Have you ever lied on your résumé? Or received applications from candidates with fabricated claims about their qualifications and achievements?
The Brian Williams scandal shone the spotlight on the lengths some people will go to secure the job of their dreams! In this case, the iconic NBC news anchor lied for 12 years about being forced down by RPG fire while aboard a helicopter in Iraq. Eventually Williams admitted that some of his war stories were fabricated. This caused the once respected reporter to face a barrage of criticism and damaged his reputation.
Williams isn’t alone in his “manipulation of the truth.”
Lying to secure a job isn’t uncommon. As we cover below, even some of the world’s biggest CEOs have been caught grossly exaggerating or lying on their résumé, usually leading to embarrassing outcomes or even legal action.
From fabricated degrees to falsified work history, résumé fraud is a real threat that can have severe consequences. This article explores some of the most egregious résumé lies ever told and highlights why education qualification, credential assessments, employment verification, and reference checks are critical in the hiring process.
By verifying candidates’ claims, organisations protect themselves from the risks posed by hiring individuals with deceptive backgrounds.
The Value of Education and Qualification Verification
Unfortunately, some job seekers take extreme measures to inflate their qualifications and experience.
Here are 11 notable scandals that have damaged both individual careers and company reputations:
Scott Thompson
Position Held: CEO of Yahoo!
The Résumé Lie
Back in 2012, the former Massachusetts Stonehill College student was caught lying about having his university qualifications. His résumé stated that he had completed both an accounting and computer science degrees. In fact, he’d only completed the former. He tried to blame the mistake on a headhunting firm he worked with, but when that too turned out to be a lie, he was forced to resign after just 130 days on the job.
The Outcome
As the BBC reported, Thompson resigned, but received more than $7.3 million in compensation. He went on to become the CEO of the successful online shopping service, ShopRunner. Seems like the lies paid off for this sneaky fibber, after all!
David Edmondson
Position Held: CEO of RadioShack
The Résumé Lie
David Edmonson lied about not one, but two, degrees to secure the role of CEO at Texas-based electronic retailer, RadioShack. His CV claimed that he had earned both psychology and theology degrees from Pacific Coast Baptist College. In fact, there’s no record of either! Awkward.
Now might be a good idea to mention the importance of qualification verification, which we offer through our B2B service Certn.
The Outcome
A “mutual decision” between the employer Edmonson saw the disgraced CEO resign.
Ronald L. Zarrella
Position Held: CEO of Bausch + Lomb
The Résumé Lie
After 11 months working for eye care manufacturer Bausch + Lomb, it was discovered that Zarrella had lied on his résumé. His CV stated that he’d completed an MBA from New York University. Unfortunately he had never finished the degree.
The Outcome
Despite the news of Zarrella’s lie sending shares down in heavy trading, the Bausch + Lomb board of directors supported their CEO based on his demonstrated management skills. Zarrella kept his job and is the luckiest man on this list!
Marilee Jones
Position held: Dean of Admissions at MIT
The Résumé Lie
On various occasions, Jones stated that she had received degrees from three upstate New York institutions: Albany Medical College, Union College, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
While Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute agreed that she had briefly attended as a part-time, non-matriculated student during 1974 – 1975, the other colleges had no record of her attendance.
The Outcome
Despite nearly three decades on the job, Jones resigned following the revelation. The lie also affected the credibility of her book, Less Stress More Success, where she discussed the importance of integrity and never cutting corners. Oh, the irony.
Kenneth Lonchar
Position Held: Executive Vice-President and CFO of Veritas
The Résumé Lie
Lonchar claimed to have received an MBA from Stanford University. That, of course, was far from the truth. A spokeswoman from the company confirmed that Lonchar didn’t have an MBA. Going back to our statement about irony, Veritas means “truth” in Latin.
The Outcome
After Veritas stock plummeted 15% following the exposure of his lies, Lonchar seemingly had no other choice but to resign.
Jeffrey Papows
Position Held: President of IBM’s Lotus Development Corportation
The Résumé Lie
One of the things that wowed people upon meeting Papows was not only his dynamic approach to business, but also his colourful past as a Marine flier. Papows claimed he was a captain in the Marines who burst an eardrum training for the Gulf War and once saved himself and a buddy by hurling a live grenade out of a trench.
Records show that Papows was in fact an air traffic controller, not a flier, and that he left the Marines as a lieutenant and not a captain.
On top of this incredible military story, Papow’s CV also stated that he received a PhD from a non-accredited correspondence school of Pepperdine University. He apparently was also an orphan with a rough upbringing and a black belt in tae kwon do. Unfortunately, the truth was not as eventful as the origin story this charismatic fibber had lent himself!
The Outcome
After seven years on the job and leading a 30% increase in annual sales, Papows resigned in February 2000.
Robert Irvine
Position Held: Author and TV chef for the Food Network
The Résumé Lie
When Dinner: Impossible first aired in 2007, Robert Irvine was described as a “culinary James Bond.” According to his website, Irvine had been cooking since he joined the Royal Navy at age15 and had received a bachelor of science in food and nutrition from Leeds University. It appears that the “BS” in Irvine’s life stood for something else, as the university had no record of ever being connected with the chef.
The lies didn’t stop there. Irvine also shared his story of working on Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s wedding cake when, in fact, he had merely attended the same school where it was made.
As for his claims of cheffing at the White House, being a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, and being awarded a Chef’s Five Star Diamond Award, it appears that Irvine was fairly comfortable with stretching the truth frequently.
The Outcome
The Food Network removed Irvine’s biography from its website and, after honouring Irvine’s four-season contract, he was eventually replaced by Michael Symon.
Liv Løberg
Position Held: Several top bureaucratic posts within the Norwegian public sector and reserve Member of Parliament for the Conservative Progress Party
The Résumé Lie
Løberg exaggerated her nurse’s aide qualification and forged her CV to secure a plush job at the Norwegian Registration Authority for Health Personnel (SAFH). She claimed to be a registered nurse and have three degrees in medicine. In reality, she had forged one Norwegian and two English certificates.
The Outcome
Løberg not only lost her job, but was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment on account of her fraud.
Brian T. Valery
Position Held: Lawyer for American firm, Anderson Kill & Olick
The Résumé Lie
If you’ve watched the American TV show Suits, then this plot will sound very familiar to you. Valery claimed to have been admitted to the bar, despite never having even attended law school! In fact, Valery even left work early for three weeks to attend supposed law classes before being “admitted to the bar.” Now that’s a story straight out of a TV show – literally!
The Outcome
After representing 50 clients and charging $300 per hour, Anderson Kill & Olick were forced to negotiate settlements with those falsely represented. Valery lost his job and was sentenced to five years probation for impersonating a lawyer.
Patrick Imbardelli
Position Held: Head of Asia Pacific Operations for Intercontinental Hotels Group
The Résumé Lie
Mr. Imbardelli’s CV stated that he held a bachelor of arts in business studies and hotel management from Victoria University in Australia, as well as a Bachelor of Sciences and an MBA from Cornell University.
In reality, he had attended classes at all three institutions, but never actually graduated.
The Outcome
Despite being successful for 25 years in the industry, his long career came undone when the lie was revealed. Imbardelli was forced to resign with immediate effect.
George O’Leary
Position Held: Head of Football at Notre Dame University
The Résumé Lie
O’Leary claimed that he had received a master’s degree from New York University and earned three varsity letters while attending the University in New Hampshire. However, he never received a degree and had never even played a game of football in New Hampshire!
The Outcome
O’Leary resigned following the incident and apologised for embarrassing Notre Dame, its alumni, and fans. Following that, he took up a position as head coach at the University of Central Florida.
The Value of Background Screening
As demonstrated by the stories above, the consequences of résumé fraud can be far-reaching, affecting everything from individual careers to the integrity of organisations.
Background screening, including education qualification, credential assessments, employment verification, and reference checks, is an essential step in safeguarding your company’s reputation and ensuring that you hire qualified, trustworthy individuals.
By implementing a robust background screening process, HR leaders can avoid the pitfalls of hiring dishonest candidates and ensure that they’re building teams with integrity.
Don’t let deceptive résumés go unchecked, invest in thorough background screenings to protect your organization and foster a culture of transparency and accountability.
