Research Suggests Strategic Omissions on CVs Can Boost Job Prospects
New economic research provides a clear, evidence-based answer to a common dilemma faced by graduates: complete honesty is not always the best policy when crafting a curriculum vitae. The study specifically examines whether disclosing weaker academic qualifications helps or hinders job seekers in the competitive graduate employment market.
The Honesty Dilemma in CV Writing
Writing a CV requires numerous important decisions about what to include, what to leave out, and precisely how honest to be about one's qualifications and experience. One particularly tricky dilemma that frequently arises is whether to disclose weaknesses on a CV or remain strategically silent about them.
Common sense typically suggests it's unwise to actively advertise personal flaws, but what about important information that employers might reasonably expect applicants to supply? Could the deliberate omission of such details appear suspicious or damage credibility?
Research conducted by economists at Newcastle University focuses specifically on this question, examining the academic qualifications of new graduates entering the job market. The findings provide a clear, evidence-based conclusion: if your grades are low, you are generally better off not disclosing this information on your initial application.
The UK Degree Classification System
In the United Kingdom, where the research was conducted, most universities award undergraduate degrees according to a standard classification scale:
- First-class honours
- Upper second-class honours (2:1)
- Lower second-class honours (2:2)
- Third-class honours
While a first or 2:1 classification is often viewed as evidence of strong academic performance, lower degree classifications are generally held in lower esteem by employers. A graduate jobseeker with a lower classification therefore faces a strategic choice about what to reveal on their CV.
They can be completely upfront about their degree classification, or they could simply state that they have obtained a degree without mentioning the specific class. A third option—actively lying about the classification—is generally considered unwise because employers frequently request verification and can easily uncover such deception.
Challenging Traditional Economic Theory
Perhaps surprisingly, traditional economic theory would likely favour full disclosure in such situations. Game theory analysis of similar scenarios—where a "seller" (in this case, a jobseeker offering their skills) possesses information about their quality that they can voluntarily disclose or conceal from "buyers" (employers)—suggests that failure to supply available evidence typically creates suspicion.
Some economists have concluded that buyers will assume non-disclosing sellers must be not merely mediocre, but of the lowest possible quality level. In the context of graduate recruitment, this would mean employers would presume that any applicant whose CV omits degree classification information must have a third-class degree and should be treated accordingly.
To avoid this negative assumption, traditional theory suggests it would be in the interests of any applicant who earned a 2:2 or higher to disclose their classification proactively.
Real-World Application Behaviour
To understand how job seekers actually behave in practice, researchers analysed thousands of CVs from recent graduates on the prominent job website Monster. They discovered that a substantial minority of applicants deliberately left their degree class undisclosed. Presumably included among these applicants were many individuals with at least a 2:2 classification who chose strategic omission.
To determine whether these applicants were making a tactical error, the researchers conducted a large-scale experiment, sending more than 12,000 applications to genuine graduate job vacancies. These applications varied only in the jobseeker's degree classification and whether this information was disclosed on their CV, with all other details kept identical.
Success was measured by how often applications resulted in invitations for interviews or further communication from employers. As anticipated, the most successful applications were those disclosing a first-class degree.
Surprising Experimental Results
However, applicants who said nothing about their degree class were not the least successful group. Instead, their success rate fell between that achieved by jobseekers disclosing 2:1s and those disclosing 2:2s. Applicants who openly reported a third-class degree were the least likely to receive any positive response from employers.
Put simply, full disclosure of weaker academic credentials actually harmed applicants' chances of progressing to the interview stage. These findings directly challenge the neat logic of traditional economic theory, which would predict that hiding poor grades should not provide any advantage if employers consistently assume the worst about missing information.
Practical Implications for Recruiters and Applicants
In practice, it appears that recruiters often lack sufficient time to scrutinise every detail of every application. When faced with hundreds of CVs, hiring managers may skim documents quickly, focusing primarily on standout positive attributes or obvious negative indicators. If academic grades are not prominently displayed, this information may simply go unnoticed during initial screening.
While interviewers might eventually ask about academic performance later in the application process, by initially concealing weaker grades, otherwise attractive applicants can help themselves reach the interview stage. Once there, they can use other qualities—such as interpersonal skills, relevant experience, or demonstrated competencies—to impress potential employers.
The practical message emerging from this research is clear and straightforward. If you possess strong academic credentials, you should highlight them proudly on your CV. However, if your academic results are weaker, you are under no obligation to advertise them prominently. Omitting this information will not guarantee success, but it may significantly increase your chances of reaching the interview stage.
Leveling the Playing Field
The graduate job market remains intensely competitive across most sectors and industries. Yet this study suggests that lower academic grades do not need to define a candidate's employment prospects, provided they make careful, strategic choices about self-presentation.
Strategic omissions may help level the playing field for those whose academic record does not fully reflect their potential or capabilities. So if you have recently graduated with a third-class degree, there's no need to panic about your employment prospects—and according to this research, no immediate need to mention your classification either.
Tom Lane is a Senior Lecturer in Economics at Newcastle University. This article is based on research originally published in The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
