# copying someone else's cv?



## Thimble Queen (May 10, 2013)

So a friend of mine was looking for a job recently, she wasn't having much luck so I offered to take a look her have a look at my CV and an example of an old covering letter so she cold spruce her's up a bit

So I've gone on linkedin today and I took a look at her profile while I'm on there. I read her summary and it all starts to sound a bit familiar, very familiar until it gets to the point where it's basically stuff copied and pasted from my CV and covering letter. By the end she hasn't even changed the language at all... I worked quite hard to write that stuff and now I feel a bit disgruntled....

If a recruiter saw both our profiles wouldn't they presume we were just bullshitting or something? Some of it blatantly doesn't even apply to the type of role that she does

It's just feels weird...


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## Pickman's model (May 10, 2013)

do her knees and you'll feel better


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## boohoo (May 10, 2013)

It's a bit cheeky. You could nicely mention it to her that she seems to have copied much of your wording.


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## Fez909 (May 10, 2013)

MrsDarlingsKiss said:


> So a friend of mine was looking for a job recently, she wasn't having much luck so I offered to take a look her have a look at my CV and an example of an old covering letter so she cold spruce her's up a bit
> 
> So I've gone on linkedin today and I took a look at her profile while I'm on there. I read her summary and it all starts to sound a bit familiar, very familiar until it gets to the point where it's basically stuff copied and pasted from my CV and covering letter. By the end she hasn't even changed the language at all... I worked quite hard to write that stuff and now I feel a bit disgruntled....
> 
> ...


 
I think it's rude, but perhaps she hasn't considered how it would affect you. She might have just thought, "well, we won't be applying for the same jobs so no one will ever know", or something similar. Quiet word asking her to rewrite it should do it, I reckon.


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## Thimble Queen (May 10, 2013)

Yeah i was just gonna say so er my cv and stuff came in handy on linked in  or something and see what she says

I've spent some time rewriting mines and it actually sounds a lot better than what I had before but its not the point really, eh. I still feel like its a bit cheeky...


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## Pickman's model (May 10, 2013)

do her elbows as well then, that'll learn her


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## Thimble Queen (May 10, 2013)

Pickman's model said:


> do her elbows as well then, that'll learn her


 
yeah i know there are more important things to worry about like class struggle and that


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## geminisnake (May 10, 2013)

It's not a bit cheeky it's downright out of order imo!! Rude, inconsiderate, stupid, etc. Sorry I take things like this a bit seriously. I'd be way peed off.


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## Thimble Queen (May 10, 2013)

oh yeah i think what mates it feel a bit more weird is this girl has recently become my housemate


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## xenon (May 10, 2013)

Yeah, out of order IMO. Copying the structure, fair enough but copying the detail, phrases and alike takes the piss. And now she lives with you?


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## Thimble Queen (May 10, 2013)

@zenon yeah it was the structure that i expected her to copy and perhaps the style of the language but not the detail...

Yeah she moved in about a month ago, its only temporary tho... just while she gets herself sorted


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## stuff_it (May 10, 2013)

Pickman's model said:


> do her elbows as well then, that'll learn her


Fingers, she'll not be applying for many jobs with no fingers. 


xenon said:


> Yeah, out of order IMO. Copying the structure, fair enough but copying the detail, phrases and alike takes the piss. And now she lives with you?


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## equationgirl (May 10, 2013)

Using the same structure would have been fine, using the whole thing is not.


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## Thimble Queen (May 10, 2013)

equationgirl said:


> Using the same structure would have been fine, using the whole thing is not.


 
The first two paragraphs have been edited with her info added in... its a lot more obvious in the second one though, to me anyway because its my writing. The third paragraph is just a straight up copy and paste jobby.


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## StoneRoad (May 10, 2013)

not just downright cheeky - "borrowing" structure is OK but strightforward C&P is plagarism.......I'ld be more than a little p***ed off. Temporary housemate or not, your friend needs to finish the rewriting properly......

"Yeah i was just gonna say so er my cv and stuff came in handy on linked in  or something and see what she says" - that sounds a good approach, MrsDarlingsKiss - I'ld go with that, give her a chance to edit the cv/profile - then point out that guidance is one thing but ouright copying is not on.


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## Part 2 (May 11, 2013)

Throw her out on the street. See how many job offers she gets when she's sleeping in a box.


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## JimW (May 11, 2013)

OTOH, now she's your housemate you have easy access to all her important joints and other delicate bones pretty much whenever it suits, and probably a toolbox handy as well.


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## pinkmonkey (May 11, 2013)

Someone (who once called me asking what my day rate was, I wonder why?), lifted my cv from my website, word for word and used it on Craigslist in Atlanta in the USA to try and get freelance work.
I discovered it because I set Google alerts for random phrases from my website to check it's not being plagiarised. 
She was a bit spooked when I emailed her and told her to take it down.
I no longer publish my cv online.
Still, this isn't as bad as a product designer I know in the USA who has interviewed people who have his actual work that was posted on his website, in their portfolio!


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## existentialist (May 11, 2013)

MrsDarlingsKiss said:


> So a friend of mine was looking for a job recently, she wasn't having much luck so I offered to take a look her have a look at my CV and an example of an old covering letter so she cold spruce her's up a bit
> 
> So I've gone on linkedin today and I took a look at her profile while I'm on there. I read her summary and it all starts to sound a bit familiar, very familiar until it gets to the point where it's basically stuff copied and pasted from my CV and covering letter. By the end she hasn't even changed the language at all... I worked quite hard to write that stuff and now I feel a bit disgruntled....
> 
> ...


It's actually quite important that you DO get her to change it. An employer looking at both of you may well spot the closeness of the CVs, and won't necessarily know who the plagiarist is, which could count against you both (this might be a good argument to get her to change hers!).


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## Riklet (May 11, 2013)

Tell her you're not that happy with the copying and you want it reworded at very least.

You let her look to help her, you didn't offer to do it for her.  She needs to realise that.


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## Thimble Queen (May 11, 2013)

existentialist said:


> It's actually quite important that you DO get her to change it. An employer looking at both of you may well spot the closeness of the CVs, and won't necessarily know who the plagiarist is, which could count against you both (this might be a good argument to get her to change hers!).


 
thanks for this... I spoke to someone irl who shrugged it off and said its not a big deal, so hearing this from you and others, Makes me feel like I'm not being a massive precious twat...They also said that I should take it was a compliment because its obvs means that I'm clever   I don't know if you spotted it up thread but I spent some time yesterday rewriting mine so the similarities are less apparent now but the paragraph that was straight c&p'd is still a problem.


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## Thimble Queen (May 11, 2013)

oh also i did the rewording to avoid a confrontation... but i still do have to talk to her don't I


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## existentialist (May 11, 2013)

MrsDarlingsKiss said:


> oh also i did the rewording to avoid a confrontation... but i still do have to talk to her don't I


I think you probably at least need to say to her something like "It is flattering that you felt my CV - content AND form - is so wonderful that you wanted to just copy it outright, but you need to know that I don't like it that you have. I would like you to change it. HAND."


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## EastEnder (May 11, 2013)

MrsDarlingsKiss said:


> They also said that I should take it was a compliment because its obvs means that I'm clever


Next time get her to copy your bloke's. That'll learn her.


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## equationgirl (May 11, 2013)

MrsDarlingsKiss said:


> thanks for this... I spoke to someone irl who shrugged it off and said its not a big deal, so hearing this from you and others, Makes me feel like I'm not being a massive precious twat...They also said that I should take it was a compliment because its obvs means that I'm clever  I don't know if you spotted it up thread but I spent some time yesterday rewriting mine so the similarities are less apparent now but the paragraph that was straight c&p'd is still a problem.


You are so not being precious about this!  That's your CV and you put a lot of time and effort into creating it to showcase your experience in the best way. You didn't do it so that she could copy it wholesale. And saying you should view it as a compliment is just a cop-out. It's NOT flattering to have all your hard work just ripped off like that.


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## Thimble Queen (May 11, 2013)

Thanks equationgirl i will definitely speak to her

if anyone has any gentle suggestions on how i can put it that would be great. I really don't want a confrontation. It's made more difficult by the the fact that we live together now. With all the other stuff thats going on i can't deal with tension at home...


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## equationgirl (May 11, 2013)

MrsDarlingsKiss said:


> Thanks equationgirl i will definitely speak to her
> 
> if anyone has any gentle suggestions on how i can put it that would be great. I really don't want a confrontation. It's made more difficult by the the fact that we live together now. With all the other stuff thats going on i can't deal with tension at home...


You could just say that you've noticed she's used large sections of your CV and put them on linkedin. Even if your work experiences and histories are similar, its not appropriate.


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## Bob_the_lost (May 13, 2013)

I'd reject candidates if I found duplicate content on another person's CV. Hell I have rejected them it in the past on that basis.


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## abe11825 (May 13, 2013)

Like everyone else has suggested, you really need to sort her out. It's completely different if you two were both looking for work in the same field - then the wording or key phrases wouldn't look so harsh... terms used here or there for whatever the job is (like saying you've had X amount of years as a whatever, with so many years mastering the art of .. such things... ecc). It's one thing to have you help her with it or make suggestions on how to "make it better", it's another to just nick it and call it her own That's just being lazy.


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## equationgirl (May 18, 2013)

MrsDarlingsKiss did you manage to speak to her at all?


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## stuff_it (May 18, 2013)

equationgirl said:


> MrsDarlingsKiss did you manage to speak to her at all?


MrsDarlingsKiss has probably been murdered and replaced by her new flatmate by now.


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## equationgirl (May 18, 2013)

stuff_it said:


> MrsDarlingsKiss has probably been murdered and replaced by her new flatmate by now.


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## Thimble Queen (May 19, 2013)

stuff_it said:


> MrsDarlingsKiss has probably been murdered and replaced by her new flatmate by now.



Narp I've run off to Berlin for a few days. Next stop Barcelona 

I haven't spoken to her about CV yet


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## geminisnake (May 19, 2013)

Ostrich!!  I just had to check with hubby I'd got the bird right


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## Thimble Queen (May 20, 2013)

geminisnake said:


> Ostrich!!  I just had to check with hubby I'd got the bird right



That's what she wants you to think.

Eta: I don't know what that means and have no memory of posting it. Berlin is very good for me.


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (May 20, 2013)

In a related matter, I've seen some of my (and other peoples) work on someones showreel that I know is not their own. Cheeky bastard sent the website with it on to a co-worker.


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## thriller (May 20, 2013)

what's the big deal? She is just copying the cover letter and the layout. She hasn't done the same job as you so big deal is what? I've copied a cover letter my former work colleague gave me. we never applied for the same job.


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## Thimble Queen (May 20, 2013)

thriller said:


> what's the big deal? She is just copying the cover letter and the layout. She hasn't done the same job as you so big deal is what? I've copied a cover letter my former work colleague gave me. we never applied for the same job.



Thanks for the helpful response.


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## equationgirl (May 20, 2013)

thriller said:


> what's the big deal? She is just copying the cover letter and the layout. She hasn't done the same job as you so big deal is what? I've copied a cover letter my former work colleague gave me. we never applied for the same job.


The big deal is she's ripped off MrsDarlingsKiss hard work and effort in creating a CV.

She isn't just  reusing a covering letter. Read the OP properly.


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## thriller (May 20, 2013)

well i have no issues with anyone copying my cv layout. change the job titles etc. no biggie. think the OP is just worried her friend will get a better paid job than her.


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## equationgirl (May 20, 2013)

thriller said:


> well i have no issues with anyone copying my cv layout. change the job titles etc. no biggie. think the OP is just worried her friend will get a better paid job than her.


She's copied EVERYTHING without changing it. 

It's not about her mate getting a better paid job than her at all.


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## thriller (May 20, 2013)

equationgirl said:


> She's copied EVERYTHING without changing it.


 
ah now that is something different entirely.


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## Thimble Queen (May 20, 2013)

equationgirl said:


> She's copied EVERYTHING without changing it.
> 
> It's not about her mate getting a better paid job than her at all.



She didn't copy everything tbf. But there are large chunks of text tgat have been copy and pasted.
This isn't at all about money. Its about feeling like someone's taken advantage when you've done a favour.


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## equationgirl (May 20, 2013)

MrsDarlingsKiss said:


> She didn't copy everything tbf. But there are large chunks of text tgat have been copy and pasted.
> This isn't at all about money. Its about feeling like someone's taken advantage when you've done a favour.


Ok, not absolutely everything but large chunks of it? I still think it's wrong, and she did take advantage.


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## equationgirl (May 20, 2013)

I've certainly shared by CV and a covering letter with people. Mine is fairly unique though, so anyone copying it would have a hard time blagging their way through if they copied it.

But I've only shared it with people who I trust in any case.

I have, however, shared my work appraisal stuff freely, as our system is hard to understand and a pain in the arse. It's much easier to do if there's examples to work from.


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## Thimble Queen (May 20, 2013)

If she would've been upfront and said I copied quite a bit of it it prob wouldn't be so bad... but im not quite as annoyed anout it s I was before... Also im on holiday so cvs, flatmate drama and real.life are all pretty low down on the list atm


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## existentialist (May 21, 2013)

thriller said:


> what's the big deal? She is just copying the cover letter and the layout. She hasn't done the same job as you so big deal is what? I've copied a cover letter my former work colleague gave me. we never applied for the same job.


You don't feel that a suspiciously similar copy of your CV with someone else's name on it landing alongside yours on a recruiter's desk would have a potentially negative effect on your prospects? 

Quite apart from the bloody cheek of someone copying your CV wholesale in the first place...


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## JHE (May 21, 2013)

I am amazed that someone could just adopt someone else's CV.  I expect she means no harm, but it's a very foolish thing to do.  It's reckless, utterly thoughtless.  Is the person who has done this very stupid and/or very young?  If so, I guess it's forgiveable, but she needs to be helped to understand why it's a very bad idea.


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## existentialist (May 21, 2013)

At the risk of sounding like a tired old curmudgeon (because that's Sass' job ), I wonder if this is another example of the kind of "cargo cult" mentality that seems to have developed over the last few decades whereby the originality of the contents comes a poor second to making the right incantations and ticking all the boxes. I am regularly surprised by apparently intelligent people who seem to believe that everything comes down to slavishly copying stuff.


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## maya (May 25, 2013)

Just 'accidentally' show her this thread, or print out a paper copy of it and leave it around the house, that'll teach her soon enough... 

(*my sympathies, BTW... it was *definitely* out of order, you're right to react and i hope you woman up enough to confront her about it- she deserves a good scolding, don't be afraid about creating housemate tension- bonus could be that after arguing, she conveniently decides to move out! win/win )


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## gabi (May 25, 2013)

Massive overreaction, but thats not surprising.

I've helped out my mates on their CVs and couldnt give a flying fuck if they use the same language as mine tbh.


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## UhOhSeven (May 25, 2013)

I would take this incident as quite flattering myself. She was insecure enough to ask for your help, and couldn't see how to improve on your wording.

Be gentle with her (unless you know that she's really just a lazy ungrateful moo-bag who needs a good ticking off).

I speak as someone who is shit at CVs and would leap at the chance of copying a good one.


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## xes (May 25, 2013)

I have someone sending me their cv, so I can write mine and send it back to her to view and make any changes she feels need to be made. I've never actually needed a cv, so I kind of need a bit of help. I shant be copying it though, that would be silly, as we both do  totally different jobs.


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## equationgirl (May 25, 2013)

UhOhSeven said:


> I would take this incident as quite flattering myself. She was insecure enough to ask for your help, and couldn't see how to improve on your wording.
> 
> Be gentle with her (unless you know that she's really just a lazy ungrateful moo-bag who needs a good ticking off).
> 
> I speak as someone who is shit at CVs and would leap at the chance of copying a good one.


 
At the very least you need to write it in your own words. Interviewers tend to ask questions about what's on your CV and if you can't talk about what's on it, they'll suss out pretty quickly it's not your CV.


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## UhOhSeven (May 25, 2013)

Oh yes. It would be a catastrophic error not to understand your own CV. Of all the interview faux pas I've committed, that's not one.


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## Thimble Queen (May 26, 2013)

Hey im still away so not really able to reply.... but I've chilled out about it a lot and I figure that anyone that meets me will be able to tell straight up that I can do the stuff I say I can so give a shit


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## Thimble Queen (May 26, 2013)

gabi said:


> Massive overreaction, but thats not surprising.
> 
> I've helped out my mates on their CVs and couldnt give a flying fuck if they use the same language as mine tbh.



Fuck off Gabi, with your 'massive' over reaction bollocks. I purposefully stay away from you on here... keep your passive aggressive shit to yourself.   I've been quite measured in my response to the situation.  Anyway just fuck off.


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## kittyP (May 26, 2013)

gabi said:
			
		

> Massive overreaction, but thats not surprising.
> 
> I've helped out my mates on their CVs and couldnt give a flying fuck if they use the same language as mine tbh.



Massive overreaction would be an op saying "total cheating cunt. Ripped me off. How do I dispose of the body. I can't believe this has happened", not "do you think it was a bit out of order?" 

From what you have said MDK, you do different jobs so it's not like your going to be outdone by her but if you are linked by linked in, and a potential employer of yours where to really go through your profile, see her CV with some virtually identical stuff, that might be worse than someone who would be going for the same jobs as you as it's so much less explainable than someone in the same field.


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## existentialist (May 26, 2013)

MrsDarlingsKiss said:


> Fuck off Gabi, with your 'massive' over reaction bollocks. I purposefully stay away from you on here... keep your passive aggressive shit to yourself.   I've been quite measured in my response to the situation.  Anyway just fuck off.


I thought Gabi's was a pretty nasty post, too.


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## Thimble Queen (May 26, 2013)

Thanks kittyP and existentialist up with this shit I will not put.


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## gabi (May 26, 2013)

MrsDarlingsKiss said:


> Fuck off Gabi, with your 'massive' over reaction bollocks. I purposefully stay away from you on here... keep your passive aggressive shit to yourself. I've been quite measured in my response to the situation. Anyway just fuck off.


 
Nothing passive about my aggression. You're a cunt  And I am SO glad I never have to cross paths with you again.


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## equationgirl (May 26, 2013)

gabi said:


> Nothing passive about my aggression. You're a cunt  And I am SO glad I never have to cross paths with you again.


 
Is that really necessary?


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## Thimble Queen (May 26, 2013)

gabi said:


> Nothing passive about my aggression. You're a cunt  And I am SO glad I never have to cross paths with you again.



The feelings absolutely mutual.  Yet I don't feel the need to troll you and name call. It was YEARS ago get the fuck over it.


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## gabi (May 26, 2013)

I wasn't trolling. I was offering advice. The fact you're hurting over the fact that someone 'copied' your CV is sad. Perhaps if people on this thread had met you in person they would understand why this thread is full of shit


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## editor (May 26, 2013)

gabi said:


> Nothing passive about my aggression. You're a cunt  And I am SO glad I never have to cross paths with you again.


Please put her on ignore rather then continuing to throw around nasty insults then. Thanks.


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## gabi (May 26, 2013)

I dont use ignore editor. that makes discussion boards pointless. thanks for the tip tho.


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## Wookey (May 26, 2013)

UhOhSeven said:


> I would take this incident as quite flattering myself. She was insecure enough to ask for your help, and couldn't see how to improve on your wording.
> 
> Be gentle with her (unless you know that she's really just a lazy ungrateful moo-bag who needs a good ticking off).
> 
> I speak as someone who is shit at CVs and would leap at the chance of copying a good one.



Totes my feelins. Some people can't create good CVs and telling them to "put it in their own words" isn't that helpful - if she could do that surely she'd have a great CV to start with? I'd be flattered and help her write a CV of her own that she can be proud of, share the skills babe. x


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## Thimble Queen (May 26, 2013)

gabi said:


> I wasn't trolling. I was offering advice. The fact you're hurting over the fact that someone 'copied' your CV is sad. Perhaps if people on this thread had met you in person they would understand why this thread is full of shit



Are you on something? 

Go away you sad, pathetic little man.


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## Thimble Queen (May 26, 2013)

Wookey said:


> Totes my feelins. Some people can't create good CVs and telling them to "put it in their own words" isn't that helpful - if she could do that surely she'd have a great CV to start with? I'd be flattered and help her write a CV of her own that she can be proud of, share the skills babe. x



Yeah I get that and was happy to help her which it did but the stuff that she straight up copied is not relevant to her job. We work in very different fields. Its just a bit odd. Also she is a very intelligent girl, she's pretty articulate... 

As I've said up thread it doesn't bother me so much anymore... its a little weird. Im gonna have a chat to her about it at some point.  Im kind of hoping that the stuff that was straight copied was just a mistake or she put the wrong version online or something. Im sure there's a simple explanation.  She's a nice girl


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## Wookey (May 26, 2013)

MrsDarlingsKiss said:


> Im sure there's a simple explanation.  She's a nice girl



Exactles! And as an articulate, intelligent, nice girl there's probably loads of skills she has that you could maybe call on one day, so fill up your karmic bank account while you can!


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## editor (May 26, 2013)

gabi said:


> I dont use ignore editor. that makes discussion boards pointless. thanks for the tip tho.


 
Then kindly stop throwing around the insults. You've made your point very clearly now, thanks.


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## Pickman's model (May 26, 2013)

gabi said:


> I dont use ignore editor. that makes discussion boards pointless. thanks for the tip tho.


Maybe you don't use it but you're a good advert for it


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## Agent Sparrow (May 26, 2013)

Fucking hell gabi, you are being well out of order here.


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## Mation (May 31, 2013)

MrsDarlingsKiss said:


> As I've said up thread it doesn't bother me so much anymore... its a little weird. Im gonna have a chat to her about it at some point. Im kind of hoping that the stuff that was straight copied was just a mistake or she put the wrong version online or something. Im sure there's a simple explanation. She's a nice girl


I'd be very pissed off, initially at least. It seems incredibly rude.

But it just occurred to me that perhaps she didn't realise that these were _your_ words on the CV, rather than that you had just found some great open resource full of generic CV stuff to say. In which case she might also have thought that that's specifically why you gave it to her. If you're going to bring it up with her, whether the above is true or not, perhaps you could say that you saw it and it looks good but it would be better if it contained something more specific to her. That you didn't realise that she didn't realise it wasn't generic, sort of thing..?


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## equationgirl (May 31, 2013)

Mation said:


> I'd be very pissed off, initially at least. It seems incredibly rude.
> 
> But it just occurred to me that perhaps she didn't realise that these were _your_ words on the CV, rather than that you had just found some great open resource full of generic CV stuff to say. In which case she might also have thought that that's specifically why you gave it to her. If you're going to bring it up with her, whether the above is true or not, perhaps you could say that you saw it and it looks good but it would be better if it contained something more specific to her. That you didn't realise that she didn't realise it wasn't generic, sort of thing..?


 
That's a good, non-confrontational way of putting it


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