Reply to: Honesty is the best policy

[SussexSeagull]

I turn up to every interview (well, back in the days when you used to have to travel to attend one I did) and accentuate the positive without inventing stuff and let them decide.

[Lance]

Then say you've done it and learn how to do it while you're waiting for the role to start.

^^^^^ I'd do this

Just make sure you learn any specific Solaris things that might different to other Unix.
ZFS/Containers etc.
Or as you probably don't know the details yet, you can always say "I've migrated Solaris but not that type/method etc." later.

[cannon999]

You have all misunderstood my post.

The agent wanted me to say I had migrated a Solaris server in my last role.

At my last role they did not even have any Solaris servers.

My Solaris experience which I informed the agency at the beginning is over 10 years ago.

I have everything else the role asked for.

This was never about tweaking your CV to get the role. This was making up a lie. Which I still state is wrong.

Anyway moved on and put the agency on my personal avoid list.

Regards.

There is nothing wrong with it if you have the intelligence and skills to figure it out and do the job. Your moral stand point is holding back your career.

[PerfectStorm]

You have all misunderstood my post.

The agent wanted me to say I had migrated a Solaris server in my last role.

At my last role they did not even have any Solaris servers.

My Solaris experience which I informed the agency at the beginning is over 10 years ago.

I have everything else the role asked for.

This was never about tweaking your CV to get the role. This was making up a lie. Which I still state is wrong.

Anyway moved on and put the agency on my personal avoid list.

Regards.

Then say you've done it and learn how to do it while you're waiting for the role to start.

[mallisarealperson]

You have all misunderstood my post.

The agent wanted me to say I had migrated a Solaris server in my last role.

At my last role they did not even have any Solaris servers.

My Solaris experience which I informed the agency at the beginning is over 10 years ago.

I have everything else the role asked for.

This was never about tweaking your CV to get the role. This was making up a lie. Which I still state is wrong.

Anyway moved on and put the agency on my personal avoid list.

Regards.

[BlasterBates]

Embellishment of CVs is actually quite normal by agencies, I've also come across it. The interviewer did't really bat an eye lid when he spotted an embellishment on my CV, and it probably helped to get the interview. You can always brush it off as a misunderstanding between you and the agency in the interview if a direct question comes in. However this may have gone a step too far. Sticking in an extra key word is OK but if the role has been rewritten that is probably is an embellishment too far.

[Lance]

I dont think the agency has done anything wrong - They have tried to help you which you should be grateful for actually - I wish agents that I use were more proactive and can tell me clearly the questions and answers that are likely to be asked at interview

You are well dreaming about the SAR request either.

I agree with this.

The agent is a little cautious with the truth. So what? He's a salesman.

The agent clearly recognised the OP as being a good fit, but the CV was a weaker area, that maybe needed some help.

I have a pal who is an agent (not in IT), and he writes the CVs for his candidates as he wants to place them successfully.
It's not uncommon for other industries. IT recruitment agents don't understand the technology well enough to do that.

As for sharing the other persons CV.... That's only a GDPR issue if the owner of the CV hasn't allowed it to be used for this purpose. Seeing as that person is likely to get to see the CV that comes in after updating, I would imagine they know what's being done otherwise everyone is going to look foolish.

[PerfectStorm]

That's definitely my approach. Let them turn me down, rather than me.

Mine too. Otherwise I'd never do anything new! Accept any interview and apply for any role.

[NowPermOutsideUK]

I dont think the agency has done anything wrong - They have tried to help you which you should be grateful for actually - I wish agents that I use were more proactive and can tell me clearly the questions and answers that are likely to be asked at interview

You are well dreaming about the SAR request either.

[NotAllThere]

If someone offers you a great opportunity and you're not sure if you can do it, say yes and figure it out when you get there.

That's definitely my approach. Let them turn me down, rather than me.

[PerfectStorm]

If someone offers you a great opportunity and you're not sure if you can do it, say yes and figure it out when you get there.

[LondonManc]

It used to be normal when applying for public sector positions, for agents to say :

"The client scores CVs based on a weighing of rate against skills keyworded in your CV for x, y, z.
I don't see x, y, z in your recent employment history. Could you update your keywords otherwise your application will go no further"

I think that was common across other sectors too a while ago. CV search tools may have improved.

[lecyclist]

It used to be normal when applying for public sector positions, for agents to say :

"The client scores CVs based on a weighing of rate against skills keyworded in your CV for x, y, z.
I don't see x, y, z in your recent employment history. Could you update your keywords otherwise your application will go no further"

[LondonManc]

There are ways of writing your CV that showcase your skills but gloss over the dates of when those skills were acquired.

A portfolio CV I believe it's called. It's a type that gets bandied about by CV writers but I've never had an agent or client accept it.

Yes, no point it looking fluffy when the agent/clients wants to see something achievement-based. Can you do the role, does your cv demonstrate that? Very simple.

[northernladuk]

Tailoring a CV to get an interview is good, but in this situation it's already passed that stage and an interview is booked.



I can only think of a few scenarios. The CV that got the interview isn't the CV the OP submitted, it's a made up CV by the agent based on a person that landed a role on the client (very naughty). Or the agent is trying to say "this persons work history got them in, see if you can pull out the buzz words and use them in the interview" ( fair enough).

Yep. That's why I thought this was an interesting one as, it appears, the agent might have just been stepping in to the naughty area which we've not seen much of in the forums.