The Golden Rule of Resume Writing – HONESTY

June 14, 2007, IHG Asia chief quits after CV review
This news does not directly relate to investment banking, but it is important to anyone who needs to write a resume. Let’s keep this as the golden rule of resume writing: HONESTY.

As my blog reader, I request your reading this news seriously in detail.

On June 14, 2007 (Thursday), Patrick Imbardelli, chief executive of Asia Pacific of the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), was forced to resign just days before he was to join the main board of the world's biggest hotel company.

“…IHG said on Thursday that Mr Imbardelli had told it that he had three qualifications: a bachelor of arts from Victoria University in Australia, a BSc from Cornell University in the US and a masters of business administration, also from Cornell. But an IHG spokesman said he had only attended classes at all three colleges and had not graduated from any of them…” Source: Financial Times – read full story

When a CV leads to a resignation
According to Financial Times, Patrick Imbardelli is not the first top executive to leave his employer over his CV and he will not be the last.

…The chairman and chief executive of Bausch & Lomb, had to forfeit his annual bonus for 2002 after he admitted misrepresenting his educational record….

…Richard Li, son of Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, was embarrassed six years ago by the revelation that he did not complete the degree in computer engineering at Stanford University cited by publicity material produced by his company Pacific Century Cyberworks…

…In 2005, a former health service chief executive from Solihull was given a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years for faking qualifications to get the £115,000-a-year position…Read full story

Conclusion
As my blog reader, you can be an entry level analyst today. In 20 years time, you can be the CEO of an international investment bank. The higher you rise in a hierarchy, the greater burden of trust you bear. Lying would only work against you. Don’t let the lies on your CV kill your career.

Anna Maria D’Souza’s mantra: practice ethical resume writing, plain facts, no exaggeration, no misleading.

Test of your general knowledge:
What is the difference between a CV and a resume?
Check my next post for an answer.

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