You’ve been there. You spend hours writing a job ad. You post it. You sift through AI-written CVs. You finally find someone who feels like the missing puzzle piece for your team.
And then… two weeks in, the mask slips.
Suddenly, the “strategic operator” you hired doesn’t know what a Gantt chart is. The self-proclaimed “branding powerhouse” delivers a Canva template you’ve seen before. Welcome to 2025’s recruitment curveball: corporate catfishing.
What is Corporate Catfishing?
It’s not just a buzzword borrowed from the world of dating. Corporate catfishing refers to people misrepresenting their experience, skills, or role in past jobs to get hired—or land freelance work.
It’s happening more than you’d think. A 2025 survey by Monster found that 67% of employees say they’ve worked alongside someone who lied to land the job. In fact, 13% admitted to doing it themselves, most often by exaggerating job responsibilities, inflating technical abilities, or stretching timelines on their experience.
In a hiring market full of filters, AI tools, and pressure to stand out, some candidates are choosing fiction over fact.
Why It’s a Problem (Especially for Founders and First-Time Hirers)
Let’s be honest—big corporations can absorb a bad hire. You, as a founder or scaling team, probably can’t.
You’re not hiring for a cog in the machine. You’re hiring the machine operator. The strategist. The person who can turn ambiguity into action. If that person’s skillset is built on smoke and mirrors, your business pays the price in lost momentum, missed targets, and eroded trust.
This is particularly dangerous if:
- You’re a sole trader hiring your first external support
- You’ve raised investment and are hiring under pressure
- You’re building a lean team and can’t afford duplication of effort
The opportunity cost of hiring the wrong person is bigger than the salary you lose—it’s time, energy, and credibility.
What’s Fuelled the Rise of the Catfish?
In short? AI, burnout, and a hyper-competitive freelance/remote economy.
Job boards are packed with generic, overengineered job descriptions. Candidates are replying with cover letters written by ChatGPT. And platforms like LinkedIn are flooded with hot takes from people trying to position themselves as thought leaders overnight.
For candidates, the temptation to exaggerate is strong—especially when others are doing the same and getting away with it. For employers, the temptation to “oversell” roles (we’ve all read those “start-up rocket ship with unicorn energy” job posts) is just as high.
Authenticity has become the first casualty in a race to stand out.
How to Hire Without Getting Burned
Let’s be clear: most people are good. Most candidates want to do a great job. But a stronger process, grounded in clarity and honesty, is your best defence. Here’s what we recommend:
1. Be brutally clear about what the role is
No jargon. No “rockstars”. Just plain English about what you need and what success looks like after 30, 60, 90 days.
2. Test for real skills—not just polish
Give candidates a task. If it’s a marketing hire, ask them to write a short post or campaign plan. If it’s a product hire, get them to critique your onboarding flow. You’ll learn more in one hour of real thinking than ten pages of resume filler.
3. Gut-check every CV
Does it make sense? Do dates overlap? Do their achievements reflect the level they’re applying for? Look for consistency across LinkedIn, portfolios, and references. It’s not about nitpicking—it’s about pattern recognition.
4. Use short trials or probation wisely
Especially for freelance or contract roles. A small paid test project can save a big mistake later.
We Help You Spot the Real Deal
“Hiring in a high-growth environment is tough—you’re balancing urgency with long-term thinking. But the solution isn’t to rush or rely on gut instinct alone. It’s about building a process that reveals what you need to know, not just what people want to show.”
— Caroline Hall, Founder, The Small Consultancy
At The Small Consultancy, we don’t just help companies hire—we help them hire better.
We work with founder-led, PE-backed and scaling businesses to build the hiring foundations they need to grow with confidence. From shaping your internal hiring process to developing talent strategies and employer branding, we help you cut through the noise and find the right people faster.
If you’re hiring your next leader, building a team post-raise, or just tired of rolling the dice with recruitment—let’s talk.