From the point of view of many HR managers, the résumé is the most important figurehead for an applicant. This shows what he has done so far and what formal qualifications he has. Its suitability can be derived directly from the curriculum vitae. If the résumé is incomplete or if the relevant experience is missing, some applicants help – by falsifying the résumé or cheating on other parts of their application.
The line between a simply polished-up and a fake CV is sometimes small. Falsifying your CV is an absolute no-go – it not only destroys trust but can also have significantly more serious consequences.
Why some applicants falsify their résumé
There can be different reasons for someone falsifying their résumé. In the rarest cases is the full intention behind it to deceive potential employers on a large scale. But that also happens, as with supposed doctors who in truth do not have a doctorate at all or are not licensed as doctors. Then the own vita is often changed extensively, positions and qualifications are invented. It’s mostly about prestige or money. Although such cases come to the public, again and again, they are the exception.
When a résumé is faked, it is usually only a minor one, and it is often done out of a certain desperation. In times when employers can choose the best from the crème de la crème of applicants, some average résumés are simply not good enough to get hold of a job. To have a chance, the curriculum vitae is then changed in places but is no longer completely true.
Candidates who forge their CVs do not always lack the necessary qualifications for a position. The forgery can also have the purpose of concealing gaps or otherwise negative parts in the résumé that was long ago. Many HR professionals have reservations, especially when it comes to applicants with a very changeable CV. Many applicants circumvent this problem by forging the relevant passages.
What is allowed and what is not?
But where does the counterfeit begin and what else is permitted? In short, anything that is not true is fake. However, the line between optimization and fraud is often blurred. Many applicants do not deceive in a big way but help out in places. Basic knowledge of a language then becomes, for example, “good knowledge”, the vacation becomes a cultural journey, a characteristic is sold as a personal strength which, strictly speaking, is not really one of the applicant’s great strengths.
To a certain extent, it is part of applications that everything is presented as optimally as possible. Those who cannot sell themselves well often have little chance of even being invited to an interview, especially in highly competitive jobs. But while it may be permissible in the description of a previous job’s job to mention aspects that were actually not that typical, it would not be permissible to simply invent tasks or to embellish them to such an extent that it hardly has anything to do with the truth.
What is true and what is not is often a matter of interpretation. If you have assessed your Spanish skills a little too well, you will probably not be catapulted if it is discovered – provided that your own assessment is not so absurd. On the other hand, if the knowledge is given much better than it is in full consciousness, this can be classified as a deception.
How serious and extensive the false information in the résumé was and whether there was the intent behind it affects the possible consequences of a falsified résumé.
What are the consequences of a falsified CV?
Deceptions in the résumé are not a good idea because they are often discovered sooner or later. Then not only is the relationship of trust with the supervisor mostly gone but you are also threatened with dismissal. However, it depends on how serious the offense was. Anyone who has described a certain, non-essential ability in the application as a little too full-bodied, usually does not run the risk of losing their job, especially since the forgery is likely to be difficult to detect. For example, it is difficult to understand what you state as hobbies.
Anyone who invented entire positions or a degree can be terminated by the employer without notice. This also applies if it takes a long time to realize that the résumé has been falsified. Even good performance usually does not mean that the employment relationship is maintained – the deception and personal disappointment or anger of the employer usually weigh more heavily.
Termination without notice is not the worst thing that can happen to you if you forge your resume. If an employer hired you based on false claims, you can be liable for damages. This can mean that you have to repay part of your salary to the former employer. If the deception is noticed only after years, a large amount can quickly add up. This can pose serious financial problems for you because you not only have no income but also debts.
Cheating in the application can mean the end of your career
Not being too strict about the truth can not only cost you your job – but it can also make it very difficult to find a new job. Because word of the fake can get around, which can mean that you will not receive an invitation to an interview despite your actual qualifications. In the worst case, your reputation is so damaged that your career is over.
Applicants who have falsified their résumés can also face criminal penalties. Because this can be a fraud. The criminal offense of fraud requires that you have deliberately provided false information.
Even worse than lies on the resume is to falsify the evidence of alleged qualifications or activities as well. If you get caught, you face a fine for forging documents. A fake application can even result in a prison sentence of up to five years. Repeated offenses are particularly problematic.
For example, the case of a lawyer who corrected his exam grade upwards has become known. He was exposed, lost his job, and had to repay a large part of his salary to the employer. Apparently, he did not learn anything from this, because he applied again with the same falsified certificate. When the forgery came to light again, the false lawyer received ten months probation as a punishment.
Fake application: Is the offense time-barred?
There is a limitation period for fraud, forgery of documents, or the misuse of titles. How long the limitation period depends on the extent of the crime. The maximum penalty for forgery of documents is five years, which is why the limitation period according to Section 78 (3) No. 4 of the Criminal Code (StGB) is also five years.
According to Section 78a of the Criminal Code, the limitation period begins at the point in time at which the act ends, for example when you have submitted a falsified document for an application. If you submit the same forged document again later, the deadline will start over. Whether the act is statute-barred also depends on the circumstances in the individual case. A lawyer can advise those affected individually in this regard.
However, even after years, you are not protected from consequences under labor law. Due to the damaged relationship of trust, your employer can still terminate you after a long period of time – even without notice – and, if necessary, demand compensation from you.