Managers are faking it

Australian managers are three times more likely to lie about their qualifications than other workers, research from global talent assessment solutions firm SHL reveals. The same study shows that overall Australian workers are lying less on their resumes. Twenty-five per cent of workers surveyed couldn’t resist embellishing information on their resumes about experience, referees, earnings, age and qualifications. “Employers still need to be vigilant to identify those covering-up weaknesses in their resumes,” SHL managing director Stephanie Christopher says. Although it is relatively easy to confirm whether a candidate has a university degree, Christopher says it is harder to assess intangible attributes such as experience and skills, particularly with senior staff. “It’s alarming to see that managers are the worst offenders for misrepresenting themselves to employers, for managers who lack the necessary skills to manage a team, bring projects to completion or adhere to budgets can significantly affect the business.” Christopher says the hiring process should include background and reference checks, face-to-face interviews and assessments.

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