Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson Caught Padding Resume

For the last four months, Yahoo chief executive officer (CEO) Scott Thompson has been trying desperately to get his failing company back on track. Now he faces the same task with his own career.

Thompson is facing embarrassment, and even the possibility of having to resign his lofty position as it appears he may have padded his resume.

According to reports, Thompson may have considerably exaggerated his education at Stonehill College, a small Catholic institution not far from Boston.

Computer Science Degree Not Earned

It now appears that Thompson, who legitimately received a bachelor of science degree in business administration with a minor in accounting from Stonehill, may have added a computer science degree to his record without actually earning it.

Thompson graduated from Stonehill in 1979 -- more than thirty years ago -- and in the interim has established himself as a competent technology industry leader.

The current flap over his resume, however, has provided enough reason for at least one significant Yahoo investor to call for Thompson's immediate resignation.

"CEO's have been terminated for less at other companies," noted Daniel Loeb, who controls 5.8 per cent of Yahoo's stock through his hedge fund Third Point LLC. (Source: delawareonline.com)

Yahoo Reviewing Alleged Fib

Yahoo says that it is "reviewing this matter and, upon completion of its review, will make an appropriate disclosure to shareholders."

However, Yahoo has already revealed that it believes the resume slip-up was the result of "an inadvertent error," strongly suggesting the company accepts that Thompson did not mean to lie. (Source: pcworld.com)

Many analysts are incredulous that one of the industry's leading figures would allow such a mistake to remain on his resume for several years.

"Resume-padding is the most bush-league of the many dissimulations available to ambitious executives," noted IDC analyst Hadley Reynolds.

"His enemies must be amazed at their luck in unearthing a public misrepresentation issue that calls Scott Thompson's ethical judgment, professional competence, and basic intelligence into question all at once." (Source: pcworld.com)

Although he's been with Yahoo for just four months, Thompson has already made huge changes to the company. Among them is a massive restructuring plan he initiated in April, 2012, intending to save the firm $375 million by laying off 14 per cent of its workforce.