Uncovering CV Lies with Google Docs ‘Draftback’
29 June
CVs, love them or hate them, are a necessary evil in the job search and recruitment game. As recruiters we know that they are not perfect. CVs struggle to capture the qualities that individualise you as a potential employee but they do give us that first chance to separate the wheat from the chaff. Fall at this first hurdle and unfortunately it’s the ‘No pile’ for you and your CV.
Due to the high stakes at play many choose to copy other people’s CVs or use web-based examples to get them started. A recent survey by Marketing Minds found that 69% of respondents find it difficult to communicate in the written form and 25% of those questioned had paid for a professional to write their CV for them.
If you’re in that category it’s worth noting that a new Google Docs update may let employers see your editing history. Whether you’re part of the cut and paste generation ‘borrowing’ from other’s CVs or you’ve had to use spell check to correct all your glaring mistakes, Google Draftback could reveal all!
Created by James Somers Google Draftback is a chrome extension that allows users to see any revisions that have been made to a Google Doc. For the creators of documents made in Google Docs there has been a detailed history of revisions since 2010. Now, any user that has the Draftback Chrome extension and the ‘edit permissions’ will be able to view that detailed history as well.
Many people already use the Google Docs simple interface to produce documents and with this Google extension it seems likely that more employers will ask for CVs to be written and submitted through Google Docs. If you’re worried about what your ‘Google created’ documents could reveal there is the option to hide the revision timeline before you publish the document. If you have already published it, you can copy and paste your text into a new Google Doc. This will remove any revisions made to the previous document.
The most important thing to remember here is that taking inspiration form another’s CV is fine as long as the information you include in your CV is true and verifiable. Employers will check your references and can also check your employment history, experience, online profiles and qualifications. Honesty is the best policy. You don’t want to start your new job on a web of lies that will come back to haunt you.
With that in mind we thought we’d put together some of our top tips to help you write an honest CV.
So, what does an honest CV look like?
It’s consistent!
First of all an honest CV is consistent with all your other online profiles. If you have different job titles on LinkedIn, Twitter, and your CV, something is probably up. Don’t exaggerate your status by giving yourself a different job title or skillset. It is recommended to customise your CV to highlight your experience but do this by listing certain skills first or highlighting them within your personal profile rather than making them up!
It has accurate employment dates
If you have a gap in your employment history, don’t try to cover it up. Be honest and say what you were doing during that time. Even if you’ve had time off due to unemployment, (and trust us it does happen to a lot of candidates), try highlighting any skills, education, volunteer work or relevant experience that you’ve achieved during this time. On the other hand if you’ve had time off to raise a family, don’t be shy in saying this. Employers are human too and often have a family of their own.
It includes your true best qualities
As recruiters we’ve seen so many people say that they’re good at thinking on their feet who then struggle when put under pressure or candidates that wax lyrical about being a good leader and then shy away from responsibility when it comes to it. Think about the qualities that really reflect you as a person and your skills/experience. You may be asked to provide examples around these qualities during the interview – if they’re not accurate you’ll struggle to provide an answer!
It has up-to date references
It’s essential that you keep your references up-to date. Be sure to let them know that you’re including them as a reference to give them time to think about your experiences with them and to highlight your assets that are relevant to the roles that you’re going for. Most companies ask for your two previous employment references. If you’re a student or have gaps in your employment you may be asked for one professional, and either a character or academic reference. It’s also worth noting that it’s quite common to write “References are available upon request” – just be sure that you have your references ready so you’ll be able to provide their contact details when asked.
Final thoughts
You only get one chance to impress so don’t start off by putting yourself on your back foot. Be sure to steer clear of putting anything in your CV that you wouldn’t feel comfortable talking about at an interview.
It’s always pretty obvious if a candidate has fabricated the truth and there is nothing more off putting than a candidate that has weaved a web of lies. Be honest and best of luck with your job search.
Search for your next opportunity or register your details at: http://www.halesgroup.co.uk/
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