I sat with a candidate last week whose CV said BSc Computer Science, 2023.

Good marks. Strong project list. I was already thinking about which client to put him in front of.

Then I asked when he graduated.

He hadn’t. One module outstanding, had to put it on hold due to financial constraints.

He’s not a bad candidate. He might still get the job. But that gap between what his CV said and what was true nearly cost him the conversation before it started.

I’ve been seeing more of this lately. Not one dramatic case. A pattern. A completed qualification that isn’t quite completed. A CV that reads like one career and a LinkedIn profile that reads like another. Nothing criminal. Just loose with the truth in places where it matters most.

Let’s talk about why that’s a problem, and what to do about it.

𝗧𝗟;𝗗𝗥

More CVs lately are showing completed qualifications that turn out to be in progress or on hold, and CVs that don’t match the candidate’s own LinkedIn profile. Neither is automatically dishonest, sometimes it’s just an unfinished module or an outdated profile. But when it is deliberate, it costs candidates the one thing a CV can’t fake: trust. For candidates: if something isn’t finished, say so, and keep your CV and LinkedIn consistent. For hiring managers: verify qualifications through SAQA when they’re a genuine requirement, ask specific questions, and judge honesty about an unfinished qualification differently from a qualification quietly dressed up as done.

𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦

𝗜𝗳 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱, 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝗼. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.

“BSc Computer Science, in progress, expected completion December 2026” or “BSc Computer Science, on hold due to financial constraints 2026” tells me exactly where you stand. It doesn’t cost you the interview. Writing “BSc Computer Science, 2023” when you’re still 1 module or 1 year short does, the moment I ask a follow-up question.

𝗪𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝘀𝗸. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗽.

A basic follow-up like “when did you graduate” or “talk me through your final year project” isn’t there to catch you out. It’s a normal part of any conversation about your CV. If the honest answer makes you uncomfortable, that discomfort is telling you something.

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗩 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆.

Not word for word. But your job titles, your dates, your companies, they need to line up. When they don’t, I’m not thinking “busy person, forgot to update LinkedIn.” I’m thinking “which version is true?” That question alone can move you from shortlist to silence.

𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸.

Employers in South Africa can verify qualifications directly through SAQA, and many do, especially for roles where the qualification is a hard requirement. If there’s a gap between what you claimed and what’s on record, it surfaces. Usually at the worst possible moment, after an offer’s already been made.

𝗔𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺. 𝗛𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀.

I’ve placed candidates with qualifications still in progress. What I can’t do is defend someone who told me it was finished when it wasn’t. That’s not a skills conversation anymore. That’s a trust conversation, and trust is much harder to win back than a missed module.

𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦

𝗔 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗩 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵.

You don’t need to interrogate every candidate. But if a qualification is a genuine requirement for the role, verify it, particularly at final offer stage. SAQA runs a verification service for South African qualifications for exactly this reason. It’s not about assuming the worst. It’s about not finding out the hard way.

𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀.

“Tell me about your degree” invites a rehearsed answer. “When did you finish your final year project, and what was it on?” invites a real one. Specific questions are harder to fake and easier to verify against what’s actually written down.

𝗔 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗴. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

Some candidates genuinely just don’t update LinkedIn. That’s real, and it’s not a character flaw. The difference is in how they answer when you ask about it. Hesitation and vague deflection tell you more than the mismatch itself ever will.

𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗩 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲, 𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀.

If someone’s upfront about an unfinished qualification, that honesty should count in their favour, not against them. But if you find something that was clearly dressed up to look finished when it wasn’t, that’s worth pausing on, whatever else is impressive about the CV.

𝗙𝗔𝗤: 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗖𝗩𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻

𝗤: 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗲𝘁. 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗖𝗩?

A: Yes, and you should, just label it correctly. “In progress, expected completion [date]” is honest and still shows commitment. What damages you is writing it as complete when it isn’t.

𝗤: 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗺𝘆 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀?

A: Often, yes, particularly where the qualification is a genuine requirement for the role. South African employers can verify national qualifications directly through SAQA. Assume it can be checked, because it usually can.

𝗤: 𝗠𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲. 𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗺𝗲?

A: On its own, probably not much. But if a hiring manager notices a real mismatch in dates, titles or companies between your CV and your profile, it raises a question you don’t want to be answering in an interview. Ten minutes updating LinkedIn is worth more than you’d think.

𝗤: 𝗔𝘀 𝗮 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿, 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲’𝘀 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻?

A: For South African national qualifications, SAQA offers a formal verification service to employers. It’s not instant and it’s not free, so use it where the qualification genuinely matters to the role, not as a blanket check on every hire.

𝗤: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲’𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱?

A: It varies, but it’s rarely good. Depending on the role and how central the qualification was to the offer, it can be grounds for the offer or the employment itself to be withdrawn. It’s a much harder conversation to have after the fact than it would have been at CV stage.

𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: 𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩, 𝘢 𝘊𝘝 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘥𝘐𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘦, 𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦? 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘰𝘧𝘧?

𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗱𝗴𝗲

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𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯.

Therese Otten is the founder of DataTech Recruitment and a Senior IT Recruitment Consultant with 20+ years of recruitment experience. She works with SMEs, start-ups and growing tech teams across South Africa, helping them find strong IT talent without losing the human side of hiring. She is known for her honest, practical approach and her focus on better hiring decisions, strong candidate care and long-term client relationships.

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