Scott Thompson last week became Yahoo’s second CEO to be fired in less than a year amid concerns over a reference in his CV and company filings to a bachelor’s degree in accounting and computer science from Stonehill College which it is alleged he never obtained. It is believed that Mr Thompson in fact only held a degree in accounting.
It is thought that the matter was notified to reporters by Third Point, a hedge fund that owns a six percent stake in Yahoo and who were allegedly pushing for Mr Thompson to be fired as a result of the inaccuracy. At first, it is reported that the error was blamed on a headhunting firm. However, it is believed that evidence quickly surfaced to contradict this story.
Needless to say, the above serves as a timely reminder to individuals to ensure the accuracy of the information on their CV so as to save any embarrassment in the future. In addition, companies may wish to ensure policies and procedures are in place to ensure any inaccuracies surface as part of the recruitment process when matters are very much out of the public eye.