Two Pints of Lager and a Pack of Lies, Please

That great institution, the British pub, is many things to many men, but for nearly two-thirds of young men it’s the place where they gather to brazenly tell a tale or two in order to impress their mates or members of the opposite sex.

Research conducted by learndirect Careers Advice reveals that 60% of men between the ages of 19 and 25 often tell little white lies in the pub. For those blokes who admit to being a little economical with the truth, the figures show that:
1. 47% claim to possess a skill or talent they don’t have
2. 31% boast about being better at a sport than they really are
3. 27% frequently exaggerate about their work related responsibilities to give the impression they rule the roost
4. 31% lie about owning shiny new goods such as a car or electronic equipment
5. 28% admit to false bravado when it comes to stories of success with the opposite sex

Young men in the North East are most likely to try and pull the wool over their mates’ eyes with 67% admitting to frequently fibbing in order to wow or woo. East Midland males are least likely to pull a fast one, although 50% still own up to telling the odd white lie – which highlights that many guys across the UK can’t help but tell porky pies.

When work becomes the topic of pub banter, young men are as likely to stretch the truth about their success at work as they are about their success with women. What’s more, men working in property and education are most likely to exaggerate about what they do for a living.

Lads think a good job and being a boss are important. In fact, a whopping 43% of young men claim to have a far more exciting job than the reality and one in five have claimed to occupy a higher position within their company than they actually do. 38% even admit to lying about what they earn – whose round is it next?

Although pub lies sound harmless enough, the reasons behind these work-related fibs highlight that a high number of young men are really not happy in their current jobs. In fact, the research reveals that an alarming 62% of 19-25 year old men in full-time work actually want to trade in their current job for something they’ve always wanted to do. Based on the research, this involves being challenged more, being paid more and being seen as a success.

TV and Radio 1 presenter Reggie Yates knows only too well the pitfalls of pub lies: “As a 25 year old man, I’ve come across a fair few pub Pinocchios in my time – guys will always brag, it’s in our nature. But when it comes to a job or career, you shouldn’t settle for exaggerating your monthly wedge or pretending to be your own boss – why not actually make it happen?”

Reggie, who is fronting the learndirect Careers Advice campaign to encourage young men to get more out of their job or career, comments: “I’m lucky to be working in a job that I love, but lots of people leave school or college without really knowing what they want to do, and it’s not until they start working and end up getting stuck in a rut that they realise their talents may lie elsewhere. What’s important is that reaching for your dreams is possible; you may just need some straight forward advice and guidance on how to get there, which is why a service like learndirect Careers Advice is a good place to start.”

learndirect Careers Advice Partnerships Manager, Paula Hardwick, says: “In the past 12 months, we have received enquiries from nearly 90,000 young men looking to make important decisions about their future. Some are simply unhappy in their job and want some kind of change, and others have a clearer view as to what job or career path they want to take, but need advice on how to get there. Our job at learndirect Careers Advice is to provide sound advice and help equip people with the means to reach their goals.”

learndirect Careers Advice is a free and impartial service available online or over the phone offering personalised careers advice. A dedicated team of specially trained Careers Coaches are on hand to provide one to one career guidance sessions, helping you to assess your options and start planning for your future. They will also help with CVs, application forms and preparation for interviews.

So whether you’re looking to make that step up the ladder or change your job or career direction, the learndirect Careers Advice service is available seven days a week from 8am to 10pm or 24 hours a day online. Call 0800 100 900 or log on to www.learndirect-advice.co.uk