is it against the law to withold information which might be detrimental to your job application from the CV?

Question

i don't mean criminal records or such..

Answer 1

There may be legal consequences for giving false answers in an interview or on a job application (including by implication -- leaving out relevant info that was asked for) but there is no requirement that anything be included in your CV. (Gaps in time etc. may raise questions, though.)

Answer 2

By CV you probably mean curriculum vitae which is a resume used in the educational field. I filled out job applications omitting schools that I had flunked out of and jobs prior to graduation from college. I also listed my major as business rather than an obscure part of the business school that I did major in. My school didn't have majors. The had areas of concentration and I had a B.S. in Business Administration. Though I was not telling the whole truth, I felt it was close enough. I never got caught and it never affected my career. I'd check with a lawyer if I were you. Myself, I'd go ahead and lie if it meant I'd be living a life of poverty when a little white lie would result in a big payoff. Most employers I've worked for lied through their teeth when they're were praising to high heaven the crappy job I was appling for exaggerating the advancement potential of the job and ommitting the problems such as you'll be working in a windowless basement with 80 degree heat and high humidty because we're too cheap to fix the air conditioning. So what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

Answer 3

It can be against the law to lie on a job application, depending on the laws of the state you are in. Normally there's a section before the signature where you verify everything is true.

On a CV/resume, everyone tries to "slant" or "spin" things to their best advantage. For example, I left out a 6-month job that I did really badly at, but I had a 4-year job before and after it that I did great at. So those are stressed by leaving out the short-time mistake. I've never been asked about it, or the time gap, but it was a while ago.

However, you can't fudge your degrees or certifications. That will come back to haunt you very quickly.

Just my two cents. Good luck!

Answer 4

There's no such classification as information detrimental to job application. Since you're writing CV in your own format, it's up to you to choose what goes on CV and what doesn't.

Certain things, however, should not be omitted:

- history of previous employment (so that your new employer is not hit with non-compete lawsuit after hiring you)
- criminal charges (if asked directly)

Answer 5

Unless you are specifically asked about something and lie, I don't see a problem with simply not including something if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Be warned, though, that if it should later come out, you may have a lot of explaining to do and could potentially jeopardize the new job for not being upfront to begin with.

Answer 6

It is not illegal, however it IS grounds for immediate dismissal by your employer.