‘Don’t do a Rachel Reeves and play with fire on your CV’

A series of LinkedIn edits by the ‘bragging’ chancellor seems at odds with claims that the Treasury boss has been honest.

CV gurus yesterday came across to ITContracting.com as less forgiving than No. 10 about three big discrepancies on Rachel Reeves’ CV.

The first discrepancy is the chancellor changing the impressive-sounding “Economist, Bank of Scotland” to “Retail Banking, Halifax.”

Made by Reeves on her LinkedIn profile, the self-demotion was forced by Guido Fawkes after it questioned the MP’s role from 2006-09.

‘Six years, four months’

The chancellor’s second CV discrepancy relates to her BoE post of 2000, as its duration has been cut from “a decade” to “6 yrs 4 mos.”

Further relating to Reeves’ time at the Bank of England is the third discrepancy which has prompted her to edit her LinkedIn profile, and it concerns her experience.

In fact, the chancellor has now revised the online entry of her BoE “Economist” role, to make clear her time at the bank was split across three distinct titles.

‘Very junior analyst’

The revision was forced by a 2012 tweet by Reeves (which only surfaced this month), in which she described herself at the BoE as a “very junior…analyst”.

Such an entry-level role is at odds with her immodest claim on the eve of Autumn Budget 2024 that, due to her time at the BoE, “I know what it will take to get Britain’s economy back on track.”

Similar rhetoric is now emerging from Downing St, albeit somehow in reply to whether CV lying constitutes a breach of the ministerial code.

‘Rachel Reeves has been honest with the public’

The PM’s official deputy spokesperson reportedly said, in response to the question of whether CV lies by a minister is a breach:

“I think with regards to the chancellor, the PM is very clear that the chancellor has restored fiscal stability.

“This is someone who, on coming into office, looked under the bonnet and exposed a £22 billion black hole in the public finances, and has been honest with the public.”

The claim of ‘honesty’ sticks in the craw of CV expert Rebecca Pay, who specialises in reviewing and writing resumés and LinkedIn profiles for senior leaders.

‘Be honest on your CV’

“The Reeves story should serve as a wake-up call.

“Be honest on your CV, especially with dates,” Ms Pay, the founder of Pay for Precision told ITContracting.com.

“Sure, rounding up a figure or boosting your role a little might not break the world, but outright fabrications? That’s a different game.”

‘Hiring fraud includes falsifying a CV’

Anti-fraud hiring expert Keith Rosser, a director of Reed Screening sees acceptable and non-acceptable too.

“Hiring fraud includes falsifying a CV. [But] when is it ‘fraud,’ and when is it a slight error?

“Whatever it is [in the case of Rachel Reeves],” says Mr Rosser, “it raises the question, ‘How truthful should our CVs really be?’”

‘Honesty builds trust’

Natalie Bowers, founder of niche IT contractor jobs agency Bowers Partnership, tried to cut to the facts of the Reeves’ CV furore.

A veteran recruiter for London’s Square Mile, Bowers told ITContracting.com: “Reeves may have pumped up her Bank of England experience.

“And she HAS bragged about being an economist…but [now she] fesses up she was in [non-descript] ‘Retail Banking.’.

“This whole sizzler highlights the need for transparency, as in any job honesty builds trust. Right, Rachel?!”

‘Trifle vague’

According to the CV & Interview Advisors, a few aspects of a CV may require IT contractors and others — even chancellors perhaps, to be vague.

CVIA says: “Now Halifax is part of BoS there’s not really an issue, but changing ‘Economist’ to ‘Retail Banking’ potentially raises more eyebrows.

“It’s worth considering that ‘Retail Banking’ isn’t really a job title; it’s more the area of the bank [that Ms Reeves now says she worked in].

“It seems a trifle vague. But that in itself is actually an acceptable tactic if a job title isn’t in your favour.”

‘Job title had a bit more punch’

Pressed by ITContracting.com about this advice, the founder of CVIA gave an example from his own career.

“My job title in one of my earlier roles was ‘Branch Manager,’ but in reality, I was a ‘Sales & Operations Manager.’

“This job title had a bit more punch and was better aligned with the roles I was applying for and what I did, so this is what I opted to use on my CV.

“What I did do at the time, however, was make it clear to prospective employers that my ‘official’ job title was Branch Manager.”

‘Changing the job title on a CV is ok, if…’

Matt Craven, the CV & Interview Advisors’ founder continued: “If a candidate has a job title that undersells them, or in some cases is misleading, then changing the job title to something more helpful — for both candidate and employer — is OK.

“So long as the job-seeker is proactively upfront about pointing it out.”

Craven recommended pointing it out at interview, for example.

‘Don’t play with fire, as you don’t have a safety net’

But Pay for Precision cautions that a single untruth might be enough to stop a candidate from getting to the interview stage.

“Employers can, and will, check the facts, and if they uncover a major lie, it could cost you your job,” the CV rewriter for senior leaders warns.

“Now, Reeves might get away with it — the system always protects its own, but most of us don’t have that safety net.

“The lesson? Don’t play with fire.

“Keep your CV honest, and make sure everything — dates, titles, responsibilities — aligns with your LinkedIn profile.”

Pay for Precision’s boss Rebecca Pay continued: “Get that right, and you’ll be lining up the interviews in no time. Cutting corners isn’t worth the fallout.”

‘Successful, untruthful candidates usually have their job offer rescinded’

With a strong focus on the IT jobs market, Craven of the CIVA hinted that Labour’s hiring ‘checks and balances’ shouldn’t escape the fallout.

He told ITContracting.com: “What is interesting is that most employers check these things before hiring employees, especially at a more senior level.

“A solid HR interview would verify the accuracy of a new hire’s CV, and background checks would be subsequently done.

“If a candidate has been untruthful on their CV, it’s usual for a job offer to be rescinded.

“Perhaps the Labour Party applied this rigour to their recruitment process and found no issues.”

‘Accuracy’

At the time of writing, there is no suggestion that Treasury boss Ms Reeves will lose her job as chancellor of the exchequer due to her three CV/LinkedIn discrepancies.

But Pay for Precision last night offered a helpful suggestion to IT contractor job candidates striving to have their pick of interesting roles. “Authenticity and accuracy,” advised Ms Pay. “That’s what sells.”