Career Blunders: Resume Lies

According to estimates by human resources professionals, and career services professionals, roughly 40% of job applicants lie on their resume. Since everyone's doing it, resume lies won't hurt your job search, right?

About 81 percent of employers verify education claims on applications and resumes, with 61 percent checking transcripts. Seventy-nine percent screen an applicant by checking past employment records, 59 percent talk to personal references, 37 percent look into an applicant''s arrest and conviction record, and 21 percent request motor vehicle and driving records. (From the Atlanta Business Chronicle.)

Another article indicates that, in today's tight labor market, employers are being more selective about which candidates they interview. In addition, employers are being more meticulous about verifying your employment information. "Background checks, resume and experience verification and general due diligence by employers are much more thorough and painstaking than in the last few years. Plan on this and help expedite it to improve your chances for a job." (From BusinessWire.com)

Essentially, if you have the bad luck to apply with an employer who verifies your resume and references more closely than others, you'll get busted. What if the job you applied for was a great opportunity? In addition, once your lies are uncovered, word tends to get around–especially in smaller cities, where it's easier for human resources professionals to network and share information.

We strongly recommend that you not lie on your resume. In today's tight job market, which allows employers to be more selective, you can't afford the risk associated with resume lies. In fact, falsifying information on your resume is not a good idea in any kind of job market. The potential fallout from discovery of your deception can be devastating to your job search.