Scott Thompson’s Case: Your CV Can Get You Job Or Get You Fired!

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Probably, when you read these lines Yahoo’s CEO Scott Thompson who was previously the president of PayPal, will be quitting his CEO position in Yahoo cause of the wrong information on his CV. In Thompson’s CV, he claims that he graduated with a degree in accounting and computer science in 1978 from Stonehill College. The school confirms the accounting degree but a computer science degree. Because, they did not have a degree on computer science until 1983 -5 years difference form his graduation.

According to Mashable’s article,  this false information on CV was discovered by Dan Loeb who is an activist investor in Yahoo. “Loeb also discovered Director Patti Hart misrepresented her degree from Illinois State University as one in marketing and economics, though she actually got a degree in business administration.”

Yahoo’s global media head Ross Levinsohn will replace Thompson’s position, probably. Thompson’s adventure took almost four months in Yahoo as CEO. However, false information on CV costs him a lot. Recently, I am seeing lots of CV with wrong information, for instance many recent graduates’ try to show their minor studies as their degree title. Same situation with Patti Hart. May be that one is not so big deal but as it shows in that case can cost you a lot.

 And another big mistakes I am seeing on CV’s; dropping “Trainee”, “Intern” part, I would say there are plenty of ‘Marketing Manager”, “Sales Manager”, “IT Manager” etc.  on job market. I do not know who buys it, though. And this is not so innocent comparing to mixing minor and major studies.

Please share your ideas about Scott Thompson’s CV case: Do you think it is over-reaction? Or justice? And these other wrong information on CVs.