Facing Consequences of Fake Experience: Can My Past Mistake Cost Me a Job Now?

I am Bipin, an IT professional. I made a significant mistake, which I now realize, and I need a solution. Please help me out.

Background of the Situation

I joined a reputable IT company with some fake experience. After spending 5–6 months there, they asked me for experience letters for verification. I provided them with fake experience letters. Shortly after, I received an interview call from another company, which I successfully passed, and then resigned from my current company.

Current Dilemma

After joining the new company, I did not enjoy their work culture. Now, after spending 1 year in this company, I am getting an interview call again from the same company where I falsified my experience. I am quite sure that I will succeed in the interview, but I have decided that if I am selected, I will only show them the original experience letters.

Question and Concern

Will they cross-check my new data with the previous data, and if they find a mismatch, can they fire me?

Regards,
Bipin

Is the present call for an interview based on the fresh CV or the old one? If it is based on the fresh one, go ahead boldly. Otherwise, don't join the company.

Regards.

Your post is not very clear, so I have some questions before providing any solutions. When you joined a good company, what fake experience did you provide? Did you forge it or only claim that you worked there?

Did you not research the new company when you left the previous one? Why did you leave the good company?

Did you apply for a job at your old company, or did they approach you and call you for an interview? If you applied for a job, did you not have to demonstrate your experience?

Even if not the HR, some individuals in the company may recall what you claimed about your experience a year ago. That's why one of the senior members at CiteHR emphasizes that when one lies, one needs a profound memory. However, when we tell the truth, we do not need a good memory.

I hope these questions help in addressing the situation effectively.

Best regards

Handling Rejoining with New Data

The fresh call is based on a new CV with all original data, but the position is in the same team under the same line manager. If I join, what is the probability that they will verify the new data with the old one? If they check and easily track my fakeness, what are the ways out I should use? Many of my friends told me that whenever an employee rejoins the same company, they will ask for the previous employee code so that they can track new and old data. Please suggest a way to handle this critical situation.

Regards,
Bipin

When I got a call from a good company, I only had 6 months of experience. However, they asked for a minimum of 1.5 years of experience. So, I created a fake 6 months of experience at XYZ company and inflated my actual 6 months of experience to 1 year. I resigned from the good company due to two reasons:

1. I received a good package from another company.
2. I was very scared about the verification process conducted by the good company, so I decided to resign on my own before they discovered the fake experience.

Now, I am receiving a call from the same company (good company) based on my fresh, original CV. Please suggest a way out for me. What should I do when they check and ask me about this mistake?

Regards,
Bipin

The Importance of Coming Clean About Faked Experience

The only honorable way out is for you to come clean and explain that you were foolish and had faked the experience, and have learned a lesson. Did you fake your experience when you got the second job? It's never too late to come clean. Then you do not have to live in fear all the time.

People have been sacked even after years for faking experience, etc. For examples, see:

- Several heads to roll in Adikavi Nannaya University | Deccan Chronicle (Search On Cite | Search On Google)
- Lying on Your Resume: What Are the Consequences? - MonsterCollege
- Breaking news: Prolific Dutch heart researcher fired over misconduct concerns | Retraction Watch
- Iranian minister sacked over fake degree | Education | guardian.co.uk
- Job fraud - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

More examples at Google.

All these days, you knew that you have been doing wrong things just for the sake of your job and, more importantly, for money. Do not harp on how to manage or maneuver; rather, focus on what to learn and how to come to a clean, permanent solution. It is never too late for good things, as Mr. Narasimhan has said in this forum several times before. There is no immediate solution or quick action that you can take now, as either way, you will be at a disadvantageous position. Explain to your current organization that you made a mistake and assure them it will not happen again.

Ideally, you should continue to put your best effort into your current job.

All the best.

Regards,
V. Rangarajan.

Thank you all for your suggestions. I have only used fake experience in one company. In all other cases, I have provided genuine information. Now, I am interested in returning to my first company where I used fake experience because I have a strong desire to work there. If I am selected this time, I will explain the situation to the HR manager. Ultimately, the decision to hire me or not will be up to the HR department.

Regards,
Bipin

Dear Bipin,

Do not fake anymore; be clear and honest. Tell them the truth yourself; don't wait for them to catch you, and then you will have to defend yourself. If they don't take you back, it should be okay. If they accept you after knowing the truth, you will be able to work for a long time without fear. If you don't tell them and join, you will once again feel insecure. Make sure that you will never provide false information in the future and have learned your lesson.

P.S.: Almost all companies do check the previous records of employees at the time of joining. Please verify the documents as well. Whether they catch you or not depends on the HR team.

Regards,
Arvind Mittal

My suggestion would be not to tell your current company, where you are working at present, that you have received an offer from another company. Just go back to your previous company and have a discussion with them. Tell them the truth that you have used fake experience and give them a written promise that the same will not happen again in the future. If they can forgive you for this, accept their offer. If they don't, then go back to your current company. If you disclose the offer to your current company, there are chances of losing both jobs.

Background

I am Bipin, an IT professional. I made a blunder mistake which I realize now and need a solution for. Please help me out.

I joined a very good IT company with some fake experience. After spending 5-6 months in the company, they asked for the experience letters for verification. I provided them with fake experience letters. Within a few days of this process, I received an interview call from another company. I cracked the interview and resigned from my current company. After joining the new company, I did not enjoy their work culture. Now, after spending 1 year in this new company, I am getting an interview call again from the same company where I provided fake experience. I am very sure I will crack the interview. However, I have decided that if I am selected, I will only show them the original experience letters.

My Question

Will they cross-check my new data with the previous data, and if they find a mismatch, can they fire me?

Regards,
Bipin

Recently, I was asked to assist an organization in counseling a group of employees who had been identified for termination due to falsification of academic records, work experience, etc. What was apparent was that during their time with the organization, never once did any of them willingly declare the false data submitted, even after the organization announced strong policy changes against such activities. Their conscience came alive only when confronted with evidence of their questionable actions. Most regretted their actions, but by then, the damage to their self-respect and esteem had already been done.

Importance of Honesty in Professional Life

I believe the HR department of the first organization would cross-verify your application with internal records before extending an offer or confirmation at some point. Please note that almost all companies do not take kindly to falsification of data.

Such actions would not only jeopardize your career but also come back to haunt you in the future. Please act carefully and honestly with your eyes firmly on your future career.

Regards

I am a retired government servant and have been working in a private company as VP (Admin) for the last year. I would like to share my personal experience with you if you wish. I have served as a senior Class 1 gazetted officer and found over time that the truth lies in the saying "once a lie, always a lie." Think it over, and let me tell you that in the private industrial world, word spreads like wildfire. I can provide at least 100 examples where people have been caught at some point in their lives and have paid a heavy price for the good or bad deeds they have done. You can't wait for your dependents to pay for the likely sins committed by you.

It would be very good on your part to accept your mistakes, speak with the seniors around you, seek their advice, and then take the next steps. Don't be a "migratory employee" because after some time, you will hit a dead-end and will be left with no options. I will give an example of a couple working with an IT MNC who began with high salary packages, bought expensive cars, pricey flats, and had children studying in exclusive schools. Everything was going well until the industry faced a slowdown in 2008-09. One day, both of them lost their jobs and were left without good quality jobs for a year. I witnessed the family struggling so much that they had to part with their cars, barely managing to sustain and meet EMI demands from financial institutions.

I am explaining this to you not just about deceiving one company but about managing your own life. It is better to earn a piece of bread from your salary and be content rather than dreaming of a three-course meal every day. Be honest, truthful, God-fearing, and hardworking rather than aiming for short-term goals that may not help you sustain in the long term.

With warm wishes.

My suggestion would be to let go of the "good company" and try a third company altogether. As many have pointed out, it doesn't help to fake in the long run. Forget about this company and start afresh with a clean slate.

Regards,
Pavan

Whatever Pavan said is right. Go for some third company as I don't think fake experience in any company is acceptable.

Clarification on "Blunder Mistake"

Well, the first thing I would like to correct is that there's nothing like a "Blunder Mistake" as the word "blunder" is enough for a big mistake because "blunder" stands for a big mistake. So, make sure not to combine both words again. It's a very common grammatical mistake people tend to make.

Approach for New Interview Calls

Now, coming to the point, if you are receiving fresh calls from a company, then do not worry about the past interviews you have had with that company. Treat it as your first interview there and present your true self this time.

Companies conduct numerous interviews daily or periodically, and they may not remember every candidate, etc. Do not hesitate, forget about what happened in the past, and attend the interview with confidence and with your original documents.

I think you are presenting fake experience for a good company or a better salary. You should explain facts and not hide things; otherwise, you will be confused in your life and presenting fake experience.

Regards,
Ram

Thank you very much for the suggestions. One last question: do you think the HR of my first company will forgive me and be happy to have me back on board after hearing my explanation for the fake experience? Or would it be better not to rejoin that company in the future and explore all other options I have with my genuine credentials?

Thanks,
Bipin

Handling Fake Experience in Your Career

If you are with any organization where you have faked experience, then quit that organization. If they catch you, then you will be in deep trouble. If you go and tell them that you have cheated, then it's up to them to pardon you or take action. I would recommend not taking that chance.

Apply to any new organization with a clean slate. You seem to be a fresher in the industry; it's good to correct your mistakes in the early part of your career. Trust me, bad karma hits you back...

Regards,
Abhishek

There is scope for forgiveness. Truth is good; lies lead to misleading and create more drama.

No more suggestions or inputs from my side. However, I would like to appreciate you for the realization. Please walk up to your first company, have a discussion, tell them the mistake happened, and today you've learned the lesson. I am sure they shall accept your candidature. Never repeat such things, and all the best for your future!

Regards,

Dear Bipin,

You are engaging in unethical behavior. If this is a part of your personality, then you should muster the courage to confront yourself as to why you want to act in this manner. If this is who you are today, you are running a high risk of being found out sooner or later. So, please be genuine and maintain integrity.