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Last Updated on December 12, 2024
How many resumes are dirty?
Many individuals tend to overstate their achievements, contributions, and
The concept of presenting a version of ourselves that benefits us is not a new trend. From the clothes we wear to the images we post on social media, we constantly project idealized versions of ourselves to others. However, it is crucial to draw a clear line between what can be manipulated and what is fixed in stone.
Don’t let the fear of embellishment completely take over though. The point of a resume and the subsequent interview is to appear to be an attractive candidate to an employer. This demands that you highlight your accomplishmentsClick To TweetHow many lie on their resumes?
- According to a recent survey by StandOutCV, 55% of Americans have lied on their resume at least once.
- The most common lies told on resumes are about previous work experience (55.4%),
skills (43.1%),college degree (or equivalent) (41%), personal details (39.5%), and high school details (39.2%). - 75% of employers have caught candidates lying on their resumes.
It is important to note that lying on
Is it really a bad thing?
Here are some more recent examples of high-profile individuals who were caught lying on their resumes:
- Jeffrey Bingham Mead – In 2021, Jeffrey Bingham Mead resigned from his position as the top prosecutor in Solano County, California after it was discovered that he had lied about his military service and education credentials on his resume.
- Robert Flanagan – In 2021, Robert Flanagan, the Chief Information Officer of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, was placed on administrative leave after it was discovered that he had lied about the academic credentials on his resume.
- David Byers – In 2020, David Byers resigned from his position as the CEO of a credit union in Virginia after it was discovered that he had lied about his educational background on his resume.
- Steven Biegun – In 2020, Steven Biegun, the Deputy Secretary of State under the Trump administration, was found to have falsely claimed on his resume to have a graduate degree from the University of Oxford.
- Carlos Lozada – In 2020, Carlos Lozada resigned from his position as the head of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority after it was discovered that he had lied about the academic credentials on his resume.
According to a 2023 study by CareerBuilder found that 57% of employers found discrepancies in background checks.
This book explores the science of lying and provides tips on how to stop people from lying to you.
- The most common discrepancies were in the areas of employment history (44%), education (37%), and criminal records (26%).
- Employers are more likely to find discrepancies in the background checks of younger job applicants.
- Employers are more likely to find discrepancies in the background checks of job applicants with criminal records.
These statistics suggest that the percentage of background checks that find discrepancies has increased in recent years. This may be due to a number of factors, such as the increasing availability of background check information and the increasing sophistication of background check technology.
It is important to note that these statistics are based on self-reported data from employers, so the actual percentage of background checks that find discrepancies may be higher or lower. However, the statistics do suggest that a significant number of background checks find discrepancies, which highlights the importance of conducting background checks on job applicants.
This book provides tips on how to stretch the truth on your resume without getting caught.
If you were to candidly ask anyone who has been fired because of a resume falsification if they regret having that extra education section on their resume, I’m sure they would say yes. Sadly, most of these individuals achieved personal success which was not directly correlated to having these falsifications on their resumes but instead a result of a thousand other variables including track records, networks, and achievements.
So if you have the connections, and are aiming to be a CEO of a multi-million dollar company (it seems you must have the latter to achieve the former), then maybe distorting
Is it Illegal to Lie on your Resume ?
Resumes are legal documents, so it should not be technically illegal to lie on a resume (emphasis on “should”). I suppose there is the outside chance that if you were hired at an executive level in a public company because of falsifications of your qualifications there could be shareholder lawsuits.
Something else to remember is that if you get fired for lying on
Acceptable Inflation
Don’t let the fear of embellishment completely take over though. The point of a resume and the subsequent interview is to appear to be an attractive candidate to an employer. This demands that you highlight your accomplishments and place emphasis on your strengths while downplaying (or not mentioning at all) your weaknesses. Be honest, but be proud of what you’ve accomplished and it should show in your presentation of yourself. Also, the prevalence of online resume builders and career coaches these days helps to keep people honest by providing structured formats, how-to’s, and advice on the key points of creating a strong resume.
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Joey Trebif is the pen name of Mark Fiebert, a former finance executive who hired and managed dozens of professionals during his 30-plus-year career. He now shares expert job search, resume, and career advice on CareerAlley.com.
