Dinner: IMPOSSIBLE Host Robert Irvine Fired for Lying

Have you ever seen Food Network's show Dinner: IMPOSSIBLE? If you're a fan, you may be disappointed to hear that Forty-two-year-old British-born chef Robert Irvine, the show's host, has been sacked! The reason? Robert lied on his resume. When I first heard about this, I felt a sorry for the guy. Give him a break! However, after looking him up on Wikipedia, he not only lies majorly about his credentials, but also skips paying people who help him out. Wendy LaTorre claims she is owed over $100,000 for working with him. He sounds like a charmer, huh?

I've always thought it was perfectly acceptable to stretch and exaggerate a little on your resume. Well, maybe even more than a little, as long as it's for the greater good of a higher salary and more respect. Lying can get you in trouble, however. I know this lying on a resume on yahoo's hotjobs. It's much easier to lie online and on paper than in person, let me tell you that.

I assumed since I had went to college for an Associate's degree in Office Systems Technology for a few months, I could play it off completely. The phone interview went smoothly, but the in-person interview got a little uncomfortable.

The interviewer must have known I was lying. I was resisting the urge to bite my nails, which probably made me twitch uncontrollably. Have I mentioned I'm a lousy liar? He asked me about very specific questions about if I liked my teachers, what classes I took in the second half, and I was stuttering. He called my references in front of me, staring me down and making little tsking noises with his teeth.

After he got off the phone with my previous employers, we both sat in complete silence for a good three or four minutes. He told me that my previous employers hadn't been pleased with me as an employee, and would not rehire me. He asked me for the specifics.

I wasn't completely surprised to hear my previous employer, Jackie, wouldn't be hiring me back. I didn't show up for work one night, and had my mom call them three days later to tell them I wouldn't be back. She ended up lying and saying I had moved very, very far away.

What actually happened? Well, I was really sick of working there and wanted to go to a party with my friend, so I just "forgot" I had to work. It was a good night, but wow, I must have gotten seven calls from work. I did feel a little guilty.

Did I learn my lesson? Not really. Should you lie on your resume? If you think you can handle the consequences if your potential employer finds the truth, then go for it. If not, just stick the truth. Not that I advocate being employed, but I know sometimes it's unavoidable. Think about what's happened to Robert Irvine and what's happened to me, then decide how much you want to lie.

Source: http://www.seriouseats.com/required_eating/2008/02/robert-irvine-fired-from-the-food-network.html