Lying Resume

Real World Software Architecture: Frauds- Liar, Liar, Resume on Fire

I am starting to think that is an international practice, having worked on three continents I have found this problem everywhere and I have also developed my little theory & solution.

I believe the problem begins with the placement firms/recruitment agents and the job descriptions we provide to them. Let’s say I need to take on another developer, so we shoot of a Job description to the recruiter saying something like:
Java 3+ years, Corba 2+ years in a Sun Environment, UML or other formal methodology, Oracle.

I can be assured to receiving a heap of CV’s with the words Java, Corba, UML contained in the text, it is almost like they OCR all the CVs and keyword search them. I say this because the time I have include terms like ‘comparable OO languages’ or ‘competing processes’ I don’t see resume with languages like Smalltalk or Agile methodology come back etc.

I know that this is a big conclusion to draw from such a simple test but that is what my gut is telling me. So if this is the case I think the developers out there are feeding the CV monster just to get to interviews with the hope they can turn things around in the interview.

So these days I am trying not to put people in that situation, I am telling the agents that if they are wasting my time, defined as sending me ‘padded’ CV then I will not deal with them and I also keep my set of requirements short and to the point.
It is sad that we have to pay large placement fees but still have to waste our time. I make it clear these days that I will flight on the fees if I receive padded CV’s. I suppose the other issue it there must by good people out there and if they are not playing the game they are probably not getting the interviews.