Do MBAs Manipulate CVs To Get A Job?

If you believe that only techies fudge their resumes to get jobs, you may want to think again. Many employees who hold a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree appear to be doing the same, too.

26 pc lie about job history

Around 37 per cent of B-school respondents, according to a new survey by a job portal, say they maninpulated their resumes at some stage in their careers. While 26 per cent of the respondents confessed to lying about their employment history and projects in their previous organisations, six per cent said they lied about their academic credentials. The survey adds that 63 per cent of the respondents said they search for new job listings at the workplace using their employer's resources.

IIMs, FMS joined the survey

Over 1,700 MBAs participated in the survey, which was conducted over 15 days (September 21-October 5). Moreover, 39 per cent comprised graduates from the premier Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), and the rest came from other premier B-schools like ISB, MDI, Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), and Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI).

Fake work experience

"On our portal, we have observed a lot of people mention projects they were never part of. People also show fake work experience to hide gaps in their employment history. This practice is so common that most employers assume that there is some level of exaggeration in every resume," notes Tarun Matta, founder of iimjobs.com.

"The organisation's past record is important but the problem is that it is very difficult to find such information unless you know someone who is working there for a while,"

Absence of background checks

"Undoubtedly, job seekers lie on their resume. It can go from lying about roles, responsibilities and accomplishments to marks and academic qualifications. Not every organisation can afford background checks and it becomes very difficult to catch these lies. I have never seen a job seeker get the job if he is caught lying on resume, however trivial the lie may be," says a recruitment manager with a popular media company.