There?s a reason that inventing fake qualifications is advised against. Aside from the obvious ethical issues, if you?re caught, you?re in real trouble and could face sacking and a reputation of lying that will never pass. My experience of this is all from senior travel recruitment though, and it would be far worse if you were in the public eye. All the following have faced the accusation of lying on a CV to reach their celebrity position?
5. Paul McKenna ? Celebrity Hypnotist
Paul McKenna, the former radio DJ and TV hypnotist now runs a self help empire with an estimated ?10,000,000 is somewhat unique in this list as he was completely unaware of the fake qualification he held. He took legal action against the Mirror for their comments that the entry requirement for his doctorate at La Selle University, Louisiana, was answering the question ?Do you have $2,615, sir?? and won, with the judge accepting that McKenna was unaware that the degree was a scam, and had not tried to deceive the public with his fake qualifications.
The worth of the case is questionable though, with McKenna racking up ?1,500,000 legal fees for a settlement believed to be between ?20,000 and ?50,000 ? as well as highlighting his qualifications as bogus. McKenna has since earned what he calls a ?proper? doctorate from a UK business school, which will pass the scrutiny of any qualification checks.
4. Marilee Jones ? Author and Former Dean of Admissions at MIT
Marilee Jones was the dean of admissions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and co-wrote ?Less Stress, More Success: A New Approach to Guiding Your Teen Through College Admissions and Beyond? before it emerged that she herself had cheated the admission process in getting a job at MIT in the first place. In 2007, it became public knowledge that she had lied on her CV with fake qualifications when she first joined MIT in 1979 as an entry-level admissions officer.
When she resigned her position with a statement on the college?s website, she wrote: ?I misrepresented my academic degrees when I first applied to MIT 28 years ago, and did not have the courage to correct my resume when I applied for my current job or at any time since.? It just goes to show that lying on your CV can catch you up at any time ? in this case, nearly 3 decades later.
3. Robert Irvine ? Celebrity Chef
It?s surprising that this British chef was better known in America than the UK, but perhaps his lies would have been easily picked up over here. After working on the hugely popular ?Dinner Impossible? programme on America?s Food Network, the St. Petersburg Times exposed a series of tall tales he had spread both anecdotally and by lying on his CV. Amongst the most damning was the claim he had a degree in food and nutrition from the University of Leeds, refuted by the academic establishment after a qualifications check. He also claimed he worked on the wedding cake for Princess Diana and Prince Charles ? which turned out to be a massive exaggeration: ?They made the cake at the school where I was.? Irvine?s involvement? ?Picking fruit and things like that.?
All this came to light in late 2007, and by New Year, the Food Network had announced that they would not be renewing the contract of the chef, but would continue to show re-runs and the new series which had already been filmed.
2. Gillian McKeith ? Celebrity Dietician
Gillian McKeith had a wildly popular television show in which she forced overweight people to reassess their lifestyles and diet. She also has a multi-million pound selection of health products and books, but after an expose by various websites, and a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority, she is no longer allowed to call herself ?Doctor? on any of her promotional materials, thanks to obtaining the doctorate via a correspondence course from a non-accredited American college, according to The Guardian?s Bad Science section.
1. Claire Verity ? Celebrity Nanny
The celebrity nanny on ?Bringing up Baby? ? Channel 4?s childcare programme was found to have methods 100 years out of date, no children of her own and a series of fake qualifications, following an investigation by The Times. Her controversial childcare tips included leaving babies to cry, limiting cuddling time to 10 minutes a day, and leaving babies outside to air ? advice the NSPCC have stated is ?outdated and potentially harmful.? Her advice that babies sleep alone in separate rooms is also said to contradict guidance on preventing cot death.
With this advice dismissed as damaging from so many sources, it?s no surprise to learn that the professional bodies she claimed to have obtained qualifications from were keen to wash their hands of her. ASET, where she claimed to have diplomas in child daycare and preschool practice said there was no trace of her in their database, Goal who supposedly provided her diploma in childcare denied any knowledge of her and her agent admitted she had not taken the postnatal depression or care of multiple baby qualifications that Channel 4 had said she had. Maternity Nurse Training ? where she claimed to have certificates in maternity practice, sleep training and paediatrics stated she was never enrolled with them, and went as far as to comment that they ?do not in any way endorse the methods employed by Ms Verity in her work.?
After asking her to prove her qualifications, and none forthcoming 12 weeks after the claims were made, Channel 4 announced it assumed Verity had lied on her CV and would no longer be working with her, but claimed that only one series of the show was ever planned anyway.
So for God?s sake if you insist on using fake qualifications, just make sure you don?t get famous! Lying on your CV will always catch up with you, even if the initial qualification checks are lax, whether you?re looking for travel recruitment or if you?re a world famous TV personality?
Gail Kenny is the managing director of Gail Kenny Executive Search, a headhunting recruitment agency specialising in senior travel recruitment. The site caters exclusively to talented individuals with skills and experience to succeed in the travel management, and businesses looking for such candidates.
Maternity Clothes For The Plus Size Woman
Being pregnant is one of the most joyous and happy times in a woman's life, although having to buy plus size maternity clothes is certainly something no woman really looks forward to. Having to buy plus sized clothes is bad enough, but plus sized clothes with room for a huge belly? Forget about it, right? Luckily, there are some fabulous plus size maternity clothes out there that are fashionable and can make you look great, no matter how plus sized or pregnant you may happen to be. Who said big girls can't look great in their clothes? Plus sized maternity fashions just got that much cooler!
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America is known for its population of larger people. Men and women alike have a hard time finding plus size clothing that is in style. Though the population of the country is larger, the fashion industry is more revolved around those who are teeny tiny. This may affect both men and women but none worse than the beautiful plus sized women.
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Beauty of a woman is a matchless attribute; with nothing to surpass it. So long a time there have been the existence of women in this world, there have been lingerie's as well. This fashion serving luxury undergarment expresses her beauty loving feminine personality, apart from the basic need of supporting her physique. Though the word 'lingerie' normally describes both male and female undergarments, the term is commonly used to refer woman's intimate wear. Lingerie is a broad term and includes garments like bras, panties, stockings, thongs, garters, peignoirs, sheer night gowns, and exotic night wears
Plus Size Maternity Jeans - What You Should Know
Pregnant moms who become plus sized, love maternity jeans, as they do not want to miss out on the comfort of denim, while their abdomen is expanding for the developing baby. You will find that till about the fourth month or the second trimester, regular plus size jeans can be worn.
Belly Dance Maternity Clothes Boutique to Offer Brand Exclusives
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Jeans That Heal: Custom Jeans Company Makes Ayurvedic Organic Clothing That Possess Medicinal Benefits
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Your Plus Size Lingerie Clothing Sytle
You are feeling full of anticipation and naughty. You are waiting for your husband to come home. You dab on the most provocative perfume you own, which is your husbands favorite. You are wearing a teddy with a leopard print. While checking yourself in the mirror you look at your choice of your accessories and smile to yourself. You feel so vamped up.
Maternity Jeans - What You Should Know
Pregnant moms who become plus sized, love maternity jeans, as they do not want to miss out on the comfort of denim, while their abdomen is expanding for the developing baby. You will find that till about the fourth month or the second trimester, regular plus size jeans can be worn.
Plus Size Maternity Clothing: Better Selection On Internet
Pregnant women range in size from petite to extra large. A lot of women require plus size clothes as well as plus size maternity clothes. These can be difficult to find compared to maternity clothing for normal size women. Also, these special size clothes can be expensive. However, it is possible to purchase maternity clothes that are reasonably priced.