Interesting - by Kanter's account I would therefore have the worker's values rather than the corporate ones, although I would identify myself as being thoroughly middle class. Perhaps the distinction between working for a corporation versus working for a smaller business would clarify things in my case. Interestingly those values valued by the corporation - conflict avoidance, etc - are also the ones most likely to suit any fascist or oppressive regime. Straightforwardness and integrity and standing up for what you believe in are all very well, but they're most inconvenient for the dominant status quo. What really irks me though is when the workers start collaborating with the dominant status quo in their own oppression. eg by adopting their values against their own self interest.

And this is where the letter writer comes in. You can only lose by collaborating in this lie. The truth always counts. It's always important. I was quite shocked by your line 'who hasn't lied on their CV' (paraphrasing here). I haven't. No one I know has. Because that would be lying. Because if/when it was found out you were lying you'd be sacked and your career and reputation would be shot. Or it would deserve to be anyway.

What's more, I WANT it to be this way. I WANT people to be truthful on their resumes so that the most capable person gets the job. Recently an American doctor with a US passport worked for a stint at a hospital in Queensland, a state of Australia. He is known as 'Dr Death' in Australia now because he directly killed tens of people and maimed and traumatised hundreds of others. He lied on his resume. And then, and this is so perfectly in line with what Cary wrote - the hospital hierarchy avoided conflict, maintained flexibility and humility in the face of his horrendous stats. They not only didn't sack him, even when there was tonnes of evidence about what he was doing, they PROMOTED him. Apparently because 'doctors stick together', and it would have reflected badly on the hospital to bring it out into the open. And none of them wanted to be 'the one' to do it... at the coronial enquiry the excuses went on and on. And the whole time the coroner was saying 'you did nothing, even though you knew people were needlessly dying?' And each one of them had to say yes. Unbelievable.

Finally it was a lowly nurse who blew the whistle on him eventually. He ran away to the US - hospital officials bought him a first class ticket to get out of there - and Australia in now in the horrendous process of trying to clear up this mess.

My point? That it's to everyone's disadvantage to cooperate with lies. That honesty and truth are crucial to the good workings of society, and what's more, the courage to stand up for what you believe in is a crucial test of a good person.

I think you should gently query this with your friend. If he doesn't get the hint I think you should say you can't be a referee for him. Encourage him to see that his resume can be impressive without being untrue.

Finally, it's amazing how small the world can be. It could well reflect on you down the track if you've colluded in a lie. What if you go for a job at the same company that hires him? Will you then have to maintain the illusion that he was your manager forever?