What is more worrying is that the 46-year-old was not only named 'Asia-Pacific hotelier' of the year, but resigned just weeks before he was to join the company's board of directors. At the time of Mr Imbardelli's board appointment, chairman David Webster said: "Patrick brings a wealth of experience to the board. His skills are widely recognised and his knowledge is of particular value."

With the internet now watching our every move, shouldn't companies sift through search engines and collect as much information as possible to help verify each candidate's CV? Then, if something does not add up, the application can be disregarded or the candidate questioned about it in an interview. This is surely a reasonable expectation, since most companies expect candidates to do as much research into the organisation as possible prior to the interview.

However, Mr Imbardelli's case also illustrates the fact that even without qualifications, a potential employee can have what it takes to reach the top. So, are CVs really an accurate representation of a candidate's ability? The BBC programme 'The Apprentice' shows that while on paper some candidates can appear to have the 'right stuff', the truest test is to see the candidates in real situations, dealing with real problems - a trial day for prospective employees would offer just such an opportunity.

Earlier this month, Personnel Today reported on the results of a survey conducted by recruitment website Monster.co.uk., revealing that two-thirds of the British workforce would lie on their applications to get a job. Meanwhile, a separate survey conducted by Backgroundchecking.com found that four in 10 Brits would lie on their CV if they could get away with it [subscription required].

Looks like the interviewers could have their work cut out.