she finished her bachelor's but it was super humiliating and she ended up quitting. This was not in this area either-- I doubt if you would just get demoted if you were found out.
You could just say "Masters, anticipated 2013" without adding the month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DON'T do it! It's fraud, isn't it? Well, it's a pretty serious lie.

I really question your moral character that you're even thinking about it.

OP here, the only reason I would consider this is because I'll have my masters in August and if I apply now, I probably won't hear back from prospective employers until August or later when the degree is completed.

Don't lie - if they find out prior to hiring you - you may be banned from the company all together. I've also seen it happen where there were problem employees (or people who politically fell out of favor) and to get rid of him/her easier, HR went back and checked EVERYTHING, looking for a lie and a reason to fire.

Don't be so sure a company won't call you back w/expected graduation date in August. I've seen many instances of companies waiting for the graduate to finish (roughly 4 in the last year in my department alone). Also - the hiring process can take a while. So if you're applying now, even if you already had the degree, it might not all work out until August anyway.