Competing Vitae: I think I need to ‘embellish’ my CV

I am an honest person. I’m not necessarily very open, but I am honest(ish). My default position is to assume a person deserves honesty. That can leave me in a bit of a pickle. My CV is an honest CV. Those really were my jobs, that really was my responsibility and above all these people are legitimate referees. But my CV, on a manager’s desk, is not competing with CVs that are playing the same game. My honest CV and carefully crafted covering letter are competing against a series of… embellished CVs.

My referee, the Senior Property Manager, was my line manager and was a Senior Property manager. Other people’s referees, the Principle Director or Assistant Supervisor, are actually Dave from down the pub or Alan that works at the chippy. To compete in that market I need to lie. My mate Ray needs to become Assistant to the Director and that bloke, Tom, needs should be Research Team Leader. This is fraud, but I need to do it. Otherwise I’m playing a rigged game; a Paralympian in the Olympics.