Should Someone Who Lies About Their Education Be Fired?

[Niels Bohr 72]

A lie is a lie. What else did they lie about, or will lie about?

Fire them. Automatic.

As far as having a degree, if they aren't as important as some people want you to believe, there should be no reason to lie and say you have one, when in fact you don't.

True.

I also would like to add that most Engineer who holds a degree rarely use what they learned in the school. In fact, most stuff they learned in college are far too complicated or much tougher than it is in the real world.

Generally, I had to go back to textbooks and review some stuff, other than that most stuff that I learned are kept in my notes somewhere. Only a few of them ever see the light of day.

However, I'd trust an Engineer with a degree or a PE license over the ones who don't. To a large extent, they do know a little bit more fundamentals compared to the ones who don't quite have a degree or FE, PE license. This applies to chemists, medical doctors, etc... as well.

Edited December 6, 2008 by Niels Bohr

[Ling Ling 22]

What if you found out your spouse lied about their education?

Again, honesty is the cornerstone of a relationship.

Would you automatically terminate your marriage?

"What else have they lied about".

What if a fiance misspelled something in a letter they sent to you, or a posting on VJ,

or in a professional communication they wrote....would you terminate

your engagement?

[*Robert* 2]

A lie is a lie. What else did they lie about, or will lie about?

Fire them. Automatic.

As far as having a degree, if they aren't as important as some people want you to believe, there should be no reason to lie and say you have one, when in fact you don't.

True.

I also would like to add that most Engineer who holds a degree rarely use what they learned in the school. In fact, most stuff they learned in college are far too complicated or much tougher than it is in the real world.

Generally, I had to go back to textbooks and review some stuff, other than that most stuff that I learned are kept in my notes somewhere. Only a few of them ever see the light of day.

However, I'd trust an Engineer with a degree or a PE license over the ones who don't. To a large extent, they do know a little bit more fundamentals compared to the ones who don't quite have a degree or FE, PE license. This applies to chemists, medical doctors, etc... as well.

I can totally relate with what you wrote, since I too am an Engineer! Very little of what I learned in school applies to what I do now for my job. It is my experience as an avionics tech in the Navy that has been most beneficial to me.

I always told my fellow classmates when they got discouraged about the material they were trying to learn, or their grades, that IMO “Employers don’t hire you for what you know, they hire you for your ability to learn.”

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Yup you dno't learn in college you learn to learn!

[*Robert* 2]

What if you found out your spouse lied about their education?

Again, honesty is the cornerstone of a relationship.

Would you automatically terminate your marriage?

"What else have they lied about".

What if a fiance misspelled something in a letter they sent to you, or a posting on VJ,

or in a professional communication they wrote....would you terminate

your engagement?

LL, I don’t think that the same rules necessarily apply to a marriage as they do a job. Regardless, I would be no less pleased if I found out my spouse lied to me; it would definitely put a serious strain on the relationship when it came to trust. As for misspelling something… that’s everyday here on VJ!!!

[jundp 191]

But then I'm the sort who won't frequent a shop/business who can't be bothered to proof read their advertising.

Me too

Why not? If they are careless enough to allow a typo they may be underpricing merchandise, or would it be unethical for me to take advantage?

No, I'm just a snob.

[Ling Ling 22]

What if you found out your spouse lied about their education?

Again, honesty is the cornerstone of a relationship.

Would you automatically terminate your marriage?

"What else have they lied about".

What if a fiance misspelled something in a letter they sent to you, or a posting on VJ,

or in a professional communication they wrote....would you terminate

your engagement?

LL, I don’t think that the same rules necessarily apply to a marriage as they do a job. Regardless, I would be no less pleased if I found out my spouse lied to me; it would definitely put a serious strain on the relationship when it came to trust. As for misspelling something… that’s everyday here on VJ!!!

In a way, isn't marriage a type of job? Isn't it a more important job, with more important responsibilities?

Your relationship would be put under "serious strain" because your spouse told an untruth about something?

Does that mean that you have NEVER told an untruth, embellished the truth, or failed to give complete disclosure when asked a question?

In your entire life? Including childhood?

Again, I'm not advocating misrepresentation of the truth, but I'm saying that each case has to be judged for what is right for the business,

as with what is right for the marriage.

I mean, if your wife lied to you in order to plan a surprise party, would that put serious strain on your relationship or trust?

But then I'm the sort who won't frequent a shop/business who can't be bothered to proof read their advertising.

Me too

Why not? If they are careless enough to allow a typo they may be underpricing merchandise, or would it be unethical for me to take advantage?

No, I'm just a snob.

Is this a singular or double standard for you?

Would you divorce your spouse on the grounds of misspelling?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

In the case of a publicly owned corporation, the stakeholders are not just management and employees, but the board of directors and shareholders as well. In a marriage (as we define it today), there are only two. Making discretionary case-by-case exceptions is much easier when you have only two.

[jundp 191]

Considering my husband speaks more languages and spells better than I... nope

I have no problems admitting that I'm a snob when it comes to BUSINESSES having improper spelling or grammar in their advertisements. Sorry, but if you care enough to advertise, then care enough to proofread.

[*Robert* 2]

Once again, a marriage and a job can't necessarily have the same type of guidelines.

It is always best not to have any gray area, where the same rules always apply, so that you don't always have to take things on a case-by-case basis. However, that is not always possible.

With that said, not all lies are bad lies, and some lies have more serious consequences than others.

When you marry someone, you marry them till death do you part. That is not the case when you hire someone.

Edited December 6, 2008 by roi_aggie

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I have no problems admitting that I'm a snob when it comes to BUSINESSES having improper spelling or grammar in their advertisements. Sorry, but if you care enough to advertise, then care enough to proofread.

Wow.

[Ling Ling 22]

In the case of a publicly owned corporation, the stakeholders are not just management and employees, but the board of directors and shareholders as well. In a marriage (as we define it today), there are only two. Making discretionary case-by-case exceptions is much easier when you have only two.

I can not debate that logic. But are you saying that due to the complexity of a publicly owned corporation, discretionary decisions should not be made on a case-by-case basis?

Are you saying that the decision should not consider what's best for the business in the long-term, and/or if options other than termination should be considered?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

In the case of a publicly owned corporation, the stakeholders are not just management and employees, but the board of directors and shareholders as well. In a marriage (as we define it today), there are only two. Making discretionary case-by-case exceptions is much easier when you have only two.

I can not debate that logic. But are you saying that due to the complexity of a publicly owned corporation, discretionary decisions should not be made on a case-by-case basis?

Are you saying that the decision should not consider what's best for the business in the long-term, and/or if options other than termination should be considered?

I am saying it is more difficult to get buy-in when you have a lot of stakeholders. I am saying sometimes, the effort isn't worth it, especially when the infraction we're looking to "forgive" is so publicly visible.

[jundp 191]

I have no problems admitting that I'm a snob when it comes to BUSINESSES having improper spelling or grammar in their advertisements. Sorry, but if you care enough to advertise, then care enough to proofread.

Wow.

I know.

[Ling Ling 22]

Once again, a marriage and a job can't necessarily have the same type of guidelines.

It is always best not to have any gray area, where the same rules always apply, so that you don't always have to take things on a case-by-case basis. However, that is not always possible.

With that said, not all lies are bad lies, and some lies have more serious consequences than others.

When you marry someone, you marry them till death do you part. That is not the case when you hire someone.

Once again, marriage is a type of job. You have responsibilities, and are compensated with happiness.

Marriage as with employment, comes with a hope/desire of "until death do we part", but the reality of both (with some exceptions in culture and religion)

is that the contract is actually "until physical death or lack of desire on either or both parties, do we part".

Yes, a marriage is different from a business...but just as you say not all lies are bad, so too not all misrepresentations are harmful,

and need to be judged on a case-by-case basis, not by the hatchet of your personal ethics, but the scalpel of careful consideration.