The Act
A newly hired VP put an "ongoing MBA" on his resume. Six months in, colleagues noticed his Excel skills didn't match the title — and HR started asking questions about the degree that never quite materialized.
The Price
The credential didn't check out. He was fired after six and a half months and lost his wrongful dismissal claim on top of it. A senior-level career, torched over two words on a resume — in an industry small enough that everyone heard about it.
The Lesson
Lies on a resume have a half-life. The higher you climb on a fake credential, the harder the fall — and the smaller the industry, the faster the word spreads. Background checks aren't a formality; they're a countdown.
FAFO Index
9/10 — two words, one career, zero MBA.
Bottom Line
If you have to lie to get the job, you can't survive the job.